Labou (2009)

If you don't like this, we can't be friends.

How sad is this?

Excellent but underrated film

This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

Don't like this movie at all. Thin and confusing plot, boring and long, with exaggerated and stereotypical acting. Lots of things happen, and it mixes up the plot. The acting is unrealistic. The movie is very long and it feels stretched, and it takes a while for a small problem to be solved. There is very little action. Filming is less like a movie than a fan film. The villains or "bad guys" in the movie can't be taken seriously, mostly because their voices are very stereotypical, so it doesn't seem as if there is too big of a conflict, and they are defeated too easily. Would not recommend to anyone except very young audiences. Anyone older probably would be bored. The computer effects are pretty good, and the Labou is likable, but the movie doesn't seem to really be about the Labou as much as the the people buying the swamp for oil.

I'm flipping thru the channels and I see 3 kids w/ a small creature in one of the kids backpacks. Immediately I was reminded of Gizmo, then Mac from Mac and Me and ET. THEN I read the description of the movie."3 kids go out after school to see if there is truth to a legend of pirate gold." That's the plot of Goonies.Since I can't rate it a 0, it gets a 1 out 10 of which really is extremely generous. This movie is really that bad, even for a direct to video kid's movie. More or less, make your kids watch this movie as punishment.Save the trouble and just watch the Goonies.

Saw it with a 3 year old, two 5 year olds, a six year old and a nine year old on DVD on a HDTV. The kids liked it. So that is all that counts, but there is a reason it went straight to DVD.I didn't like the anti-oil company angle (cliched and not factual), but that's Hollywood for you. But generally okay... I would have preferred a different actor for the human pirate as this actor lacked any screen presence. The choice of Ray Nagin was unwise as he can't act a lick. He is no Fred Thompson, that is for sure. The director is good. Give him a good script and he'll do something with it.

...Then you will love Labou. I've seen a number of screenings of the movie and it's still a kick each time. The film takes me back to the days when countless timeless films came out of the Hollywood 80's heyday. Movies like Goonies, Gremlins, ET and Explorers come to mind. Labou is full of adventure, clever characters, and warmth. Sadly, so many of those qualities seem to be lacking in today's films, where studios seem to be more concerned with recouping their investments, and weekend sales than creating movies that will last forever, especially films that can be enjoyed by folks of all ages. Children won't be able to resist the charming critter and the cast and story of Labou will have everyone enchanted. Even though I don't have kids of my own, this film is sure to have children falling in love with it. Those who came of age during some of the very best years of film production will find this story cozy and endearing, a refreshing change from the current crop of movies out there.