Film Reviews

Herbie Fully Loaded

• Rating:
• Director: Angela Robinson
• Starring: Lindsay Lohan
• Details: US / 101 mins (G).

The Love Bug is back. The wacky little Volkswagen sets off on the road to a whole new set of adventures with his new owner, Maggie Peyton (Lohan), at the wheel. Matt Dillon plays Trip Murphy, a nasty, arrogant NASCAR driver who refuses to believe that Maggie, being a girl, could beat him in a fair-and-square race (he's right, as it happens), and who challenges Maggie to a re-run that leads to the Daytona 500. There's an attempt at knowing irony early on in the proceedings ("Whatever your problems," says a note in the glove compartment, "Herbie will help you solve them." "Great," grouses Maggie, "a fortune cookie on wheels.") but it's clear from the off that this is an attempt to roll back the years to when a winking headlight represented good old-fashioned family fun. Unfortunately, or thankfully, good old-fashioned family fun has come a long way since Herbie last burned rubber, and this outing is only likely to appeal to the very young. Herbie might well be fully loaded this time out (pimp my Bug!), but this one runs out of gas well before the chequered flag is raised.

Review by Declan Burke