I must have seen this movie at least 3 times during my childhood since it was aired often on channel 6. A few years later I remembered about it and I was shocked when I looked its appaling score of 4,6 when I checked the first time (January 2018). Few months later I re-watched it and I had always the same opinion about it, and I think it's very underrated here.
The film's plot is sort of an extention of the cartoon's plot. Here Fred Flintstone (John Goodman) has the possibility of becoming the new vice presidenty of Slate & Co (in the quarry where he works) and he takes the test. However his best friend Barney Rubble (Rick Moranis) switches tests with him and Fred his promoted. However his former vice president Cliff Vandercave (Kyle MacLachlan) has an evil plan for him: making him signing forms that will involve him in the company's embezzlement. When Fred and Barney are chased by a lynch mob they are freed thanks to the Dictabird but in the meanwhile Cliff abducted their kids for ransom. After defeating Cliff, Mr. Slate comes by and tells Fred to elect him as president of his division. After the bad experience Fred refuses as he has learned his lesson.
The cast is nearly perfect. John Goodman was perfect for the role of Fred Flintstone and I think he was born for it, and Rick Moranis was also perfect as Barney Rubble. Elizabeth Perkins as Wilma and Rosie O'Donnell as Betty are very good despite O'Donnell looked a bit too fat for the role. Kyle MacLachlan is surprisingly good as the evil vice president of the Slate & Co. and Halle Berry is incredibly sexy as his secretary. It was quite surprising seeing 1950s' legendary actress Elizabeth Taylor as Wilma's mother in what turned out to be her final movie performance.
While the movie isn't exactly excellent, it is perfect in what is supposed to be... a live action adaptation of a cartoon. Nothing more, nothing less. Pleasant and adequate... and not deserving at all of the bad score and reviews. Just one of those great family movies that can be enjoyed safely by both kids and adults.
The Flintstones
1994
Action / Comedy / Family / Fantasy
The Flintstones
1994
Action / Comedy / Family / Fantasy
Plot summary
The Flintstones and the Rubbles are modern stone-age families. Fred and Barney work at Slate and Company, mining rock. Fred gives Barney some money so he and Betty can adopt a baby. When Fred and Barney take a test to determine who should become the new associate vice president, Barney returns the favor by switching his test answers for Fred's, whose answers aren't very good. Fred gets the executive position, but little does he know that he's being manipulated by his boss to be the fall guy for an embezzlement scheme.
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Why all the hate towards this movie?? It's actually one of the best adaptations from a classic cartoon
Far from the best movie I have ever seen, but it is far from awful.
I liked this movie. Yes, the plot is predictable and weak, and in some cases over-familiar. Yes, the script is a bit weak in places. Yes, it is a little lacklustre, and doesn't quite capture the feel good nature of the show. But it is far from the worst movie ever. I really don't know what people were thinking when they gave this film such a low rating. Some of the worst movies I've ever seen, are Home Alone 4, Thomas and the Magic Railroad, Cat in the Hat, Disaster Movie, Epic Movie, Pokemon the First Movie and Batman and Robin, but this film doesn't deserve to belong to this category. On the most part, due to the enthusiastic performances of the cast, it was quite entertaining. John Goodman was born to play Fred. He looks the part, and put a lot of much-needed enthusiasm into the role. Rick Moranis is fine as Barney, very like what I imagine him. The prequel is probably better, but Mark Addy and Stephen Baldwin don't quite fit the bill as Goodman and Moranis. I also liked Elizabeth Perkins and Rosie O'Donnell as Wilma and Betty. As the villains, Kyle McLachan and Halle Berry play their clichéd characters more than adequately. I do miss Elizabeth Taylor when she was pretty, but she was game as Wilma's mother, though not quite in the same league as Joan Collins in the prequel. The sets and costumes are spot on, and the design of Dino was superb. All in all, I liked this movie, it's not perfect, but it is far from the worst movie I have ever seen. 6/10 Bethany Cox.
Too serious
When Fred (John Goodman) gets promoted, evil sleazy executive Cliff Vandercave (Kyle MacLachlan) sees a stupid patsy to take the blame for his embezzling scheme. First Fred is forced to fire Barney (Rick Moranis),then the rest of the employees. Then he signs all kinds of memos without reading them. It all comes back to haunt him when the embezzling comes to light.
This is a live action take on the classic cartoon. I actually like the visual styles. It's got the crazy rock look. But they needed more colors and brighter colors. The story is too serious. Not only is there scheming, but also fighting, firing people, money troubles and kidnapping. It's a children's cartoon. There is too much danger especially for the kids. It needs to be much lighter.