I went to see this movie a couple months ago with some friends, and from the outset I found myself extremely disappointed. First and foremost, Herbie is entirely too anthropomorphic. All that smiling and frowning and settling on his chassis, and the actors pretending like they don't notice this possessed automobile (I think the ghost of James Dean, upon getting kicked out of heaven for being too rowdy, tried to possess a Porsche 550, like the one he died in, but was drunk on tequila and mistook the VW type 1 that was to become Herbie for his beloved death-mobile. Its just a theory.) It began with the opening scene, where Herbie "pees" on the fat man's foot. What would oil be doing anywhere near the front end of a VW? It would've made more sense, (and looked more like pee, probably why they didn't do it) if Herbie has just sprayed his leg with gas. Immediately following this, Herbie gets a flat on some carelessly left scrap. In the 1974 film entitled "Herbie rides again", in the final scenes, a sad, wrecked green VW drags itself off a scrapheap to help scare off Alonzo Hawk, with perhaps three wheels altogether, yet Herbie cannot limp out of a junkyard? I find that hard to swallow. I find the incestuous relationship between Herbie and the New Beetle distasteful, notwithstanding the fact that she is a distant cousin, mostly an Audi as a matter of fact. Why did the pit crew even have NASCAR spec tyres and wheels that would fit the classic wide spaced VW bolt pattern? Where did that little grease monkey get all the money to rebuild Herbie in the first place? Entering a VW Type 1 sedan in a Nextel cup race is a concept at which I scoff heartily. Scoff! The last time I checked, the 1963 VW was not a current production American family sedan with an OHV V8, though as I don't watch the news much, this may have changed without me realizing it. Anyone familiar with the layout of a boxer engine would scoff at the idea of a new beetle's valve cover being used as a replacement, they'd have had better luck (with me anyway) cannibalizing a Subaru, at least its the right layout. Whats up with that teeny little slutty skirt and the spike heels? Lindsey, your a cutie, but Chebus! I guess that one was for the dads in the audience. Also, I scoff at the idea that Herbie would over react so badly to that little tramp taking off in whats his face's Nextel cup "stock" car. In short, the entire movie was deeply flawed and I believe the original Herbie, (who is currently living the retired life in Lake in the Hills Illinois, BTW.) Would choke on his Irish coffee should he ever be witness to this travesty. So there.
Review of Herbie Fully Loaded
