Herbie: Fully Loaded - Review

Rating: 2 out of 5

WITH the continuing rise in fuel prices, it was only a matter of time before it became cheaper to run Herbie on special effects.

Yet the decision threatens to stall Fully Loaded on the grid, given that the return of the white VW Beetle is blighted by some truly appalling effects sequences.

Herbie first charmed cinema-goers in The Love Bug in 1968, following which his exploits gave rise to several family-friendly movies.

Herbie Goes Bananas temporarily put the skids on the franchise in 1980 but the plucky VW now returns for another instalment in Fully Loaded, which also boasts everyone's favourite Disney babe, Lindsay Lohan, among its star performers.

Sadly, however, Herbie enthusiasts may lament the makeover, given its over-reliance on special effects and largely unconvincing set pieces.

The plot finds Herbie being rescued from near certain death (from crushing) by Lohan's Maggie Peyton, a third generation member of a NASCAR racing family, who dreams of winning from behind the wheel.

Maggie's chances of racing are continually thwarted, however, by her over-protective dad, Ray Peyton Sr (Michael Keaton), who would prefer to back her brother, Ray, Jr. (Breckin Meyer), to carry on the family legacy - even though he is a terrible racer.

But with Herbie at her disposal, Maggie soon discovers that the cheeky #53 is more than just a regular car, and soon finds herself facing off against the egotistical racing champ, Trip Murphy (Matt Dillon), with the help of her mechanic friend and potential love-interest, Kevin (Justin Long).

The ensuing family adventure attempts to combine the sweet values of old-fashioned Disney-style fun with something a little more contemporary.

The result is a film that's sure to win over kids who spend their time playing computer games, but which will come as a disappointment to anyone in search of real old-school values.

There is the odd cheeky Herbie moment to savour, while Lohan proves adept at playing to the family market (even if some of her outfits do not!) but the mix is a little too uneven, making this a fairly bumpy ride for anyone with prior knowledge of the franchise.