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Taxi: The Queen Shift Gears..........

Frankly, forget the Luc Besson remake biopsy. Ok, Besson's story was used as the basis for this story. And?....

Look at Taxi for what it is. Queen Latifah is a bicycle courrier who has always wanted to be a taxi driver. She lives with a big muscular hunk of a boyfriend who wants to propose to her. Enter, Jimmy Fallon, a degenerate embarassment to the NYC Police Department who used to date Jennifer Esposito's character who is the new head honcho at the Precinct.

Enter Gisele Bundchen, a Brazillian model-turned-bank robber who along with her frankly ugly fellow models become embroiled in an expanding police search for them.

Latifah gets her plates and her BIG YELLOW TAXI (insert Joni Mitchell song here). Her car is supercharged and she is able to negotiate the downtown New York streets with ease.

Jimmy Fallon lives in an apartment beside his alcoholic mother and somehow passed the entrance requirements for becoming a police officer. His character is a bumbling idiot who gives himself more work than he needs to, screws things while conducting regular police business and doesn't know how to take direct orders.

IS there a point to this story? No and I thought Fallon would've been funnier than this. He looked like he was holding back emotionally and played a safe comedic card. Was he at ease working alongside Latifah (an actress who has gained props for her range and durability)? I didn't think so. Even in the outtakes, it seemed that the two of them were kind of distant from each other and a bit reserved in the effort they put in.

Bundchen may have nice legs and a nice ass but apart from that, Dicaprio can keep her (as a girlfriend). Just keep her out of speaking roles, unless they're foreign made films where she can excel. She added nice eye candy but I'm diabetic.

Fallon needs to work on his comedy range.

PS:If Director Tim Story had really wanted to make a funnier film, he should've gone back to the SNL stable and grabbed Jim Breuer (goatboy).

Steve Landry

{21 votes}

July 20, 2005

Pre-emptive critique of...TAXI (the crappy Hollywood version)

If this movie makes ANY money in Quebec or France I will be amazed.

Luc Besson's TAXI trilogy is a borderline institution anywhere where french is spoken, written or read (well, maybe not TAXI 3--that one just sucked beyond the telling) so I can't for the life of me see the french dubbed version of Hollywood's remake of what was a french comedy to begin with make a dime in Quebec theatres.

The original TAXI and its subsequent sequel allowed Luc Besson's conversion to Hollywood sellout to be complete. I can live with that loss because at least he gave us two killer comedies to remember him by. Like most true cinephiles I've washed my hands of him and follow his career the way one does Joel Schumacher's--with morbid dread.

From the moment Hollywood announced it was remaking TAXI for North American audiences and was setting it in New York you could practically feel the collective shudder from moviebuffs. Now don't get me wrong, I love Queen Latifah, she is one sexy and talented momma, not to mention that Tim Story earned his stripes with BARBERSHOP so I'm very much cool with both artists. Jimmy Fallon is, well, Jimmy Fallon so let's leave that at that, ok. No, I won't piss on the cast or the director but the project itself is an abomination that needed to be aborted and fast. If this project wasn't here then none of these people would be trapped in it.

Everything about the trailer screams "unfunny dud".

I know purists will avoid this needless remake like they would another provincial referendum but for those of you on the fence, I say this: rent the original and save yourself the pain.

Pedro Eggers

{56 votes}

October 1, 2004

Remake of french taxi

The original idea developed in France was a great one. Unfortunately, trying to ship it over to america especially the USA, doesn't quite have the same effect. SNL jimmy Fallon is not funny at all but at least he didn't screw up the lines and laugh histerically. So much for a comedy...

Tennyson Yang

December 4, 2005

Oh Jimmy...

I admit, I'm a huge Jimmy Fallon fan. I love that quirkiness about him and the way you seem to read every emotion that goes through him at any point in time. Yeah, he cracked up on SNL all the time, but he did some great impressions too. But back to the movie. I think Jimmy's talent can be put to MUCH better use. Watching this movie, you can tell him and Queen Latifah must have had a lot of fun in between takes, but their lines are just too cliché and the story is too weak to be interesting. Brazilian super model criminals.. right. I think this movie was a [not so well] crafted excuse to put Gisele Bundchen in a movie and use Jimmy and Latifah's natural chemistry and charisma to carry a plot that really had nothing going for it. Now Fever Pitch, that is a different story. Jimmy Fallon fans everywhere, this is t-h-e film for you!

Ruth Nissan

October 23, 2005

Taxi this!!

I thought the movie was great for the high speed chases, it made me reminisce the movie 2 Fast 2 Furious which I really enjoyed. Queen Latifah and Jimmy Fallon paired up well as an odd team trying to resolve there own personal issues and working together on a case. I liked the bit about Fallon not being able to drive and it was probably the funniest scene for him getting behind the wheel. I think the movie is just a fu New York city chase and even if it doesn't beat the original Taxi movie it's just family fun entertainment to watch.

Andrea Silva

{1 vote}

October 16, 2005

Good Comedy

its a pretty good comedy, Jimmy's first movie since his out of "Saturday night Live",,, I think he did good,, so did Latifah,, Great Actions Scenes but the story could of been better,, its bits and pieces from other movies,,, but besides that,, its Good !

Simon Cardoso

September 30, 2005

How to do worse with more

I can't get what's going on into Luc Besson's mind. He did some great things : The fifth element, Nikita, the original Taxi... But now, he's trying to reuse his ideas from France to make some big American money. Of course, the result is awful. There's nothing new about this movie : same jokes, same story with slight changes, same ending... Where the french actors were good, Jimmy Fallon and Queen Latifah fail. Fallon is not good enough to be starring in a movie and Latifah plays the same stereotyped character, as usual. Don't spend any money to rent this movie ; it will be on late night movies soon, it's a good way to fall asleep.

Rémi Boivin

{2 votes}

July 3, 2005

Good marketing, bad film

The people responsible for marketing this movie should get all the profits for this film, if it even made any. They made it look like a funny film by cutting and splicing. It's pretty evident just by watching the first 15 minutes of this movie that it's going to be a stink bomb. Lets put aside how completely implausible any of it is for a second...no I can't, everything from the pimped out car to them racing around NYC is completely ridiculous. Add Jimmy Fallon to the list of people who left SNL and failed. It's really beyond me how anyone could read the script for this and think it's a good idea, especially for an actress who was nominated for an Oscar, it's like stepping over a pile of shit then taking a step back and landing right in it.

Josee Lacroix

{1 vote}

April 9, 2005

Taxi

Sigh....I was disappointed with this film. Queen Latifah is one of my faves...but this film just didn't cut it...not because of her acting but of the script. Jimmy Fallon is not so funny.....wrong actor to play this role...he was trying too hard to be funny which did not go over well. The sound was awful....instead of putting the roar of the car on the surround...they had piped the music through the side speakers...not effective. The idea of having the TAXI mode into overdrive with its suped up sequence was kewl...but wasn't even to take the movie into the top ratings.

There is not much more I can say...is a hum drum movie...but still I have seen worse lately...it is a give or take...

Jennifer Berardini

February 20, 2005

Don't even rent it!

Taxi is now out on video. I would not recommend this film to anybody! It was so dreadful that I couldn't even watch it in fast forward!

I cannot believe that Jimmy Fallon quit SNL to make movies like this. I find his impersonations on TV to be hilarious and completely different from what goes on here. In this movie, for example, he fails to deliver a Cuban accent even remotely accurately. He doesn't seem like a realistic cop at all either. Jimmy Fallon needs acting lessons. He's worse than a high school student or porno actor.

Queen Latifah's talents are also wasted. She's playing the same type of sassy sister again. SHe needs some different roles to grow as an actor.

The plot and dialogue are also really boring, unrealistic, and dumbed down. Taxi contains no laughs at all. It's tedious and unbearable.

Sue Michal

{1 vote}

February 15, 2005

Not a ride I wanted to take!

I guess 4 weeks past without an odd couple buddy movie, so hollywood decided it was time to make another one.

This is the pairing of Adam Sandler wannabe Jimmy Fallon with a wise cracking Queen Latifah. I like Latifah, but there is only so much that she can do with this uninspired script. After about the 1st 15min you will find yourself no longer laughing, and instead looking at your watch.

Don't even rent it! This movie is terrible!

Eric Wilson

{2 votes}

February 8, 2005

Taxi for me please!

Very funny movie indeed , I can't believe some of the reviews I read. Just the fact you have Queen Latifah in this movie you already hit a good number. Then you add jim Fallon and you couldn't get any better. You have to stop comparing and judging this movie through political eyes. You have to look at the film quality and the acting and judge it on that. So the story is not an original one that should not stop you from enjoying it for what it is. ! I had a fun time watching this movie and I would watch it again.

Maria Cecillia Silva

{2 votes}

February 8, 2005

Taxi was a comedy?

When you read the description of the movie it says under category that it's a comedy, they sure fool me since i didn't laugh at all while watching the movie. The first thing that i realize after the first few minute of the minute was that Jimmy Fallon isn't that funny then you try to put that guy with Queen Latifah who normally is really funny and try to get a chemistry between the two. It really doesn't work at all. Whoever wrote the script for this version should have checked the French version before doing because the original version was ten times better. So in the end, this movie is one of the worst movies of the year and i sure hope that i never see another movie starring Jimmy Fallon again.

Martin Rioux

{1 vote}

January 9, 2005

What a bad remake...

When I saw the advertisment for this remake, I felt sick to my stomack. I had to see it for my self.

The only thing original about this show is the portrayal of supermodel babes as notorious robbers who tear through the streets to escape from the police as well as Queen Latifah.

For those who did not see the original, the climax at the end of the movie will blow you away from the seats. For those who are seeing this as a remake, though, the "wow" factor is gone.

Steven Doucet

{2 votes}

December 8, 2004

A big no no

Once again, hollywood attemps to remake another great french movie. The original "Taxi" has 3 installments that where all great films and then you have the U.S. that try to put all 3 into 1 movie, and the result is the awful thing i went to see in the theater.

All this movie was about, was modified cars, action scenes and hot female badguys. The story, the so called comedy, and plot weren't very present at all. The actors they chose for the film were just ok....they were nothing compared to the french actors. The reason the "Taxi" trilogy was so succesful was because of the actors. They had certain characteristics that made there characters interesting to watch...in short we could see the character dept. Queen Latifa is a great actor but just not for this movie.

Overall "Taxi" isn't worth the time or money.

Joshua Walker

{3 votes}

December 2, 2004

WHAT A RIDE.

it definitely depends on your taste.

personally, i found the movie typical, uninteresting, a rehash of car chase scenes - but not even well-done chase scenes.

my friend who i saw the movie with though absolutely loved it. she laughed at all the hilarious parts and enjoyed it thoroughly.

it depends on what you expect to get out of the movie. go in just for the laughs and a comedy, and it'll be decent. but there should be no expectation of anything great - come on, jimmy fallon and queen latifah? think about it.

a c

{4 votes}

November 13, 2004

I enjoyed the ride...

I knew that most people would say they wouldn't like it. The critics practically tore it apart, saying one of the worst movies this year. I needed to go see it anyway to have my personal opinion, and I was honnestly surprised.

I didn't think I would enjoy it, but I did. Keep in mind, it's a very light storyline. Don't expect any life-moving dialogue or mind-boggling plot lines. But there are some very funny scenes... which I got a good laugh at.

I didn't see the original Taxi movie, so I can't compare. But I thought Queen Latifah gave a decent performance and Jimmy Fallon, well, he's just a funny guy. He sort of lost his Saturday Night Live vibe on the big screne, but was still funny nonetheless.

If you're not expecting much from a movie and just wanna laugh, Taxi is a movie you'll want to rent when it comes out.

Steven MacLaren

{4 votes}

November 8, 2004

Why ?

Something that Hollywood never understood is that you can't remake a

French movie. They try with ''Les Visiteurs'' and it tank. Now the

trying again with one of the biggest movie in the history of French cinema

and for what I saw this movie doesn't hold anything on is French

counterpart. What made the French movie great was the fact that they could do

about anything in this film and they didn't mind breaking the rules of

cinema by making a movie about the bad guys. This movie is the complete

opposite since it's made with the Hollywood formula that you can't do a

movie about bad guys. You got to have a wacky character to make a good

movie. If you're a fan of this movie rent the DVD of the original and

watch it a home because this one doesn't look like it worth spending

ten dollars just to see another French movie gets destroyed by the

Hollywood machine.

Martin Rioux

{10 votes}

October 4, 2004

Very bad american remake!

This film is a very unsatisfying 'ride' compare to the french original version. In my opinion, Taxi is one of the worst film of 2004.

The only parts that you might consider enjoyable about the story are all those well done car chases. The jokes are not even funny and, trust me on this one: it's a silly diversion for teenagers, that is about it!

Valerie Augier

February 2, 2005

best comedy movie yet

I have watch this movie and I should say that this must be one of the best movie I have ever seen with Queen Latifah. This movie is just hillarious and extremely funny. The movie is simply about a man who lost his job as a cop and meets a woman (Queen Latifah) who is a taxi driver. Both of them finds a bank robbery and the guy discovers that the taxi was a kind of 'super-mobil'. Together they find the vilans which are actually four hot chicks. Trough the story the guy and the taxi driver tries to catch the robbers. And the rest is to discover...

I recommend this movie to everybody who wants to laugh till they blow up. I am telling you right know: Danger this movie contains lots of laugh! Go and watch it. Enjoy.

Jean Mitchell Dungo

December 3, 2004

no taxi for me

This is the American version of the French Taxi films and it suffers in comparison.

I'm not kidding when I say that this a remake of the three French films since although the film is mainly a poor remake of the the first film, it lifts sequences from the second and third films.

there was no real point in me seeing this since anything that worked came from the originals.

AA BB

{2 votes}

November 25, 2004

Stop the metre...not worth the ride

If you are looking for the same quality as the original film, you will have to continue looking. Queen Latifah and Jimmy Fallon do not have very good chemistry. He does do a good portrayal of an inept and clumsy cop. The film felt like it was a very long skit on who's line is it anyways. The one saving grace for the film were the exciting car chases. The taxi was something else. I would recommend waiting for rental on a night when there is nothing else to rent.

Caroline Rahal

{3 votes}

November 3, 2004

Good Show !

I myself haven't seen the previous 'TAXI' movies , but I was much amused by this movie. Queen Latifah is funny and gave an aeora of warmth and love to the character she played. Jimmy Fallon as the idiot detective pulled it off well to give the audience and gave us a feeling of light-hearted entertainment . Ann Margaret is the mother who is an acoholic and she is fun to watch. My type of movie!

Nelly Hum

{3 votes}

October 8, 2004

Taxi svp

When I watched the original Taxi, wow was it funny. The main character, the taxi driver, was

meant for the part. Now after watching the trailer for the Amercian version, I have my doubts.

Queen Latifah seems to have a strong character but I don't know if she would be a match to

the original movie. Anyways, I'll wait for it to come out on dvd.

Rita Reale

{9 votes}

October 5, 2004

Out of gas and dead on the road!

I'm not surprised Luc Besson allowed this Amercan version to happen, I'm just surprised that he can live with himself. There was a time when Besson could do no wrong but somehow success got to his head and he's produced crap ever since.

I don't even have to watch the movie to know that it'll bomb.

I loved Taxi 1 & 2 but this movie is not either of them. I'll take a pass on this cab.

Vladimir Joseph

{3 votes}

October 3, 2004

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