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John Cleese, Jamie Lee Curtis, Kevin Kline

A small, idyllic English zoo is taken over by Octopus, a large multi-national corporation whose hard-nosed chief executive attempts to tame the zoo keepers and change the zoo. He sends his marketing g...( read more  read more... )enius son and a female customer relations executive to the zoo to try to find a way to make it more profitable. Gradually, however, they become charmed by the care and devotion of the animal keepers.

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57% liked it

10,932 ratings

PG-13, 1 hr. 30 min.

Directed by: Fred Schepisi, Robert Young

Release Date: January 24, 1997

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DVD Release Date: January 20, 1998

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Flixster Reviews (511)

  • Passenger1986
    October 3, 2009
    Passenger1986
    If I asked you to name a great movie starring John Cleese, Jamie Lee Curtis, Kevin Kline and Michael Palin, what's the first thing that comes to your minds? OK, A Fish Called Wanda. And I would say well, you're right. A Fish Called Wanda is a marvelous farcical tour de force. But...( read more) it's this team-up I really prefer. Probably long forgotten by a majority of people, it's the little film that provides big laughs.

    Although the core cast is the same as A Fish Called Wanda, it is not a sequel of any sorts. While the plot of A Fish Called Wanda is quite enjoyable, Fierce Creatures tries something a little different than a jewel heist-caper. The story goes thus: with an English zoo taken over by Octopus, Inc (hee hee. Little touches like that get bonus points from me. Even a bad film can score a few with things like that), the zoo is under pressure to gain more money. Rollo Lee's (John Cleese, a comedic genius who has never fallen from grace) proposition is to rid the zoo of the "cute and cuddly factor" and keep the vicious, fierce creatures since violence brings in the cash.
    I want to stop the plot synopsis for a moment and comment on how much I love the theme the film is already trying to set up: the idea that people, in order to bring in the long-green/cabbage/insert own slang for money here, people rely on the primal urges of humanity. Even more relevant today, with everything supposedly going "darker and grittier". However, there are two definitions to that term. The true definition is to add a little more reality to something usually considered fantastical. Deeper characterization, making things a little more grim, bittersweet endings, that sort of thing. Watchmen is like that. It's like a deconstruction of your standard superhero comics.
    The other definition, unfortunately, is the one most people latch onto: darker and edgier must mean more violence, T&A, swearing and such. No real deep, underlying themes of the complexity of human life, just guys shooting people while making out with busty blondes who use the F word every three words or so.

    How does this tie in to the plot theme? Well, the second definition of darker and grittier is what Rollo relies on to sell. It takes a jab at the idea that making EVERYTHING dark is a sure-fire way to get money (after Batman Begins, the idea reared its head again). I can see it now: "Frisbee too lame now? Try Kool Extreme Frisbee, dood! It has sharp edges, is painted blood red and takes no shit from anyone! Throw it at your mother, throw it at your teachers, throw it at The Man! The Kool Extreme Frisbee has a bad attitude and lets no woman push him around! KOOL EXTREME FRISBEE! Buy it or be a lameoid!"
    If anyone felt the need to gouge out their eyes after reading that, I apologize. To anyone who wants one now... what the Hell, man? Anyway, my point is, some things do not need to be dark and edgy. Which is also what the movie is trying to say, among other things. Zoos in particular do not need to resort to this kind of gimmick.

    Wow, I haven't really finished explaining the plot but look how big this review has gotten. Anyway, to help oversee the new direction the zoo is taking we have the cocky Vince (Kevin Kline, who also plays Vince's father Rod and is one of the most convincing non-Australians to ever try an Australian accent) and go-getter Willa (Jamie Lee Curtis, one actress I hope isn't thinking of retiring anytime soon). The staff at the zoo are attempting to keep their jobs and resort to all sorts of antics to do so.
    One such example is when the staff fake animal attacks, stating that the usually docile creatures are out for blood. Rollo is shocked at this turn of events and it seems to draw interest from the people currently at the zoo. Of course, this leads to a Fawlty Towers-esque resolution but since Cleese co-created it, you expect that kind of shout-out.
    Although it's already interesting in its own rights, one further aspect I like is that one of the zookeepers (Ronnie Corbett) is trying a different approach. He's wearing a snazzy jacket, has beautiful women assisting him and his appeal is based on showmanship. While he has good intentions and is doing an admirable job, I can't help but wonder if this is another dig at the methods businesses and industries use to draw in crowds. Rather than let the animal's allure do it for him, he's appealing to baser instincts too, only not violence. Rather, he's relying on sex appeal and bright colours to appeal to the masses (OK, that one's not so much about baser instincts but it does work from an advertising standpoint. Apparently, people really love their shiny things). Again, not faulting his good intentions and his novel approach (compared to his co-workers at any rate).

    While they are both very different films and I like them both, the key reason I prefer Fierce Creatures to A Fish Called Wanda is the relationship between the characters played by Jamie Lee Curtis and John Cleese. In A Fish Called Wanda, she's a jewel thief seducing his character, a lawyer, but ends up falling for him for real. Here, she's as interested in the welfare of the zoo as Rollo is and seems genuinely interested in him (though that might also be in relation to her perception of him being some sort of Lothario, in a recurring sex joke that I actually found amusing). Likewise, he grows attached to her and he's a sympathetic man, despite what the staff initially think.
    There's a part early on in the film that paints him in an unfavorable light at first until the truth is revealed, which involves the staff with their animals and them forcing Rollo into something he really doesn't wish to do.

    A smaller thing I owe this movie for is introducing me to a wonderful song. There's a scene in the film in which Vince tries the gimmick of celebrity endorsements and one of which is a tortoise which he says is now "Bruce Springsteen's tortoise". To that end, he plays the song Hungry Heart. Up until seeing this movie, I had never heard that song but it was so amazing that I just had to obtain it. So, to whoever decided to include that song: thank you so very much for introducing a young man to the wonders of Springsteen beyond the already rockin' Dancing In The Dark.

    So, just because it's not exactly like A Fish Called Wanda doesn't mean it's any less valid. It doesn't try to be like it, it just tries to have fun. And it is a lot of fun. It's inventive, it's clever, it's funny. I really hope they get together at least one more time.
  • SirPant
    September 28, 2009
    SirPant
    I didn?t think they could go wrong after the success of A fish called Wanda but unfortunately they did. Shame.
  • StaisilD
    August 30, 2008
    StaisilD
    In Fierce Creatures, a smalltown zoo is taken over by a megacoporation. In order to keep the zoo from being put out of business, the zoo decides to have only fierce creatures in order to draw a crowd. The story gets murkier from here, involving rebellious zookeepers including Mic...( read more)hael Palin, a plan to sell the zoo, and lots of sex jokes, but basically the movie floats, thanks to liberal doses of humor from the principals. Kevin Kline's appearance of both Randy and Vince McCain is excellent. The name Octopus inc. is a reference to the big multinational corporations, only interested in making money. John Cleese, in the film mistakenly accused of having sex with the zoo animals, plays a rather good underdog character.

    Vince McCain: "Hey, hey, hey, hey. Were you going to use that for target practice?
    Rollo Lee: Oh, no. Ha.
    Vince McCain: Or, uh, one of your orgies?
    [long pause]
    Rollo Lee: Orgies?
    Vince McCain: Yeah. I'm onto you. You were going to put that somewhere. You're sick."

    Fierce Creatures generally comes off as an agreeable, sporadically hilarious farce that benefits substantially from Cleese, Curtis, and Kline's incredibly strong work.
  • PvtCaboose91
    May 1, 2008
    PvtCaboose91
    "Mr. Sylvester Stallone didn't get where he is today by playing in Jane Austen."


    Fierce Creatures is a charming, rather funny non-sequel to A Fish Called Wanda that reunites most of the original cast, but falls far short of matching up to its non-predec

    ...( read more)essor. In all fairness, A Fish Called Wanda was way too remarkably excellent and unbeatable that I never expected Fierce Creatures to match it.

    Fierce Creatures is of course completely unrelated (except a few sneaky references that one should spot, as well as a few Monty Python homages) while also keeping some of the characters much the same (Kline delivers a trademark macho performance here).

    A London zoo, owned by an Aussie business tycoon named Rod McCain (Kline), is successful but McCain demands the zoo owner Rollo (Cleese) to raise funds by 20%. Rollo instigates a new policy; a 'fierce creature' policy that entails removing all placid animals and replacing them with exciting, ferocious ones. This new policy is met with complete shock from the zookeepers who discover that the only way to get rid of their placid animals is to shoot them. When matters get worse at the zoo, McCain sends his son Vince (also played by Kline) and up-and-coming business executive Willa Weston (Lee Curtis) to take control.

    Fierce Creatures had all the elements it needed for a good old-fashioned fun comedy (including a very good repetitive joke that paints Cleese as a sexual superman found attractive by humans and animals), and it certainly is a fun film with high re-watchable value; it just can't hold a candle to A Fish Called Wanda.

    John Cleese is brilliant as always. His character mirrors some of his other characters in the way that he's notorious for getting into trouble and coming up with hilarious excuses. The man will always be funny despite his age. Kevin Kline is of course an utter delight. He is given some very witty lines of dialogue that had me laughing quite spectacularly. Jamie Lee Curtis is her usual self. Mirroring her role in the non-predecessor, I was very impressed with the performance delivered here. And of course Michael Palin is a remarkable, funny and wonderful. Just like John Cleese, age is of no issue. I will always have fond memories of his Monty Python career.

    The one real stand out feature for this film, though, is the exceptional musical score. Despite being just for a typical comedy, this score is definitely one of the best I have ever heard. The music is catchy and it matches the atmosphere while setting a very fitting tone as well. Kudos to Jerry Goldsmith for creating such a perfect score for this film.

    Fierce Creatures contains some great scattered laughs with hilarious dialogue that become better with every viewing, and of course the film is great entertainment, but there's nothing to convincingly bring it into the 'brilliant' category. Certainly worth seeing.
  • RiderOfTheStorms
    November 11, 2006
    RiderOfTheStorms
    funny!
  • HateYouIgnorant
    October 31, 2009
    HateYouIgnorant
    !Comercial or Stupid! :|
  • robinmich
    October 2, 2009
    robinmich
    Ok, worth watching, but not a patch on A Fish Called Wanda
  • phillip316
    August 10, 2009
    phillip316
    Not as good as the first one.
  • Robbanflix
    August 3, 2009
    Robbanflix
    I rewatched "A fish called Wanda" quite recently and it was good but not as good as i remembered it. Yesterday i finally saw Fierce Creatures for the first time and with the same cast as "Wanda" it could probably be a nice comedy i thought. The story in this flick is not quite as...( read more) good but decent enough. But i must say that i actually found this movie to be much funnier and John Cleese shows his best side here. I liked him alot in Fawlty Towers and its almost to watch Basil again with the same type of humor / character in a way. There are more goofy scenes in this flick i would say overall. The rest of the cast did not live up to the same level as John Cleese but still its an entertaining comedy in the end.
  • missyheart
    August 2, 2009
    missyheart
    I LOVE this movie. It makes me laugh every single time. Such a uniqe movie and the humor is on top, It's a MUST SEE! ^^D

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  • sparky20091
    March 23, 2009
    sparky20091
    i saw fierce creatures a while ago and it was funny
    i like Michael Palin he is a good actor
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  • In which film does Jamie Lee Curtis play Willa Weston?  Answer »
  • what 2 movies starred Jamie Lee Curtis,Kevin Kline and John Cleese?  Answer »
  • Which of the following comedians did not appear in Fierce Creatures?  Answer »
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