Fierce creatures

Fierce creatures saw the re-teaming of the creative force behind the smash hit “A fish called Wanda”. Kevin Kline plays Rod McCain, a Rupert Murdoch type figure whose business acumen pays no mind to the human factor, but is keenly interested in the bottom line; Kline also plays his sleazy and corrupted son, Vince. When Rod acquires a quaint English zoo, Vince and Willa Weston, an executive in the McCain empire, travel to England to oversee the proceedings. The amiable Rolo Lee, who runs the zoo, strives to keep his job by achieving the 20% profit margin that McCain requires and calm disgruntled staff. Predictably, mayhem ensues as conflicting agendas wreak havoc at the zoo. Despite the multifarious talents of the filmmakers, “Fierce creatures” is only sparingly amusing, drawing on gross cultural and gender stereotypes. It panders excessively to the view that all Americans are brash and gauche, and that Englishmen are bumbling, sexually repressed sensitive types. At times the sexism of the screenplay truly grates, with Jamie Lee Cutis in the thankless role of Weston, presumably a sharp minded businesswoman, with a proclivity for skimpy outfits that display ample decolletage. Also stars Michael Palin as a loquacious zookeeper, Ronnie Corbet, Robert Lindsey and Carey Lowell.