Movie Review: Herbie Goes Bananas

Stars: 5 out of 5
Pros: Most of the acting; the humor

Cons: Plot

The Bottom Line:

The weakest sequel

But nostalgia makes it fun

Despite flaws, I love

I Can't Give It Less.  I Just Can't!

Herbie Goes Bananas is the cheesiest of the original Herbie sequels. There are some plot holes and lots of coincidence. I shouldn't like it. But I just can't help it.

There is a plot to the movie, and it goes something like this. Herbie is a VW Bug who also happens to be a race car. Even more importantly, he's alive. And, despite how he looks, he's a very impressive race car.

Herbie's last own, Jim Douglas, has just passed Herbie on to his nephew Pete (Stephen W. Burns). Pete wants to become a race car driver, so he heads down to Mexico with his partner D.J. (Charles Martin Smith) to pick up the car. At first they think there's been some mistake, but the soon realize just how special Herbie is.

They also run into a pickpocket named Paco (Joaquin Garay III). Paco is a boy stealing to survive. In his escapades, he's accidentally crossed the path of some very evil men who have found some Inca gold they intend to steal and sell themselves. But Paco kept the pictures that are the only clue the villains have to the location.

With Paco hiding in Herbie's trunk, the car and his new owners get on board a cruise ship heading to a race in Brazil. But Paco and Herbie cause trouble on the ship. Meanwhile, the villains are still tracking Paco, desperate to get their film back. Who will succeed? Can Herbie save the day?

If those questions leave you in suspense, you obviously don't know the franchise. This is a Disney film, and originality isn't the focus. Still, you'll get to see Herbie walk the plank, participate in a bullfight, and stop the villains with bananas. Yes, you read that right.

Quite obviously, this movie is aimed solely at kids. And it's a good thing, too, because they won't wonder about how all the characters keep finding each other in Central America. Not to mention plot holes big enough for Herbie to drive through concerning the existence of the gold and how anyone could have found it. The intended audience is even more obvious when the song "Friendship" plays. It's a cheesy song about how important friends are.

I will say this; most of the acting is fine. Joaquin Garay III is very cute at Paco. He often steals the show and does a great job for a kid. The adults all put in fine performances that help the material be better then it is. My only complaint is Cloris Leachman as a cruise ship passenger who gets tangled up in the events. I often find that she overacts, and this movie is no exception.

This movie was released in 1980, so most of the effects are a little dated, but I was surprised to find that most do hold up surprisingly well today, however.

So if this movie is flawed (and I freely admit it is), how do I justify 5 stars? Simple. I love it. This was the Herbie movie I watched most as a child. Seeing it makes me feel happy. I laugh at Herbie's wild antics. I sing along loudly when the song starts. The climax cracks me up. And any movie I laugh at that much can't be as bad as it seems.

The DVD doesn't help the film, however. It's a movie only disc presented in full frame. The sound is full 5.1 surround and sounds good.

Even with the dated feel of the special effects, I think most kids today will find this movie fun. And it certainly is that. Light, fluffy fun. Adults willing to ignore any semblance of reality or highly susceptible to nostalgia should be able to enjoy it as well. Herbie Goes Bananas is not even remotely a movie for anyone looking for anything serious.