Release Date:
05/27/2005
Remaking a movie classic is a dicey businessin a best-case scenario, like Ocean's Eleven, you take the best elements of the original and use them to create a wholly original vision. In a worst-case scenario, well, you get a shot-by-shot remake of Psycho. But this hasn't deterred Adam Sandler and Paramount from giving the classic 1974 Burt Reynolds pigskin prison flick a combover. In a nice nod, they even bring back Reynolds in a supporting role as coach Nate Scarborough.
Anyway, the song er, the story remains the same: A washed up pro player (Sandler) has to put together a team of inmates to play football against the jackbooted, fascist guards. Thirty years ago, this premise was hilariously entertaining, and it still is. Sandler has surrounded himself with an all-star team including rapper Nelly as a star running back, and the athletically-challenged Chris Rock, who is so funny, you wish he had more to do. The key to the films success is the use of real football and wrestling starsincluding Terry Crews, Michael Irvin, Bill Romanowski, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Bob The Beast Sapp, and Bill Goldbergwho threaten to turn the whole enterprise into a "who was who" of the sports world. Purists even have reason to cheerthis "Sandler-ized" version of The Longest Yard is surprisingly faithful to the original, and like its predecessor, stands out as one of the few successfully realized gridiron movies. Sure, the thought of watching a football movie around Memorial Day is about as appetizing as watching XFL reruns, but when it finally gets to the bone crushing big game, youll be on the edge of your seat like it's Super Bowl Sunday.
Anyway, the song er, the story remains the same: A washed up pro player (Sandler) has to put together a team of inmates to play football against the jackbooted, fascist guards. Thirty years ago, this premise was hilariously entertaining, and it still is. Sandler has surrounded himself with an all-star team including rapper Nelly as a star running back, and the athletically-challenged Chris Rock, who is so funny, you wish he had more to do. The key to the films success is the use of real football and wrestling starsincluding Terry Crews, Michael Irvin, Bill Romanowski, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Bob The Beast Sapp, and Bill Goldbergwho threaten to turn the whole enterprise into a "who was who" of the sports world. Purists even have reason to cheerthis "Sandler-ized" version of The Longest Yard is surprisingly faithful to the original, and like its predecessor, stands out as one of the few successfully realized gridiron movies. Sure, the thought of watching a football movie around Memorial Day is about as appetizing as watching XFL reruns, but when it finally gets to the bone crushing big game, youll be on the edge of your seat like it's Super Bowl Sunday.