Flipper (1996 Film) [Enhanced CD]

Boatloads of fun...

I was never a huge `Flipper' fan. I didn't watch the television show and I never saw the 1963 film that inspired it. I do recall seeing this particular movie when I was younger, but I didn't given it a second thought. As far as deep-sea animal movies I preferred `Jaws', and, well, I did absolutely LOVE `Free Willy', but that's for another discussion.

So, anyways, my wife, she's the `Flipper' fan. She just adores this movie and so the other night she made me watch it with her, and guess what; it was actually quite good.

So, for those of you not aware, this is a move about a dolphin who befriends a boy in need of a friend. Young Sandy Ricks is depressed since his parents recently divorced. He is longing for some normalcy, but instead his mother decides to ship him off to Coral Key to spend the summer with his crazy Uncle Porter. Sandy is apposed to it at first, but then he meets Flipper, a friendly dolphin who shows Sandy the meaning of friendship.

Throughout the film Sandy not only bonds with Flipper but also with his Uncle, which is something Porter needed as well. Add to that a young girl who catches Sandy's eye and an evil fisherman who is poisoning the water and you have an adventure suited for the whole family.

Sure, `Flipper' is nothing truly special. It is nothing new or unpredictable. In fact, you can guess pretty much every upcoming scene long before it appears, but that doesn't mean it isn't a good time; and films like this that are targeted at a family and a young audience are not designed to truly amaze or surprise you. They are designed to capture the hearts of young ones and their parents, and `Flipper' truly does that.

The acting is quite good for a film of this genre, especially from young Frodo; I mean Elijah Wood. He shows possibly more depth here than I've ever seen him since. Paul Hogan does a surprisingly fine job as Porter, making his relationship with Sandy seem a lot more real than it could have.

But of course this movie is all about the dolphin, and he does steal the show.

So, if you are looking for a fun family film that is packed with adventure, humor and a chatty little sea-faring animal than this may just be the film you are looking for. It's not amazing, but it doesn't have to be. It is better than average, that's for sure, and with the slew of average films being released today it's nice to find one that is ahead of the pack. December 17, 2008

After Sea World...Flipper

We took our grandsons to Sea World this summer...when we came home, the 4 year old kept talking about the Dolphin. So I "re-found" Flipper at Amazon...and all the kids are delighted!!! September 9, 2007

Flipper

A delightful movie that I enjoyed watching with a friend. I am looking forward to sharing it with my grandchildren, ages 3 & 6. September 7, 2007

flipper 1996 the movie is AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I mean it from my heart when I say i've never seen a more beautiful movie!
I love dolphins, and I'm gonna be a dolphin trainer. THIS movie inspired me so much. It's awesome! and there is so many times during this movie I cry! because it's so touching! especially when sandy and flipper becomes friends and swim together for the first time!
and when sandy tells him to go back to his family...that is so touching!!!
Elijah looks hot aswell:)

EVERYTHING IS GREAT!!!!!!!!!!! August 12, 2007

This chemistry just didn't work for me.

I was alive when I saw the original movie released that lead to the TV series starring Luke Halpin and Tommy Norden. I bought this film simply because I have loved Paul Hogan's work and adore Elijah Wood. So I took a chance.

In merit to this film and its premise, this film's take off of "Flipper" shows a more disfunctional family approach to the Ricks family we see in the old 1960's TV series. Elijah Wood, who plays Sandy in this film, is sent to stay with Ranger Ricks for one summer. You presume Sandy's mother can not take care of him for the summer, while she pays Porter Ricks, played by Paul Hogan; $100 a week to take care of the boy. I don't know who can get by on $100 a week these days let alone in 2003 when this film was made. Porter Ricks living conditions are quite a far cry from the clean environment and ethics taught in the old 1965 tv series. Since this film is drawing from the original characters created from the 1965 series, it makes sense to make a rough comparison. This film in other words can not just be judged for its own merits alone, since it draws from the old 60's Tv series in premise.

There is no sign of Bud in this film or hint to a sequel that might introduce him and frankly, it was the relationship between Flipper and Bud that made the old 1960's tv series work so well. Tommy Norden was not only a cute kid to watch, but had a fabulous personality as a young actor.

The character development in this film needed allot of work, not to mention somekind of decent story line. In the opening, Sandy and Porter Ricks seem distant from each other and don't really seem that much closer by the time it all reaches the end of the film.

Flipper appears into this half hazardly via Sandy witnessing some fishermen killing Flipper's mother and, for some reason, Flipper is drawn to Sandy after roaming the oceans with no pod or family. How he finds Sandy isn't clear either when there is no earthly way a dolphin, as intelligent as Flipper, could have known where Sandy lived.

I liked that Flipper tracked Sandy down in his lonliness, but it would have made more sense if Sandy had tried to rescue Flipper from the gunman, who shot Flipper's mother, which caused this bonding to take place, while leaving a clue for the dolphin to find Sandy. You really have no idea why flipper is drawn to Sandy, other than the fact that Flipper gets lonily, in need of a family, and magically tracks him down.

The dolphin in this movie is cute; that goes without saying. Makes me think of the mechanical dolphin, named Darwin, they used in SeaQuest.

I think this film would have had allot more going for it, if they had simply worked to create somekind of story that brings Ricks, Sandy and Flipper together via stuggle and need for each other. It seems the story was trying to do that along the way, but kept missing.

Frankly, this story really does not go anywhere and that's ashame. You can read other reviews to get some idea of what the story is about. Otherwise I think the chemistry between Paul Hogan, as an actor, and Elijah Wood, as an actor, could have really worked in this film. They both are excellent actors when it comes down to it. It just seems the whole thing was slapped together with the idea in mind; "This will sell, everyone loves Flipper", but we also like a good story or it doesn't work.

Also, as long as the character "Sandy" was going to be used in this remake, it makes no sense to take away Bud from the family profile; given this film is drawing from the original work of the original film and tv series of the 1960's.

Cinematography wise; this film is done well, but I can see why it would have been hard to even make a sequel with this, simply because the story really goes no where or at least in a direction that might even suggest a sequel.

I felt very lost at the end when Sandy goes home at summer's end to be with his mom: At least you think it is his mom, even though that isn't made clear in the script. He's allowed to come back next summer to visit Porter Ricks, but the whole thing just comes apart with this type of ending when you consider the original premise of the Ricks family of the 1960's and that they were a family. You don't see that happening here, even though the writer is drawing from the old 1960's series. Too bad.

I hate to give anything a number 2 rating. Can't imagine how anyone could have blown it with something as delightful as Flipper, but this one really isn't worth your money. It's more a rental film or something to pass your time when nothing else is on tv to watch.
June 8, 2007

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