Since the early 2000s, Happy Madison productions like "Anger Management", "50 First Dates" and even "The Longest Yard" kept me fairly entertained. The truth is, I expected more from Adam Sandler, founder of the company and the star in some of my favourite American comedies - "Waterboy," "The Wedding Singer," "Happy Gilmore," "Billy Madison". In the last five years, the only good comedy to come out of Happy Madison has been "You Don't Mess with the Zohan"; from "Click" to "Grown Ups," it's all been lacking and rather dull.
With the screenplay by Nick Bakay, Rock Reuben, Kevin James, Jay Scherick and David Ronn, "Zookeeper" hit an all-time low for the company. In the cinema there were a range of age groups from tweens to teens, from the newly wed to the nearly dead and there were no ROFLs, no LMAOs, no LOLs, hell, there were barely any Ls at all - a few HAs, but no HAHAs whatsoever.
Kevin James plays the likable zookeeper, Griffin Keyes who's torn between his love for animals and his love for his ex-girlfriend, who isn't too fond of his occupation and would rather see him become a car salesman. He later on realises he's actually in love with a close lady friend who also works at the zoo who, OMG, loves the animals too! This played-out plot even has the closing scene where he realises his folly too late, rushes off to the love of his life's apartment to stop her from leaving the country, only to find she's already left for the airport - but wait! There's still time! He finds her, professes his stupidity for being oh-so blind and they begin frenching in public. Oh, and the animals talk.
I was bored from beginning to end - from amateur dialogue, to predictable plot, to poor acting, to lame jokes, this movie had everything that would make you want to forfeit your money, count your losses (almost two hours of your life; R38 down the drain) and walk out. I persevered to the end in the hope that there'd be something, anything redeeming about Zookeeper; alas, nothing. There was a promise of funny from the trailer, but that promise was never fulfilled.
1/5 for Zookeeper, and that's only for the animals.
