Mr. Magoo (Widescreen Edition)

In the outrageous tradition of SPY HARD and THE NAKED GUN, zany big-screen funnyman Leslie Nielsen brings MR. MAGOO hysterically to life in this wild and wacky comedy hit! It's a screamingly funny adventure full of laughs ... and danger! Nonstop comic chaos ensues when Mr. Magoo becomes the target of a notorious and ruthless band of international jewel thieves. A precious gem is stolen -- and the clueless Magoo sets out to get it back! Bursting with high-flying laughs and adrenaline-pumping action, MR. MAGOO is the entertaining comedy that has everyone howling!

Someone got the rather inspired (but ultimately misguided) idea to match Hong Kong action director Stanley Tong with comedy stalwart Leslie Nielsen in this dimwitted live-action Disney version of the vintage cartoon, in which the very nearsighted tycoon bumbles his way into the heist of a giant, priceless ruby known as the Star of Kuristan. The result is an abundance of slapstick humor related to Mr. Magoo's visual impairment (prompting a brief protest during the film's 1997 release by the National Federation of the Blind), and a tired plot involving a lovely jewel thief (Kelly Lynch) who'll stop at nothing to get her stolen jewel back. Of course, Magoo manages to foil the thieves at every turn, even though he's frequently unaware of his unintentional heroics. This standard family fare from Disney (best suited for kids 12 and under) will probably play better on home video, but you'll have to watch and listen closely for the few gags that really pay off. --Jeff Shannon