ROTTEN TOMATOES: Critical Consensus: Rush Hour 3 Runs On Fumes; Stardust Shines; Daddy Day Camp Is Laugh-Free

Critical Consensus: Rush Hour 3 Runs On Fumes; Stardust Shines; Daddy Day Camp Is Laugh-Free

Skinwalkers Not Screened For Critics; Guess the Tomatometer!

by Tim Ryan | August 09, 2007

This week at the movies, we've got wacky cops (Rush Hour 3, starring Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker), fairy tales (Stardust, starring Robert De Niro and Michelle Pfeiffer), the great outdoors (Daddy Day Camp, starring Cuba Gooding Jr.), and lycanthropes (Skinwalkers). What do the critics have to say?

Making the most of Jackie Chan's deft physical comedy skills and Chris Tucker's brash affability, Rush Hour was a refreshing, breezy take on the cop/buddy action/comedy subgenre. However, two sequels later, critics say the thrill is gone, and formula has set in. In Rush Hour 3, our heroes head to Paris to take on the Triads; action, wisecracks, and cultural misunderstandings ensue. Pundits say Rush Hour 3 simply doesn't add enough new elements to the mix to make it worthwhile; worse, they say there's a lack of energy that makes schlepping through an incomprehensible plot pretty difficult. At 23 percent on the Tomatometer, this franchise's Hour may be up. (Check out RT's interview with Tucker and director Brett Ratner here.)

"And here's me giving testimony via video link. Don't I just look adorable?"
A mashup of fantasy, adventure, romance, and comedy, critics are calling Stardust one of the best big-kid fairy tales since The Princess Bride. Based upon Neil Gaiman's fantasy novel, Stardust spins a tale of a young man who sets out to prove his love to the girl of his dreams by presenting her with a fallen star; he embarks on a journey through a forbidden kingdom, encountering witches, pirates, and other magical folks along the way. The pundits say the cast -- which features Robert De Niro, Sienna Miller, Michelle Pfeiffer, Claire Danes, Peter O'Toole, and Charlie Cox -- is top-notch, and helps to enliven director Matthew Vaughn's imaginative fantasy world. While some pundits say the movie has moments of unevenness, it has enough visual razzle-dazzle, good humor, and well-drawn performances to compensate. At 76 percent on the Tomatometer, Stardust shines brightly.

Claire Danes is a star-crossed lover once again.
If you are of the opinion that what is sorely lacking from contemporary American cinema is flatulence, critics don't deny that Daddy Day Camp has an ample supply of it. However, if you require laughs from your comedies, you may want to book another trip. Picking up where 2003's poorly-reviewed Eddie Murphy vehicle Daddy Day Care left off, Camp stars Cuba Gooding Jr. as the head of a dilapidated summer camp, where a ragtag bunch of kids cause him no end of trouble. The pundits say Daddy Day Camp is little more than a collection of predictable, insipid gags that generate more guffaws than chuckles. The scribes also lament the state of Gooding's once-promising career, noting that he's largely reduced to mugging though mediocre projects like this one. At two percent on the Tomatometer, Daddy Day Camp is one of the worst-reviewed films of the year.

"What would you think if I directed this projectile vomit scene? Would you stand up and walk out on me?"
Apparently, the people behind the werewolf flick Skinwalkers are afraid those pesky critics may have revolvers full of silver bullets, since it wasn't screened prior to release. Skinwalkers tells the tale of two packs of hairy, sharp-toothed creatures waging a battle for control of a small town -- with two of the locals caught in the middle. Kids, change out of those torn clothes and Guess the Tomatometer!

Sniffing hair is a sign of affection amongst werewolves.
Also opening this week in limited release: The Signal, in which technology turns a city into zombies, is at 100 percent on the Tomatometer; the culture-clash comedy 2 Days in Paris, starring and directed by Julie Delpy, is at 88 percent; Rocket Science, a teen angst comedy from Spellbound helmer Jeffrey Blitz, is at 86 percent (check out RT's mini-review here); Crossing the Line, a doc about an American defector to North Korea, is at 80 percent; Dans Paris, a family drama set in the City of Lights, is at 62 percent; and Descent, starring Rosario Dawson as a woman bent on revenge after a violent act, is at 38 percent.

"Candygram for Mongo!"
Finally, props to unbreakable_samurai for coming the closest to guessing Underdog's 14 percent Tomatometer.

Recent Robert De Niro Movies:
-------------------------------------
20% -- Arthur and the Invisibles (2007)
56% -- The Good Shepherd (2006)
12% -- Hide and Seek (2005)
5% -- The Bridge of San Luis Rey (2005)
38% -- Meet the Fockers (2004)

Recent Cuba Gooding Jr. Movies:
----------------------------------------
7% -- Norbit (2007)
17% -- What Love Is (2007)
20% -- Shadowboxer (2006)
19% -- Dirty (2005)
54% -- Home on the Range (2004)

Related Items

Movie:	The Signal
	Crossing the Line
	Daddy Day Camp
	Descent
	Rocket Science
	Stardust
	Skinwalkers
	Spellbound
Celeb:	Brett Ratner
	Chris Tucker
	Cuba Gooding Jr.
	Roman Polanski
	Robert De Niro
	Jackie Chan

(1-20 of 20 posts) | Reply

Metafact writes:
on Aug 09 2007 05:53 PM

None of those tomatometers surprise me.

(Reply to this)

Mr. Kong writes:
on Aug 09 2007 06:05 PM

In reply to this comment (#1025386)
I was a little surprised by Stardust, but all in all, yeah, I have to agree.

(Reply to this)

Ryuk_Apples writes:
on Aug 09 2007 06:35 PM

Critics:8%
Users:22%
CotC:0%

(Reply to this)

SplendidIsolation writes:
on Aug 09 2007 06:39 PM

4% for Skinwalkers

(Reply to this)

darth_nevets writes:
on Aug 09 2007 07:58 PM

3%

(Reply to this)

AudioNinja writes:
on Aug 09 2007 08:18 PM

Skinwalkers gets 6%

(Reply to this)

supafly006 writes:
on Aug 09 2007 09:47 PM

5%

(Reply to this)

Canuck666 writes:
on Aug 09 2007 10:11 PM

Skinwalkers will probably get 9%.

(Reply to this)

XeternityX writes:
on Aug 09 2007 10:27 PM

Skinwalkers- 8%

(Reply to this)

ImaRobot writes:
on Aug 09 2007 10:30 PM

I'm going to guess 14%.
PS. Really want to see "Rocket Science". Can't believe my theater isn't playing it (actually I definitely CAN believe my theater isn't playing it...but am rather dejected, none-the-less.)

(Reply to this)

Bloody Mathias writes:
on Aug 09 2007 11:04 PM

Skinwalkers gets 1%.

(Reply to this)

Defmonkey writes:
on Aug 10 2007 12:52 AM

Welcome to August. The Month of Suck. The only movies I'm remotely interested in is Halloween, Balls of Fury and maybe Superbad.

Sure as hell can't wait for sept for Shoot 'Em Up.

Clive's gonna rock da house.

(Reply to this)

Mr. Kong writes:
on Aug 10 2007 06:29 AM

Skinwalkers will get a 13 %.

(Reply to this)

Derbeste writes:
on Aug 10 2007 08:35 AM

Concerning "Stardust"...

I just hope M. Night Shamalamadingdone is taking note and learning what REAL story telling is. See? It's not that critics didn't "get your story" or that they don't appreciate a good story anymore. You just suck.

Rush Hour 3.......no surprises. However, since movie money has nothing to do with quality, It'll be interesting to see of Chan and Tucker can still have enough popularity pull in a crowd. I predict no more than 40 Mil though.

Daddy Daycamp.......I'm very dissapointed in Cuba. You're not a comedian, bro. Never will be. Go back to doing the good roles you had in "Boyz in the Hood" and "Jerry McGuire".

I predict 8-10% for the wolf flick. It'll be bad, but I can't see it being nearly as bad as "Daddy Daycamp".

Predict a 45% drop off for Bourne.

(Reply to this)

jsearls writes:
on Aug 10 2007 10:30 AM

I wasn't excited about Stardust until this week after hearing reviews and that it has a "Monty Python-ish" sense of humor! I'll see it tomorrow. As for the others...why wasn't Daddy Day camp sent straight to DVD hell instead of wide release? And I don't think Skinwalkers is coming to our area, but I'm not too bothered by this.

(Reply to this)

unbreakable_samurai writes:
on Aug 10 2007 12:22 PM

Hell Yeah, victory is mine. I'm going to see Stardust, and Rescue Dawn which finally just opened here(thank goodness), and mabey Rush Hour 3, the first two were amusing. As for Skinwalkers, I'm going with 11%.

(Reply to this)

CoUcH ToMaToE DoUgIe writes:
on Aug 10 2007 04:01 PM

waitaminute, home of the range got 54% tomato fresh rating? jeez, i can't

believe this movie could be worse? anything directed by a man in a cubs hat can' be a

failure, right? anyway, i'm gonna see Descent because i'm in love with Rosario Dawson

and her incredible, luscious,sensual, beatiful... acting talent! oh, and she's hot,too!

And, from what i hear, if anybody would ever think of harming ms. rose in anyway,let

alone in sexual way, well then she can torture that bastard any way she like. hey, may

i recommend the good ol' bush adminstration style which is very in vogue these days.

man, i love that woman, she can do no wrong and folks, that includes josie & pussycats!

p.s. i have to revise that part about how she can take revenge in any

way for that guy who sexual harmed her. Rose, sorry but you absolutely must not harm

the man's wang. please, no one deserves that.

p.s.s. except, Assfleck.

(Reply to this)

Ashron writes:
on Aug 11 2007 03:42 PM

In reply to this comment (#1027577)
Someone alert me when this guy says anything that makes any sense :-)

(Reply to this)

CoUcH ToMaToE DoUgIe writes:
on Aug 11 2007 10:26 PM

In reply to this comment (#1030356)
if your talking to me, thanks to the new r.t. system no one knows, Adhron

i write with a passion that is meant to leave you fully understanding the

couchtomato dougie experience. if i hurt your senses, i apologize and please alert me

when my unique, fiery and maybe even a little nuts opinion does make sense! now, if you

didn't et what i said let me run it down for you: 1) i am shocked so many critics liked

the horrific disney cartoon, home on the range. 2) i am going to see the movie descent.

3) why you ask: two words- ROSARIO DAWSON- love her because she has been slowly getting

better with her acting, she genunly sweet and funny and oh... SHE SMOKIN HOTTT!! 4) i

said i was in favor of rosario's character getting all the revenge she wants against her

abusive boyfriend because no one should ever violate or abuse anyone. let alone the

beautiful and lovely Rose. 5) i then used the p.s. to mention that i was not going to

support any violence towards her male abuser's wang. i hope you know what that is and

no its not that great young pitcher on the n.y. yankees! 6) i hate ben affleck so much

that i wouldn't mind harm to his man region, what little he has, because the man has a

career and a wife and a position in society he doesn't deserve. the man has leeched

himself on matt damon and got a career out of it, which hurts my very being. Thus,

proving why i used the ***- hyphen on his name. So, i hope my explainations have

cleared up your senses, Ashron, and hey alert me if i did. and if i didn't then i

wouldn't mind continuing to help you understand my passionate, personal and hopefully

memorable opinions. And hey if nothing else i did enjoy the icon at the end of your

statement^.^

(Reply to this)

puablo writes:
on Aug 12 2007 02:57 PM

Stardust surprised me big time. Easily for me the best movie of 2007, and the first movie in many years (since LOTR) that I want to go back and see again on the big screen.

(Reply to this)

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