Fierce Creatures (1997)

When a British zoo is acquired by an Australian tycoon (Kevin Kline), he insists on an increase in revenues up to 20% or he will close the zoo. The new manager (John Cleese) institutes a fierce creatures only policy meaning the soft and cuddly animals will have to go. Directed by Robert Young (VAMPIRE CIRCUS) and Fred Schepisi (ROXANNE). The film was completed in 1995 but unfavorable previews sent the producers back to shooting new footage and a new ending thus the two year delay. Hence, the two directors. Young shot the film but was unavailable for reshoots so Schepisi was brought on board. Almost ten years after the sleeper success of A FISH CALLED WANDA, its four stars reunited for this black comedy (an accidental homicide is played for laughs) with similarities to WANDA but it can't be called a sequel for not only is it an entirely new storyline but the actors are all playing different characters. The movie is erratic in its laughs. When it hits its mark, it can be hysterically funny but alas, most of the humor is rather lame with the laughs few and far between. Not surprisingly, Cleese provides most of the humor and poor Kline (who won an Oscar for WANDA) is stuck with the lame bits. Of WANDA's other two stars, Jamie Lee Curtis has very little to do except provide eye candy and Michael Palin is wasted. The winsome score is by Jerry Goldsmith. With Robert Lindsay, Maria Aitken, Carey Lowell and Ronnie Corbett.