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Mathew Scott

Starsky & Hutch

Starring: Ben Stiller,  Owen Wilson, Snoop Dog, Vince Vaughn

Director: Todd Phillips

The film: Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson (below) pull their buddy act on like a comfy old sweater these days. So, there are no real surprises with what they get up to. Stiller is the slightly repressed one, while Wilson is  wild and wacky.

Sadly, though, the promise they show -  in films such as Zoolander  and now this - seems never to  meet   expectations. Their pairings are great in parts, but you end up taking nothing much  away from the experience.

In reviving these 1970s TV series characters, you'd have thought the options open to them would have been huge. Instead, there's a convoluted plot involving a criminal (Vince Vaughn) with whom they have some history. But the real downfall of Starsky & Hutch is that  it's as if they're just going through the motions - in the same vein as the late-period Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin films, or even  Abbot and Costello.

It's up to the supporting cast to carry the load. Vaughn is superbly understated, Snoop Dog shines as their friendly informant Huggy Bear, and there's that fabulous Ford Torino tearing up the pavement. Better than all that  is the superb Will Ferrell  in an all too brief cameo as Big Earl, a criminal with some unusual tastes. It's hilarious what he makes Starsky and Hutch get up to  for information (but perhaps a little freaky  in light of the Abu Ghraib revelations).

Director Todd Phillips  has been churning this type of film out for a while now, what with Road Trip and Old School, and he has a version of The Six Million Dollar Man coming up next. Hopefully, one day he can get it right and give us something that entertains from start to finish.

The extras: The director reveals his love of all things 70s throughout the commentary, while Snoop Dog gives a fashion statement in a small featurette. There are also deleted scenes and a gag reel. Best of the bunch  is the Last Look Special - a  send-up of the usual 'making of'' specials that are part and parcel of DVD releases. It's almost better value than the film - and only lasts about 10 minutes.

The verdict: More of the same - but sometimes that's a good thing.



Starsky & Hutch