Director
Angela Robinson
Cast
Lindsay Lohan….Maggie Peyton
Michael Keaton….Ray Peyton Sr.
Matt Dillon….Trip Murphy
Breckin Meyer….Ray Peyton Jr.
Justin Long….Kevin
Cheryl Hines….Sally
Jimmi Simpson….Crash
Jill Ritchie….Charisma
Thomas Lennon….Larry Murphy
Jeremy Roberts….Crazy Dave
E.E. Bell….Beeman
Peter Pasco….Juan Hernandez
Mario Larraza….Miguel Hernandez
Patrick Cranshaw….Jimmy D.
Scoot McNairy….Augie
The Movie
Herbie: Fully Loaded is the story of a girl trying to live her racing dreams with a father who has forbidden it. Maggie Payton (Lohan) is a third generation member of a NASCAR family who has been forbidden to race by her father (Michael Keaton). Apparently she had a propensity for racing in her teenage years and crashed her car, which led to a trust issue between the two.
After graduating from college, Maggie’s father takes her to get a car at a junkyard and she winds up with Herbie, a ’63 VW Beetle with a mind of its own. The car wasn’t her first choice and she pretty much despises it until she learns its true powers, such as shooting oil onto bad guys.
One of those bad guys happens to be Trip Murphy (Matt Dillon). As the reigning Nextel Cup Champion, he is generally a bad ass on the racetrack as well as the streets. When Maggie unexpectedly comes upon some old friends and winds up with Herbie at the street races, craziness ensues. Herbie doesn’t like Murphy and takes control of Maggie to challenge Trip to a race. When the Beetle pulls out a win, Murphy is incensed and won’t let the issue die.
What will become of Herbie when Maggie makes a horrible choice? Will her father find out it is her racing under the helmet? Will Maggie ever make it to the NASCAR circuit with her brother Ray Peyton Jr. (Breckin Myer)? These questions all get answered, sometimes in a funny way.
It is kind of hard to nitpick with this movie. On one hand you have a cast that obviously gives it’s all but really has no material to work with. On the other you have a movie that only appeals to kids. You could tear apart this movie in a heartbeat if you don’t like possessed automobiles and the hijinks that come along with them. But there really isn’t a point to killing it because the actors did what they could with what they were given and many kids love movies like this.
Overall, with a better script this would be, hands down, a very good to great movie, especially with the cast. Lohan (pre-Corpse Bride figure) gives a spirited performance, as does Matt Dillon. The rest of the cast plays their parts to near perfection and the effects that make Herbie go are pretty cool.
Score: 6.5
The Video
Widescreen (1.85:1) No problem with the transfer here, as the video is crystal clear.
The Sound
Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound: No problems, no errors.
The Extras
Deleted Scenes: Nothing too special here. Some extended versions of original scenes and some alternates to scenes. Nothing that would have affected the movie. These also come with commentary from Angela Robinson if wanted.
There is also an alternate opening to the film, which kind of looks like they threw some storyboards and cartoons into a reel, gave it music and saved it for a rainy day or special feature. The special feature came first.
Bloopers: These were actually pretty funny as the cast gagged on Lohan with fake animals for a majority of the time and just having fun. The cast seemed as though they gelled pretty good and became fast friends.
Music & More: This is the video for Lindsay Lohan’s song “First”. The video actually shows her after losing all the weight and really doesn’t fit the movie. Additionally, there isn’t “more” in Music & More, it’s just the video.
Backstage Disney: 4 Featurettes:
“A Day At The Races” chronicles the cast and crew bringing Herbie to the races and the raining that Lohan and others had to go through. It also includes a tutorial on NASCAR racers by Deborah Renshaw, a NASCAR driver.
“Breaking The Rules: Stunts From “Herbie: Fully Loaded” is your basic “how we did the stunts featurette. They go into how the director did not want to use too much CG but would rather bring Herbie to life physically.
“Bringing Herbie To Life” is a featurette on making the various different Herbie’s used in the filming and is basically an extension of the previous featurette.
“Audio Commentary” is just that. You can listen to the movie with Angela Robinson talking about it.
Score: 7
