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Hatari! Customer Reviews (34 - 36 of 36 Reviews)

At least with the VHS version you can catch a sandwich
The name of the movie almost sounds "African". This is one of John Wayne's `travelogue movies' as I have come to call them.

The movies basically stink yet they have several ingredients common to the script which makes them easily identifiable. First they are shot on location, Africa, Hawaii, at the circus or to the backdrop of some unusual profession as in Hellfighters.

Second, and this never fails, Duke is always much larger than other men in the cast and also much older. In the case of Red Buttons, nicknamed `Pockets' in this movie, and Hardy Krueger, the short German method actor, Duke appears almost menacing with his enormous size compared to the other actors and threatening repartee. The sperm count of the cast must have been microscopic.

The third ingredient is that Duke had lung cancer and was diagnosed in 1963 during the filming of The Sons of Katie Elder. So in movies like Hitari, and Donovan's Reef, he was still turning the girls on with cigarette breath and using Camels as sexual paraphernalia.

The fourth ingredient is what I call `zany nonsense'. There is always some kind of idiotic chase scene comic relief thing going. In the case of Hitari, Duke loads a baby elephant in the back of a jeep and then rides off like a maniac terrifying the animal all in the attempt to chase down an Italian model turned actress named `Dallas' as she was trying to get the heck away from Duke and his absurd missed love cues. If Duke was the prize bull amongst all of the midget male actors, he sure came off as brain damaged. His shaving cream kiss with Dallas looked more like State's evidence than affection.

The last ingredient is the `show you how it's done' thing. Some portion of these movies is always dedicated to some mandatory action footage about how to do whatever it is that Duke is supposed to be an expert doing. It is just filler to hide the lack of plot. For example in Hellfighters, it was putting out oil fires, in Hatari there is the usual obligatory action scene featuring Duke wrestling what could only be a drug induced Rhino into submission with the help of friendly African Natives and lots of rope. Animal rights activists might find these scenes appalling however movie critics would find the entire film appalling. One star is quite generous

Rhinos and Other Horny Beasts in Africa
There's not much this movie doesn't have. Action? Got it. Romance? Yep. Comedy? Check. Wild animals? Naturally. Punching, gunplay, explosions, and rocket blasts? Yes, yes, yes, and yes. Hyena bathing and slapstick elephant chases? But of course. Shape-shifting space aliens? Okay, it doesn't have that, but it has everything else and a cast that works well together and isn't overscripted.

The story follows a season in the lives of a team of big game hunters (a catch-and-release group that works for zoos and circuses). A couple outsiders come in and the group dynamic changes; the young girl of the group is suddenly all grown up and a love triangle (later a quadrangle) forms and resolves itself; the group's leader has to choose between letting go of the past or missing the relationship of a lifetime; and then there's the horrible rhino curse that must be broken. In lesser hands, it would all be a "very special episode" of Little House on the Savanna, but Howard Hawks masterfully directs his cast and winds up with some incredible footage of the African plains and its wildlife as well. Add in an excellent score by Henry Mancini, and you are really drawn into the action; the whimsical "Baby Elephant Walk" provides a nice break from the tension - you know nothing bad can happen once the calliope starts up, so just sit back and enjoy the fun.

John Wayne keeps his swagger and drawl mostly in check, but Buttons' physical comedy is a little overeager. Still, the remaining 98% of the film is on target in tone and balance. The scenes between lovelorn Martinelli and Buttons feel genuine, the animal herding and capture scenes feel dangerous, the rhino goring and dislocated shoulder repair feel painful, and your arteries begin to clog at the mention of codfish cakes deep-fried in antelope fat.

This is a great movie to lose yourself in. Just make sure you have a full two-and-a-half hours to spend; once you begin you won't want the action, romance, and comedy to stop for even a minute.

John Wayne Classic
I saw this movie as a kid. I now own it for reasons of it being a good quality dvd and also its significance of it being shot in my home town of Arusha, Tanzania (specially the last scenes).

The comedy is good, though a long movie to watch in one sitting.

The authentic animal chase scenes by John Wayne and team make it worth while including buttons comedy.

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