Tough to do a remake

Rating: 6/10 (6 June 2005)

This has certainly become a trend in Hollywood lately, remaking classic films with plot revisions and new actors. Occasionally it works, but for the most part, remakes need to be avoided at all costs, this is my opinion with "The Longest Yard".
The original film is considered one of the greatest sports movies of all time. Paul Crewe takes a rag-tag bunch of convicts up against a well oiled machine of a football team, and on shear determination and the fact that this is their only chance at glory in their prison lives, beats the guards. Classic of course, timeless story, so why not remake it with a more comedic twist and more action packed football scenes including pro-wrestlers and ex-pro football players? The filmmakers got the football scenes right, but not much else.
The great thing about the first movie, was that you really felt for the prisoners who were seemingly up against insurmountable odds, not only on the football field, but in life. I never really felt that was established in this movie, which moves way too fast to establish anything.
Quite a few scenes were changed, sped up, or completely removed from that were in the original version that took away fro the story in this movie. In this one, Crewe becomes too well liked too quickly, while in the first one, he goes through a long period of earning himself in prison. It never really established Crewe's downfall from pro-football and how much of an impact his point shaving scheme had on his life and those around him.
I give this movie a 6 only because the action was up to par and the football scenes were better than the original, which they should have been considering they had a bigger budget and bigger effects.
the worst part of this movie is Sandler and Chris Rock. You would think that these two comedic all-stars would be able to write much funnier lines for themselves, but they don't. I have actually been very disappointed by all Chris Rock films, he's a great stand up, but horrible actor.
If you want to see a great football movie, rent the original "Longest Yard".