Directed by: Briant Levant
Written by:Deborah Kaplan, Harry Elfont, Jim Cash, Jack Epps Jr
Starring: Mark Addy, Stephen Baldwin, Kristen Johnston, Jane Krakowski, Thomas Gibson, Joan Collins, Alan Cumming
Released: June 22, 2000
Grade: B

The Flintstones was a big hit of the 1994 film season taking in $130m and finishing as the number five film for the year.  The Flintstones In Viva Rock Vegas isn’t up to standard of its predecessor but there are still plenty of laughs to keep the audience amused.

In this tradition of The Phantom Menace, this episode is a prequel to the original.  We are introduced to Fred and Barney as a little green alien named Gazoo comes down from outer space.  Remember him?  Fred and Barney of course can only see Gazoo and his mission is to observe the human mating ritual.

This isn’t quite so easy for Gazoo because Fred and Barney are not married and have no girlfriends.  That is until they come across two lovely ladies, Wilma and Betty, at the local fast food joint, the Bronto King.  As the story progresses, we find Wilma’s family is quite wealthy and her family has plans on her marrying wealthy casino owner, Chip Rockefeller.  Fred has other ideas...

Sure it’s not designed to be a critics' favourite and it does rehash jokes from the original but it’s still fun to go back into the fictional world of Bedrock.  The set decoration from Jan Pascale is fantastic and it’s worth keeping your eyes pealed in every scene for tiny details that make the world seem all the more like the one from the TV series.

Mark Addy was a surprising choice as Fred but does a good job and his voice especially brings Fred to life.  Stephen Baldwin and Kristen Johnston were perhaps miscast but Jane Krakowski was a good selection as Betty Rubble.  It was also pleasant to see a funny supporting cast including Thomas Gibson, Joan Collins and especially Alan Cumming, who plays both Gazoo and rock star, Mick Jagged.

It’s kept simple and is a great selection for the kids these school holidays.  It won’t have the same draw for adults but frankly, it’s a lot more entertaining then some other “comedy” films that have been released in recent months.