When I first heard that Hollywood was making a remake was making a remake of Dr Dolittle, I cringed. I loved the original Rex Harrison film and as in the case of most remakes, didn't understand the point (other that a shot at making some extra dough). Then the news came that Eddie Murphy was taking over the reigns as the good doctor who could 'talk to the animals.' I was mortified. The good news was that the movie was to be a re-imagining of sorts and be about a modern day veterinarian who could literally talk to the animals… and have them talk back. The only connection between this film and the original would be the name. The bad news… Eddie Murphy was still the star. Unbeknownst to most Hollywood producers and the average theatergoer, judging from the box office returns of most of his films over the last 15 years, Eddie Murphy just isn't that funny anymore. Well, that isn't entirely true. I've often referred to him as a comedian better 'heard and not seen.' His voiceover work in movies like Shrek and Mulan are hysterical.

His work onscreen, however… much less so. Movies like The Nutty Professor, Daddy Day Care and yes, even Dr Dolittle were just abysmal. Somehow, two of those spawned equally bad sequels which did little more than make me miss the days of gems like Trading Places, 48 Hours and Beverly Hills Cop.

Soooo, as you might imagine when I heard that Dr Doolittle was adding a third film to its franchise, I merely shook my head in wonder. But shortly after popping the DVD of Dr Dolittle 3 into the player, I was surprised to find that it was actually quite enjoyable and a far cry better than its predecessors. Eddie Murphy's character was not the focus this time and instead the producers wisely chose to follow a story involving the good Dr.'s daughter Maya. They also wisely chose to allow Kyla Pratt to continue the role she played in the first two films as she was often the best part of those movies.

Here we see a slightly older Maya Dolittle as a bit of an outsider. Having inherited her father's animal communication talents, she is completely ostracized by her peers. When they see her talking to animals they simply label her weird. As this always does wonders for a young person's attitude, she gets herself into some trouble and her mother opts to try and find a way to help her adjust. Maya is sent to a dude ranch, which also happens to be in some financial trouble. As is the Hollywood way, Maya gets to use her talents to help save the day (the 'Let's put on a show and save the town' attitude of the old Rooney - Garland films).

Pratt is actually quite good in this film, and she carries it very well. The story is simple, but much better structured than the originals. The lack of Murphy also helps to make it a much more enjoyable movie. I believe the release was meant to be Straight To DVD, which usually denotes a lower budget, but the lack of budget here is only evident by the overall look of the film. The special effects are every bit as good as in the originals, and our kids got quite a kick out of the talking animals. Still, it's not a great movie by any means, but still a really nice family film.

Fox's DVD offers viewers both a Widescreen and Full Screen presentation. I assume the Full Screen version is available for those 'intellectually challenged' audiences who would still actually pay to see Eddie Murphy onscreen. As for special features, we get a commentary by director Rich Thorne and Kyla Pratt. The two recorded their commentaries separately, and are edited together throughout the film. The overall tone of the commentary is very light, but still interesting. There are also two featurettes, one focusing on Pratt's experiences growing up through the three films, the other more of a general 'making of..'

Dr Dolittle 3 isn’t going to make huge waves, but in an era where good family films are hard to find… you have to take what you can get.

Directed by: Rich Thorne
Starring: Kyla Pratt, John Amos, Walker Howard, Lucina Carro
Extras: Audio Commentary by Director Rich Thorne and Actress Kyla Pratt, Growing up Doolittle, The Making of Dr. Doolittle 3
Specifications: Widescreen (1.78:1), Full Screen (1.33:1), Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound
Studio: Fox
Release Date: 4/25/2006
Region 1
MPAA Rating: PG (For Some Crude Humor and Language)
Website

We'll give Dr Dolittle 3 a C.