Upcoming movie: Zookeeper

Simon Hampel

Simon Hampel

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Just saw this movie listed in upcoming releases:

The animals at one particular zoo decide to break their code of silence in order to help their lovable zookeeper gain the attention of one particular woman.
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Stars: Kevin James, Rosario Dawson, Leslie Bibb, Cher, Nick Nolte, Adam Sandler, Sylvester Stallone, Judd Apatow

Zookeeper - Official Site

Also from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zookeeper_(film)

Zookeeper is an upcoming American comedy film, starring Kevin James and Rosario Dawson, and featuring the voices of Adam Sandler, Mike Myers, Sylvester Stallone, Nick Nolte, Don Rickles, Mike Judge, Judd Apatow, Jon Favreau, Cher and Faizon Love.
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I think parts of it may have been filmed at Franklin Park Zoo?
 
The film currently has a 14% approval rating on the movie website rottentomatoes.com, and by all accounts is a particularly awful piece of celluloid.
 
I've seen some reports in the online media about this film and how some of it's animal stars were treated during the making of the film - I have no idea if it's sensationalist claptrap or genuine reportage? Any of our American Bretheren care to comment?
 
Never really heard much about animals being mistreated(and I live the next state over from where Franklin Park Zoo is) but a giraffe died there while they were filming. It wasn't one of the zoo's giraffes but a giraffe belonging to the animal company providing the movie's animals.
 
Sun Wukong said:
In my book, it's a contender for this thread:
http://www.zoochat.com/25/worst-movies-126774/

Now finding a decent copy of the Sam Neill movie "The Zookeeper" will be even harder...
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I don't normally like to prejudge but every film I've seen with Adam Sandler in it has been very poor.

"Zookeeper" seems to be available via Amazon:

[ame="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Zookeeper-Neill-McKee-Ulrich-Thomsen/dp/B004TJGS2W/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1310466486&sr=8-6"]The Zookeeper 2001 Sam Neill, Gina McKee, Ulrich Thomsen: Amazon.co.uk: Sam Neill, Gina McKee, Ulrich Thomsen, Ralph Ziman: Film & TV[/ame]


I haven't seen this one but from the cast alone it looks infinitely superior.
 
@Sun Wukong: thanks for the recommendation (I assume that it was one). I've just watched The Zookeeper (2001) and it's a fairly grim tale of survival set in a zoo during a war in recent times. The exact location is not given but it seems to have been inspired by stories about Sarajevo Zoo. It's worth watching. Credits name Prague and Hodonin for animals and filming location.
 
At our morning docent meeting today, we discussed this. One docent brought it up saying (the new) Zookeeper is one of the worst movies ever, but then several others said it was good (including a staff member). A mother and son I know from elsewhere (who are not zoo people) said it was ok.

I have not seen it, although the preview looked pretty good. I guess it might be enjoyable if your expectations are not too high going in.
 
@Pygathrix: You're welcome. Is that a Code 2 DVD at Amazon? As for Adam Sandler movies: "The Zohan" wasn't that bad overall.

As for the recent "Zookeeper" movie: none of the teasers/trailers has convinced me so far of anything other than my previous suspicion. I might watch it one day-probably on an airplane or a coach as part of the "entertainment"...
 
Sun Wukong said:
As for the recent "Zookeeper" movie: none of the teasers/trailers has convinced me so far of anything other than my previous suspicion. I might watch it one day-probably on an airplane or a coach as part of the "entertainment"...
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I agree, in no way or form will I ever deliberately pay to see this movie...
 
I saw it. Another awful movie about talking animals. No redeeming element, even attractive Rosario Dawson is bad here as a zoo vet. No conservation reference. Avoid at all costs.
 
According to the Houston Zoo website, the AZA "partnered" with Sony Pictures for the release of the movie. I've seen a bunch of American zoos promoting it on their Facebook pages.

This movie is not only stupid entertainment, it exploited live animals in its production. Why would zoos support that? This is why so many animal lovers hold the AZA -- and, by virtue of their membership, zoos -- in such low esteem. AZA and the zoos that are pushing this movie should be ashamed of themselves.

Zoos should be promoting Project Nim, instead. I've explained why in my blog here:Chimp Trainer's Daughter: Moviegoers have a choice: Project Nim or Zookeeper?

The Houston explanation of the AZA - Zookeeper partnership is here: Zookeeper, The Movie - Houston Zoo
 
So...... did anyone actually see the movie, or are we rehashing reviews from other websites?

I watched it last night and I thought it was funny and enjoyable, and the zoo animals were merely supporting actors.

It's worth a download or rental if you like the romance-comedy genre of movies. If you are a zoo fanatic and are hoping to see some great shots of animals, then this movie is not for you. It's a fun movie: not a documentary.

Can anyone confirm whether the eagles were wedge-tailed eagles? And was that a bearded dragon that the herpetologist was carrying around?
 
I watched it last night ..... it was ok, talking lions, gorilla etc. If you take it just as a fun comedy then you will enjoy it, not sure I would want to visit that particular zoo though ... lol
 
NikonUser58 said:
I watched it last night ..... it was ok, talking lions, gorilla etc. If you take it just as a fun comedy then you will enjoy it, not sure I would want to visit that particular zoo though ... lol
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Yup, fun, comedy.

Do history buffs watch 'Night At the Museum' simply to see talking artefacts, and then criticise the movie from a historical accuracy standpoint? (Well, they shouldn't! Like 'Zookeeper', it was not a documentary!)
 
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