A big budget effort to revive the long-dormant TV series with a snarkier, more wise-cracking slant. Dan Aykroyd is in his element as the super stiff, by-the-books Joe Friday (nephew of the original protagonist), while Tom Hanks often feels like he tries too hard as the detective's wacky, off-kilter new partner. The two play their roles well, but oddly don't have much of a rapport and feel like they're more wrapped up in the eccentricities of the characters than what's going on around them. I can't really blame them - the plot doesn't seem appropriate, or even all that interesting. Why stick to the guidelines of a basic detective story when you can dive into the overcomplicated saga of an evil pagan minister with deep political ties and a weakness for sacrificial virgins, I guess? It's a terrible match for the cast, who seem as puzzled by it as I was, and sets the film up for failure before it's even found its legs. Amusing at times, for the most part it's helplessly contradictory, clumsy and often downright grating.
Review of Dragnet
