I’ll admit to being the first guy to doubt the probability of ‘pro’ wrestler The Rock’s becoming a super action movie star. Well, except for the fact that Hollywood’s movie marketers could probably make Woody Allen an action star if they so desired (just look at Matt Damon…). I don’t get into the habit of watching ‘pro’ wrestling, in spite of the fact that it is a paradise of bad acting, lumbering aerial acrobatics and poorly delivered stunt punches. In retrospect, I guess it could be considered a breeding ground for future action stars as long as you team them up with a good stunt choreographer and film editor. When I first saw The Rock’s brief appearance in “The Mummy Returns”, I was surprised not so much by any appearance of acting ability, but the fact that he did possess a screen presence that made him entertaining to watch. When I learned he was going to reprise the role of the Scorpion King in a movie of the same name I did roll my eyes a bit, but I saw it just the same.

For the record, the eye roll was well-deserved as “The Scorpion King” was a bit on the goofy side.

Last year, I was talked into going to see “Rundown”, which featured a scene early in the film where The Rock passes Arnold Schwarzeneggar in a nightclub. Arnold says,” Have fun” and supposedly the ‘Torch’ was officially passed. The most unusual thing about going to that particular screening, aside from briefly meeting The Rock (who was in attendance), was the fact that I really enjoyed the movie. Really. The Rock proved to have more than just the screen presence to carry a movie, exhibiting some comic talent that went well beyond that of just the occasional one-liner. It made me believe that he might actually have the talent to become a big star.

I found myself looking forward to whatever his next project would be, until I read that he was going to do a remake of “Walking Tall.” I immediately rolled my eyes (again) and wondered why in the world he would try to remake a film that is considered to be somewhat of a classic as opposed to taking on some new and innovative script. As a fan of the original film, which starred Joe Don Baker (as well as the subsequent sequels with Bo Svenson), I really hated the thought of a remake. Part of that stemmed from the fact that the character of the tough Sheriff Buford Pusser was the true story of a man who fought the corruption that was taking over his town, and it was fight that inevitably took his life. There was simply no reason to sensationalize the subject any further than it had been by the original trilogy of films.

I passed it up in the theatre, and it wasn’t until a couple of weeks ago that I opted to sit down and watch the DVD. I figured I might as well give it a chance. If I didn’t like it, I wouldn’t have to watch it again. My final assessment of the film is one of very mixed feelings. On the surface, “Walking Tall” was everything it should have been. It was a highly entertaining action flick. The Rock’s performance, such that it was, turned out to be quite good. My only complaint being that the screenwriters and directors should have allowed for stronger character development. There was some, but I think there was a missed opportunity to elevate the film above simply being an action flick.

For the most part, the whole cast did a pretty good job and I found myself actually liking Johnny Knoxville for the first time… ever. Normally the ex-“Jackass” star simply lives up to the name of his former MTV series. This time around he was actually a bit more likable, almost to the level that Tom Arnold was in “True Lies.” Well, that’s a bit of a stretch, but I think you get the idea.

Where my mixed feelings came into play went back to the whole connection to the original “Walking Tall.” The producers opted to change the name of the character to Chris Vaughn, and make him an ex-Special Ops officer who has to fight the corruption that has infected his home town. Instead of saying the movie was ‘based on’ a true story, they changed it to ‘inspired by.’ I believe they might have done this to appease the family of Sheriff Pusser, who weren’t all that excited with the idea of the remake. By moving ahead with the remake, but changing the character I found it to be a bit of an insult to Pusser’s memory. I would have rather they went ahead and done a straight remake.

Of course it would have been even better if they had just written a whole new story and dropped any connection to the original film, title and all. It’s kind of like the treatment that Universal did to the remake of George Romero’s “Dawn of the Dead.” It would have been much better if they had just gone ahead and called it something else and made a zombie movie that stood on its own merit instead of living in the shadow of its superior predecessor.

Ah well, getting back to “Walking Tall”, MGM has turned out a very nice DVD of the film that is full of extra features. There are two separate commentaries, the first by The Rock himself. The second on is by director Kevin Bray and co-editor Robert Ivison. Again, another surprise awaited me as both of the commentaries were pretty good, The Rock’s being surprisingly candid. I never knew a ‘pro’ wrestler could be so well-spoken. You’ll also find a featurette on some of the stunt choreography as well as some deleted scenes and an alternate ending. The best of the watchable features is a short blooper reel, which offers up a couple of pretty good screw-ups.

“Walking Tall” certainly won’t be the film that will propel The Rock into superstardom, but if he gets enough of these films under his belt, there’s a good chance he’ll hit the one that does.

Directed by: Kevin Bray
Starring: The Rock, Johnny Knoxville, Neal McDonough, Kristen Wilson, Ashley Scott
Extras: Deleted Scenes, Bloopers, Alternate Ending, “Fight the Good Fight” Stunts Featurette, Audio Commentary by The Rock, Audio Commentary by the Director & Crew, Photo Gallery, Theatrical Trailer
Specifications: Widescreen (2.35:1) Enhanced for 16x9 Televisions, Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound
Studio: MGM
Release Date: 9/28//2004
Region 1
MPAA Rating: PG-13 (Sequences of Intense Violence, Sexual Content, Drug Material and Language)
Website

We'll give Walking Tall a B-.