Editing Kangaroo Jack

{{short description|2003 film by David McNally}}
{{for|the television episode|L.A.'s Finest#ep22{{!}}Kangaroo Jack (L.A.'s Finest)}}
{{use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}{{Infobox film
| name           = Kangaroo Jack
| image          = Kangaroo jack.jpg
| alt            = A kangaroo wearing sunglasses and red Brooklyn hoodie
| caption        = Theatrical release poster
| director       = [[David McNally (director)|David McNally]]
| producer       = [[Jerry Bruckheimer]]
| story          = {{plainlist|
* [[Steve Bing]]
* [[Barry O'Brien]]}}
| screenplay     = {{plainlist|
* [[Steve Bing]]
* [[Scott Rosenberg]]}}
| starring       = {{Plain list|<!--Per poster billing-->
* [[Jerry O'Connell]]
* [[Anthony Anderson]]
* [[Estella Warren]]
* [[Michael Shannon]]
* [[Christopher Walken]]}}
| music          = [[Trevor Rabin]]
| cinematography = [[Peter Menzies Jr.]]
| editing        = {{plainlist|
* John Murray
* [[William Goldenberg]]
* Jim May}}
| production_companies = {{plainlist|
* [[Castle Rock Entertainment]]
* [[Jerry Bruckheimer Films]]}}
| distributor    = [[Warner Bros. Pictures]] (through [[Roadshow Entertainment]] in Australia<ref>{{cite web|title=Kangaroo Jack (35mm)|website=[[Australian Classification Board]]|date=August 20, 2019 |access-date=25 April 2022|url=https://www.classification.gov.au/titles/kangaroo-jack}}</ref>)
| released       = {{Film date|2003|1|17|United States}}
| runtime        = 89 minutes
| country        = United States
| language       = English
| budget         = $60 million
| gross          = $88.9 million
}}
'''''Kangaroo Jack''''' is a 2003 American [[Buddy film|buddy]] [[action comedy]] film directed by [[David McNally (director)|David McNally]] from a screenplay by [[Steve Bing]] and [[Scott Rosenberg]] with a story by Bing and [[Barry O'Brien]]. It is also produced by [[Jerry Bruckheimer]] with music by [[Trevor Rabin]]. The film tells the story of two childhood friends who get caught up with the mob and are forced to deliver $50,000 to Australia, but things go haywire when the money is lost to a wild [[kangaroo]]. It stars [[Jerry O'Connell]], [[Anthony Anderson]], [[Estella Warren]], [[Michael Shannon]], and [[Christopher Walken]], with [[Adam Garcia]] as the uncredited voice of the titular character.

Originally conceived as an R-rated mob comedy entitled ''Down and Under'', negative test screenings led Bruckheimer to retool the film into a PG-rated film, heavily re-editing the film and adding scenes of an [[Anthropomorphism|anthropomorphic]] kangaroo.

''Kangaroo Jack'' was released in the United States on January 17, 2003, by [[Warner Bros. Pictures]]. The film was strongly panned by critics, who criticized the screenplay, humor, violence, and innuendoes, as well as its [[false advertising]] as a family film with the kangaroo in a significant speaking role, although the visuals and soundtrack were praised. It grossed $88.1 million worldwide on a $60 million budget.

An animated sequel titled ''[[Kangaroo Jack: G'Day U.S.A.!]]'' was produced and released [[direct-to-video]] in 2004.

== Plot ==
In 1982 [[Brooklyn]], a boy named Charlie Carbone is about to become the stepson of [[crime boss]] Salvatore Maggio. The mobster's apprentice Frankie Lombardo tries to drown Charlie, but a boy named Louis Booker saves him, and they become best friends.

Twenty years later, Charlie operates a beauty salon set up by Sal, whose henchmen take 80% of the profits, barely leaving Charlie enough money for maintenance. After Charlie and Louis botch hiding some stolen TVs, which leads to the discovery of Sal's warehouse by the police, Sal gives them one more chance. Under instructions from Frankie, they are to deliver a package to a man named Mr. Smith in [[Coober Pedy]], [[Australia]]. Frankie also warns them against opening the package, and provides them with Mr. Smith's number. Unknown to the duo, Sal has cancelled their return trip. Louis opens the package on the plane and finds $50,000 cash.

Arriving in Australia, Charlie and Louis drive to Coober Pedy. Along their way, they accidentally run over a [[red kangaroo]]. Louis thinks it is dead and calls the kangaroo “Jackie Legs”, after their friend from [[Canarsie]]. Louis even puts his “lucky” jacket and sunglasses on the kangaroo, posing for photographs as a joke. The kangaroo suddenly regains consciousness, kicks Charlie, and hops away with the $50,000 in the jacket. Charlie and Louis give chase but crash their rental car, and the kangaroo escapes.

At a pub in [[Alice Springs]], Louis calls Mr. Smith, who thinks he and Charlie stole his package and threatens to kill them by feeding them to the [[Saltwater crocodile|crocodiles]]. Back in New York, Sal gets a call from Smith complaining that Charlie and Louis have not arrived, then sends Frankie and some henchmen to Australia to investigate. Meanwhile, Charlie and Louis attempt to reclaim the money from the kangaroo by shooting it with a tranquilizer from a plane. The attempt fails when Louis accidentally shoots Blue, the pilot, causing the plane to crash and stranding the duo in the desert. They spend hours wandering in the desert, during which the duo encounter a pack of hungry [[dingoes]] and a sand storm, and Charlie [[hallucination|hallucinates]] finding a jeep, and they soon meet Jessie, an American woman from the Outback Wildlife Foundation. Charlie, thinking she is a mirage, grabs her breasts and she knocks him out. Charlie then has a nightmare with a speaking and rapping version of the kangaroo, plus two other kangaroos possessing Sal and Louis's voices, who taunt him by calling him "Chicken Blood" repeatedly.

The following day, the three track Jackie Legs to the [[Todd River]], attempting to catch the animal with [[bolas]], but Louis accidentally botches their attempt when he panics after [[ants]] crawl up his pants. While waiting for the next opportunity to catch the kangaroo, Charlie begins developing feelings for Jessie. At the crack of dawn the following day, Smith and his henchmen shortly arrive, after following their camel tracks, and capture the trio. Charlie and Louis outsmart them, but find Frankie has tracked them down and is prepared to kill them. Jackie Legs suddenly returns, causing a [[Boxing|fist fight]] between Smith's henchmen and Frankie's crew, who outmatch them. The distraction allows Charlie, Louis and Jessie to escape. The duo chases after the kangaroo while being pursued by Frankie and his goons. Louis finally retrieves the money from the kangaroo, and Charlie narrowly saves him from falling off a cliff. Charlie tries to hand the money to Frankie, who angrily declines and reveals that Sal sent them to Australia to pay for their own execution at the hands of Smith. As he is about to shoot Charlie, the [[Australian Federal Police]] force, led by a cop working undercover as an Outback guide, arrives and arrests Frankie, Smith, and their henchmen. Charlie reclaims Louis's jacket from the kangaroo.

One year later, Charlie and Jessie are married and have used Sal's $50,000 to start a line of new hair care products bearing a kangaroo logo, along with Louis. Frankie and his goons have been [[Life imprisonment|imprisoned for life]] while Sal tried using his high level connections to avoid going to prison; this failed, and he is now awaiting trial. Jackie Legs, now called "Kangaroo Jack", continues to live happily in the [[Outback]]. Now able to speak again, Jackie breaks the fourth wall, explaining why the film should end with him since the title of the movie is named after him, and finally closes it with his version of [[Porky Pig]]'s famous catchphrase: "That's all, blokes!"

== Cast ==
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
* [[Jerry O'Connell]] as Charlie Carbone, the owner of a beauty salon.
** Robert Reid as young Charlie Carbone
* [[Anthony Anderson]] as Louis Booker, Charlie's best friend. Anderson also voices his kangaroo counterpart in Charlie's nightmare.
** Shawn Smith as young Louis Booker
* [[Estella Warren]] as Jessie, a member of the Outback Wildlife Foundation who helps Charlie and Louis and later becomes Charlie's wife.
* [[Christopher Walken]] as Sal Maggio, a mobster and Charlie's stepfather. Walken also voices his kangaroo counterpart in Charlie's nightmare.
* [[Dyan Cannon]] as Anna Carbone, Charlie's mother
* [[Michael Shannon]] as Frankie Lombardo, Sal's apprentice
** Brian Casey as young Frankie Lombardo
* [[Adam Garcia]] as Kangaroo Jack / "Jackie Legs" (voice, uncredited), a red kangaroo on whom Louis puts his "lucky jacket".
* [[Marton Csokas]] as Mr. Smith, the intended recipient of Charlie and Louis's $50,000 package.
* [[Bill Hunter (actor)|Bill Hunter]] as Blue, a pilot whom Charlie and Louis enlist to help catch Jack.
* [[Tony Nikolakopoulos]] as Sal's Capo, an unnamed [[caporegime]] who works for Sal.
* [[David Ngoombujarra]] as Sergeant Jimmy Inkamale, an Australian Police officer who works undercover.
* [[Christopher James Baker]] as Crumble
* [[Damien Fotiou]] as Baby J
* [[Denise Roberts]] as Tansy
* [[Lara Cox]] as Cute Girl On Plane
* [[Frank Welker]] as Special Vocal Effects
* [[Helen Thomson (actress)|Helen Thomson]] as TV announcer
* Mario Di Ienno as Tommy
{{div col end}}

== Production ==
Initially ''Kangaroo Jack'' was titled ''Down and Under'' and was shot as a mob comedy in the style of ''[[Midnight Run]]''.<ref>{{cite web |title=DVDTalk |url=https://forum.dvdtalk.com/movie-talk/267057-article-original-cut-kangaroo-jack-wasnt-meant-kids-movie.html |website=dvdtalk.com}}</ref> The film was initially set up at the [[Walt Disney Studios (division)|Disney]] label [[Hollywood Pictures]], but Disney placed it into turnaround and instead the film was set up at [[Castle Rock Entertainment]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wallace |first=Amy |date=1998-05-10 |title=On an Emotional Ride |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-may-10-ca-48204-story.html |access-date=2024-09-30 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}</ref> The film began shooting in Australia in August 2001, lasting about six months in total, and originally included profanity, sex, and violence, intended to be released with an [[R rating (Motion Picture Association of America)|R-rating]].<ref name=":0" /> According to actor [[Jerry O'Connell]], he filmed a [[Full-frontal nudity|full-frontal nude]] scene for the film.<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Pf7X_Ha6pQ |title=Release The R Rated Kangaroo Jack! w/ Jerry O'Connell - The Kinda Funny Podcast (Ep. 128) |date=2021-04-08 |last=Kinda Funny Highlights |access-date=2025-02-09 |via=YouTube}}</ref> However, the film's producers were dissatisfied by the first rough cut.<ref name=":0">{{cite web |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/jerry-oconnell-looks-back-on-his-worst-movie-kangaroo-jack/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190321194310/https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/4xe83m/jerry-oconnell-looks-back-on-his-worst-movie-kangaroo-jack |title=Jerry O'Connell Looks Back on His Worst Movie, ''Kangaroo Jack'' |last=Caffier |first=Justin |website=[[Vice (magazine)|Vice]] |date=April 3, 2017 |archive-date=March 21, 2019 |access-date=February 21, 2023 |url-status=live}}</ref> 

Inspired by positive response to the kangaroo scene in early test screenings, as well as the marketing campaign behind the recently released ''[[Snow Dogs]]'', the production shifted the marketing focus away from that of a dark mafia comedy to that of a family-friendly animal picture. Extensive new footage that replaced the [[animatronic]] kangaroo with a new [[Computer-generated imagery|CGI]] one that rapped (voiced by an uncredited [[Adam Garcia]]) was shot, and the film was edited down to a PG-rated family animal comedy.<ref name="Hopped">{{cite web|last1=Patrick|first1=Goldstein|title=How ''Jack'' hopped away with a PG rating|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-jan-28-et-gold28-story.html|website=Los Angeles Times|date=January 28, 2003|access-date=13 November 2015}}</ref> Among the changes, repeated utterances of "chickenshit" were [[Dubbing|redubbed]] with "chicken blood".

== Release ==
=== Theatrical release ===
''Kangaroo Jack'' was theatrically released on January 17, 2003, by Warner Bros. Pictures.

=== Home media ===
''Kangaroo Jack'' was released on DVD and VHS on June 24, 2003, by [[Warner Home Video]]. Blu-ray released on August 19, 2025 in Canada and the United States. Blu-ray released on August 20, 2025 in Australia. Blu-ray released on August 25, 2025 in the United Kingdom.

== Reception ==
=== Box office ===
''Kangaroo Jack'' was released on January 17, 2003 and ranked No. 1 that weekend. It grossed $66,934,963 at the North American domestic box office and $21,994,148 internationally for a worldwide total of $88,929,111.

=== Critical response ===
{{Rotten Tomatoes prose|score=9|average=3.4|count=115|consensus=The humor is gratingly dumb, and ''Kangaroo Jack'' contains too much violence and sexual innuendo for a family movie.|ref=|access-date={{RT data|access date}}}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/kangaroo_jack/|title=''Kangaroo Jack'' (2003)|publisher=Rotten Tomatoes|access-date=April 24, 2024}}</ref> {{Metacritic film prose|16|25|access-date=12 May 2025}} Audiences polled by [[CinemaScore]] gave the film an average grade of "A−" on an A+ to F scale.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cinemascore.com|title=Find CinemaScore|format=Type "Kangaroo Jack" in the search box|publisher=[[CinemaScore]]|access-date=April 7, 2021}}</ref>

Joe McGovern in ''[[The Village Voice]]'' described ''Kangaroo Jack'' as "witless" and stated "The colorless script...seems to have written itself from a patchwork of [[Wile E. Coyote]] cartoons, camel farts, and every high-pitched Aussie cliché to have echoed on these shores".<ref>Joe McGovern, "[https://www.villagevoice.com/2003-01-14/film/film/ Kangaroo Jack]". ''Village Voice''. January 18, 2003. Retrieved January 17, 2014.</ref> [[Nathan Rabin]], reviewing the film for ''[[The A.V. Club]]'', criticized the [[false advertising]] that the kangaroo would have a major role in the story and speak throughout, remarking, "''Kangaroo Jack''{{'}}s premise, trailer, and commercials promise little more than the spectacle of two enthusiastic actors being kicked over and over again by a sassy, computer-animated kangaroo—and, sadly, the film fails to deliver even that."<ref>Nathan Rabin, "[http://www.avclub.com/review/kangaroo-jack-12145 Kangaroo Jack]". ''The A.V. Club''. January 27, 2003. Retrieved January 17, 2014.</ref> Gary Slaymaker in the British newspaper ''[[Western Mail (Wales)|The Western Mail]]'' wrote  "''Kangaroo Jack'' is the most witless, pointless, charmless drivel unleashed on an unsuspecting public".<ref>Gary Slaymaker, ''The Western Mail'', May 16, 2003, (p.2)</ref>

=== Awards and nominations ===
For their performances, Anthony Anderson and Christopher Walken were both nominated for Worst Supporting Actor at the [[24th Golden Raspberry Awards]], but they lost to [[Sylvester Stallone]] for ''[[Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over]]''. The Australian
newspaper ''[[The Age]]'' included ''Kangaroo Jack'' on its list of "worst films ever made".<ref>Lawrie Zion, "Home Movies". The Age, September 11, 2003. (p.7)</ref> However, the film won the [[2004 Kids' Choice Awards|Kids' Choice Award]] for Favorite Fart in a Movie (Anthony Anderson).
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Award 
! Year
! Category 
! Nominee
! Result
|-
| [[Kids' Choice Award]] || 2004 || Favorite Fart in a Movie || Anthony Anderson || {{Won}}
|-
| [[MTV Movie Award]] || 2003 || Best Virtual Performance || "Kangaroo Jack" || {{Nominated}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |[[Razzie Award]] || rowspan="2" |2004 || rowspan="2" |Worst Supporting Actor || Christopher Walken || {{Nominated}}
|-
| Anthony Anderson || {{nom}}
|-
| [[Teen Choice Award]] || 2003 || Choice Movie Actor - Comedy ||Anthony Anderson || {{Nominated}}
|-
| rowspan="4" |[[Stinkers Bad Movie Awards]] || rowspan="4" |[[2003 Stinkers Bad Movie Awards|2003]] || Worst Supporting Actress || Estella Warren || {{Nominated}}
|-
| Most Painfully Unfunny Comedy || || {{nom}}
|-
| Least "Special" Special Effects || || {{nom}}
|-
| Most Annoying Non-Human Character || Kangaroo Jack || {{nom}}
|-
|}

== Soundtrack ==
The soundtrack was released by [[Hip-O Records]] on January 14, 2003.
# [[DJ Ötzi]] – "[[Hey! Baby#DJ Ötzi version|Hey Baby]]"
# [[Sugababes]] – "[[Round Round]]"
# [[Soft Cell]] – "[[Tainted Love#Soft Cell version (1981)|Tainted Love]]"
# [[Lucia Cifarelli|Lucia]] – "So Clever"
# [[Paulina Rubio]] – "[[Casanova (Paulina Rubio song)|Casanova]]"
# [[Shaggy (musician)|Shaggy]] – "[[Hey Sexy Lady]]"
# [[Shawn Desman]] – "Spread My Wings"
# [[Romeo Miller|Lil' Romeo]] – "[[2-Way]]"
# [[The Wiseguys]] – "[[Start the Commotion]]"
# [[The Sugarhill Gang]] – "[[Rapper's Delight]]"
# [[Colin Hay]] – "[[Down Under (song)|Down Under]]"
# The Dude – "Rock Da Juice"

== Animated sequel ==
The animated sequel ''[[Kangaroo Jack: G'Day U.S.A.!]]'' was released direct-to-video on November 16, 2004.

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{wikiquote}}
{{commons category}}
* {{IMDb title|0257568}}
* {{rotten-tomatoes|kangaroo_jack}}
* {{mojo title|kangaroojack}}

{{Warner Bros. theatrical animated features}}
{{Jerry Bruckheimer}}

[[Category:2003 films]]
[[Category:2003 action comedy films]]
[[Category:2003 children's films]]
[[Category:2000s adventure comedy films]]
[[Category:2000s American films]]
[[Category:2000s buddy comedy films]]
[[Category:2000s children's comedy films]]
[[Category:2000s English-language films]]
[[Category:Films set in 1982]]
[[Category:Films set in 2002]]
[[Category:Films set in 2003]]
[[Category:African-American comedy films]]
[[Category:American action comedy films]]
[[Category:American children's comedy films]]
[[Category:American films about revenge]]
[[Category:American films with live action and animation]]
[[Category:Castle Rock Entertainment films]]
[[Category:English-language action comedy films]]
[[Category:Films about kangaroos and wallabies]]
[[Category:Films about talking animals]]
[[Category:Films produced by Jerry Bruckheimer]]
[[Category:Films scored by Trevor Rabin]]
[[Category:Films set in New York City]]
[[Category:Films set in the Northern Territory]]
[[Category:Films set in South Australia]]
[[Category:Films set on airplanes]]
[[Category:Films shot in New South Wales]]
[[Category:Films shot in New York City]]
[[Category:Films shot in the Northern Territory]]
[[Category:Films shot in South Australia]]
[[Category:Films shot in Sydney]]
[[Category:Films with screenplays by Scott Rosenberg]]
[[Category:Jerry Bruckheimer Films films]]
[[Category:Warner Bros. films]]