The Flintstones

Directed by: Brian Levant
Written by: Tom S. Parker, Jim Jennewein, Steven E. de Souza
Based on: The Flintstones by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera
Produced By: Bruce Cohen
Starring: John Goodman, Rick Moranis, Elizabeth Perkins, Rosie O'Donnell, Kyle MacLachlan, Halle Berry, Elizabeth Taylo
Music By: David Newman
Production Company: Amblin Entertainment Hanna-Barbera Productions
Release dates: May 27, 1994

Plot: In prehistoric suburban Bedrock, Slate & Co.'s new vice-president Cliff Vandercave and secretary Sharon Stone discuss their plan to swindle the company of its vast fortune, pin the theft on an employee, and flee. Fred Flintstone loans his best friend and neighbor Barney Rubble money so that he and his wife Betty can adopt a little boy named Bamm-Bamm, who can only pronounce his own name. Though initially hard to control because of his super strength, Bamm-Bamm eventually warms up to his new family and befriends Fred’s daughter Pebbles. Despite his mother-in-law Pearl Slaghoople's objections, Fred's wife Wilma remains supportive of his decision to loan the Rubbles money.

Cliff holds an aptitude test with the worker with the highest mark becoming the company's new vice president. Barney gets the highest score but switches his paper with Fred, whom he knows will fail. Fred receives the promotion, complete with executive perks such as a luxurious office and Stone appointed as his secretary. To test Fred’s willingness to follow orders, Cliff asks him to dismiss Barney who, with Fred's test paper, has the lowest score in the company. Though Fred is unwilling to fire him, Cliff warns him that he will fire both of them. Fred reluctantly accepts, but continues to help Barney support his family, even inviting the Rubbles to live with them so that they can rent out their house. However, Fred's job and newfound wealth eventually hinder his relationships with Wilma and the Rubbles. Cliff eventually tricks Fred into dismissing the other workers, over the objections of his office Dictabird. Later, Barney confronts Fred after seeing worker riots on the news and, after revealing that he switched tests with Fred, moves out with Betty. Wilma and Pebbles also leave for Pearl's house, leaving Fred behind.

When the Flintstones and Rubbles return home, they find it burglarized with Dino and Pearl tied up and Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm gone. The group finds a note from Cliff saying that he will trade the children for the Dictabird. Fred and Barney confront Cliff at the quarry, where Cliff has tied Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm to a huge machine. Though they hand him the Dictabird, Cliff activates the machine to stall them. Barney rescues the children while Fred destroys the machine. The Dictabird escapes from Cliff and lures him back to the quarry, where Stone incapacitates him, having had a change of heart after learning of Cliff's plan to betray her. The police, Wilma, Betty, and Mr. Slate arrive and Cliff attempts to escape, but he is petrified by a substance falling from the machine.

Review: In this reimagining of the classic Hanna-Barbera cartoon The Flintstones we meet the neighbours; Fred and Wilma Flintstones and Barney and Betty Rubble. The casting of the characters is generally good with the one exception being Betty Rubble. In the original cartoons Betty was a classy and beautiful woman. Yet she was played by Rosie O'Donnell who is really the opposite.

Apparently O'Donnell was cast as Betty as at the time she was a favourite comedian and a recognised celebrity. Sadly her acting was stiff. Personally I wasn't impressed by the choice and O'Donnell's acting. Enough said.

The story begins with the neighbours being best friends. The Flintstones are a family with baby Pebbles. While the Rubbles family is seeking to adopt a baby boy named Bam-Bam. Who oddly can only say his own name. Fred steps up and loans Barney some money to help him adopt Bam-Bam. This upsets his mother in law who like all mother in laws doesn't like her daughters choice in husbands. While this story line is developing the company that the two best friends works at, Slate & Co.'s where new vice-president Cliff Vandercave and secretary discuss their plan to swindle the company of its vast fortune, pin the theft on an employee, and flee.

The plot thickens as the new vice president gives workers an aptitude test to find the smartest worker. As expected Barney gets the highest score, but like a good friend swaps results with Fred. So Fred gets the promotion and the fancy office and the target on his back as the stooge to take the blame for the Cliff's devious scam. To test Fred's willingness to follow orders he tells him to fire Barney as he had the lowest test results. Fred reluctantly accepts, but continues to help Barney support his family, even inviting the Rubbles to live with them so that they can rent out their house. However, Fred's job and new-found wealth eventually hinder his relationships with Wilma and the Rubbles. From there the story is fun and filled with a lot of comic routines and humour. Fun for the whole family.

M J Flack