Follow up (almost direct-to-video) film to A Fish Called Wanda, featuring the same cast (John Cleese, Michael Palin, Kevin Kline and Jamie Lee Curtis). It was almost as funny as its predecessor but was marketed pretty much direct to video after a rather torrid production history. Test audiences hated it, so they re-shot some scenes, re-edited the whole thing and then shoved it out onto video after a poor and very limited release to theaters.

The story follows the story of a Zoo and it's employees attempting to keep the Zoo open after it is acquired by a ruthless corporation, Octopus Inc. John Cleese plays a former Hong Kong Police Chief, Rollo Lee. Rollo is an employee of Octopus Inc and is sent to run the zoo. Kevin Kline doubles up as both Vince and Rod McCaine. Rod is the overbearing Aussie owner of Octopus Inc. and Vince is his ambitious but bumbling son who is also the VP of Marketing. (anyone who has ever had a problem with a companies marketing department will love this aspect of the film as Vince comes up with one bone headed marketing scheme after another). Jamie Lee Curtis is Willa Weston, a young executive just hired by Octopus for a position in a company that Octopus just sold, so she gets in to running the zoo (Rollo being demoted to middle management). Michael Palin has a small but humorous part as the Zoo's Insect Keeper.

This movie is not as good as A Fish Called Wanda but does has its moments, John Cleese excels at Freudian Slips, surpassing the courtroom scene in Fish. Kevin Kline manages to create a character that you love and hate at the same time. Ms. Lee Curtis is resplendent in tight outfits, but manages to pull off a strong performance, although she seems a bit overshadowed by Kline and Cleese this time. The one problem I have in this film is Micheal Palin. His role is just too small and insignificant, with one notable exception his role is no bigger than any of the other keepers, unfortuneatley that exception just doesn't give him enough screen time. His character is no where near as developed as his one in Fish.

When I first saw this movie I didn't like it all that much, but after a couple of viewings I started to pick up on things and now I really enjoy it.

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