The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course

What if a big, mean croc in the wilds of Australia swallowed a top-secret data beacon from a crashed spy satellite? And what if Steve Irwin--that charismatically obnoxious daredevil naturalist from the Animal Planet cable channel--thought the CIA goons sent to retrieve it were actually poachers trying to kill the croc? If you've ever seen The Crocodile Hunter TV show (and let's face it, you wouldn't be considering watching this if you hadn't), you can probably see the screwball, sketch-comedy appeal of this wacky movie concept. But no matter how firmly director John Stainton has his tongue in his cheek, the fact remains that a wacky concept does not a feature film make. While The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course is occasionally funny, on the whole it's a script-less, aimless, badly-acted, slapped-together attempt to cash in on Irwin's 15 minutes of fame. Not a necessary purchase. [Note: DVD extras include a 23-minute "A Croc in Shot" making of documentary, 18 minutes of behind the scenes footage, the 36-minute "Lights! Camera! Animals!" featurette, over 11 minutes worth of five deleted scenes (with introductions by director John Stainton), a "Crocodile Rock" music video by Baha Men, "Croc Track" pop up info tidbits, three interactive games, text "Meet Steve and Terri" notes, text trivia (in which viewers learn that Steve Irwin captured his first croc at age 9!), text survival notes (including tools, first aid and dangerous creature info), text "Australian Critters" notes (which offer descriptions and vital stats), trailers, and a photo gallery. Bottom line: a solid extras package for a so-so film.] (R. Blackwelder)