SE's 2020 Data Recorder from a satellite that exploded in space (inside a metal beacon) heads towards Earth. Landing in Northern Queensland, of Australia, two CIA agents are sent to retrieve it. Meanwhile Steve Irwin (May he rest in peace) takes the time to talk with us about various creatures in Australia (crocs, snakes, kangaroos, spiders, etc.). Collision Course was criticized for the imbalance that exists in terms of the beacon's recovery and Irwin's Crocodile Hunter television show host presentation. While Irwin's show was of definite interest to me (and popular with viewers on Animal Planet) during its run prior to his unfortunate death, whether or not it is worth a cinematic film with an ongoing story arc surrounding him is up for debate. Included with the CIA agents and the Aussie local assigned to assist them on the hunt for a beacon is a disgruntled local farmer, enraged with crocs eating her cattle and remaining close to her land (the wildlife/fisheries expert tries to encourage her to stop being so difficult and allow him to relocate the croc(s) in the vicinity, but she isn't interested). Irwin and his wife, Terri, are the ones called to relocate the croc elsewhere.
Irwin's infectious enthusiasm is appealing/endearing, and his wife, the "straight man" to his act, offers some information herself, confirming to us that they were a wonderful team. Rozzie, the farmer hunting the croc, is used as comic relief mostly, while the agents on trail of the beacon are a boring lot (this subplot has little inspiration to it). The beacon is located in the belly of a croc, and so the story lines might eventually converge. Irwin's addressing the camera at all times, even when action involves the agents (eventually the Aussie female agent turns on them, wanting to retrieve the beacon herself), could be considered ill-advised (to be cinematic, you'd think those involved would want to shy away from resembling the television show too much). Irwin, action hero, is a bit odd, especially when looking at the camera while a chase scene happens, or disallowing and preventing violence towards the croc (it eventually craps out the beacon) by using a snake and rope to stop them.
I think fans of Irwin can get the goods shown in the film on his show (plus more), in reruns or renting them, with Collision Course taking highlights and implanting them within a blah story that services only as a diversion from what most care about Irwin's interaction with species and his knowledge about them shared with us. Standing on top of his jeep and fending off an agent seems surreal, particularly when Irwin tells us that these blokes are really dangerous and could be poachers wanting the croc they are transporting to a safer environment (a different river on the other side of a mountain). Probably the best part of the film is Irwin and Terri securing a dangerously aggressive (and seriously angry) croc; it's a real large croc, too, and the capture/roping process looks positively scary and exhausting. I think what this film does is remind us of what the world has lost: a man who joyfully presented his love of creatures great and small, and did so with an aplomb and care for all life that continues to live on even if he himself has sadly been taken from us.
Irwin's infectious enthusiasm is appealing/endearing, and his wife, the "straight man" to his act, offers some information herself, confirming to us that they were a wonderful team. Rozzie, the farmer hunting the croc, is used as comic relief mostly, while the agents on trail of the beacon are a boring lot (this subplot has little inspiration to it). The beacon is located in the belly of a croc, and so the story lines might eventually converge. Irwin's addressing the camera at all times, even when action involves the agents (eventually the Aussie female agent turns on them, wanting to retrieve the beacon herself), could be considered ill-advised (to be cinematic, you'd think those involved would want to shy away from resembling the television show too much). Irwin, action hero, is a bit odd, especially when looking at the camera while a chase scene happens, or disallowing and preventing violence towards the croc (it eventually craps out the beacon) by using a snake and rope to stop them.
I think fans of Irwin can get the goods shown in the film on his show (plus more), in reruns or renting them, with Collision Course taking highlights and implanting them within a blah story that services only as a diversion from what most care about Irwin's interaction with species and his knowledge about them shared with us. Standing on top of his jeep and fending off an agent seems surreal, particularly when Irwin tells us that these blokes are really dangerous and could be poachers wanting the croc they are transporting to a safer environment (a different river on the other side of a mountain). Probably the best part of the film is Irwin and Terri securing a dangerously aggressive (and seriously angry) croc; it's a real large croc, too, and the capture/roping process looks positively scary and exhausting. I think what this film does is remind us of what the world has lost: a man who joyfully presented his love of creatures great and small, and did so with an aplomb and care for all life that continues to live on even if he himself has sadly been taken from us.