The Flintstones

With Jurassic Park still hot off the projector, Spielberg produces another adventure millions of years in the making, as he resurrects another palaeontological relic in the form of the much loved, (and much repeated), Flintstones cartoons.

The fun begins as Fred (John Goodman) tries to cheat his way into a job promotion, by cunningly swapping answer slates with best buddy Barney (Rick Moranis) during an aptitude test. To the surprise of everyone in Bedrock, including Fred and the unsuspecting Barney, he gets promoted. Fred and Wilma now find themselves in with the in crowd, as they become Bedrock's greatest social climbers. But all is not rosy in the Flintstone household, as they find themselves accused of snobbery and betraying their old friends and colleagues, while Fred's corrupt boss (Twin Peaks' Kyle MacKlaughlan) and his seductive assistant "Sharon Stone", have sinister plans afoot.

Updating an animated series and transposing it onto the cinema scteen isn't easy, The Flintstones succeeds in keeping the off-beat zany humour of the original, while bringing it bang up to date with a script brimming with contemporary cultural humour. The special effects are superb, couresy of the same team that brought the Jurassic age so vividly back to life the previous year, Dino, in his computer generated splendour is particularly worthy of note, as is Gertie, the gorgeous purple striped Brachiosaur that shifts boulders at the quarry for a living.

The performances are spot on, with Goodman perfect as the larger than life Fred, with faithful support all round, the characters even sound like their animated ancestors. The BC-52s get to perform a couple of tasteful numbers, (Tasteful?! - Ed.) and there is a glamourously savage performance from Liz Taylor as Wilma's protective mother.

The vivid recreation of Bedrock always gives you something to look at in the background, often in the form of some bizarre Jim Henson creature dinosaur creations, including some memorable Flinstonian labour saving devices. This is excellent movie entertainment of the family kind, but don't let that put you off, there is subtlety too, so pay Bedrock a visit, whether or not you liked the original series, because you might like it if you yabba-dabba do. (Oh, dear... - Ed).

Michael Williams.