The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas



The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas (also known as The Flintstones 2 or The Flintstones 2: Viva Rock Vegas) is a 2000 American romantic comedy film directed by Brian Levant, written by Jim Cash, Harry Elfont, Deborah Kaplan, and Jack Epps, Jr., and is the prequel to Levant's The Flintstones (1994), based on the cartoon television series of the same name. Produced by Amblin Entertainment and Hanna-Barbera Productions and distributed by Universal Pictures, it is set before the events of the first film, showing how Fred and Barney met Wilma and Betty.

In the place of original cast John Goodman, Rick Moranis, Elizabeth Perkins, and Rosie O'Donnell (who here has a minor voice role), the film stars Mark Addy and Stephen Baldwin as Fred Flintstone and Barney Rubble, and Kristen Johnston and Jane Krakowski as Wilma Slaghoople and Betty O'Shale, with a supporting cast featuring Joan Collins, Thomas Gibson, Harvey Korman, and Alan Cumming in a dual role as The Great Gazoo and Mick Jagged, a parody of Mick Jagger. In addition, Kristen Stewart makes her film debut in an uncredited role as the ring toss girl at the carnival.

The film was a commercial failure, grossing only $59.5 million against its $83 million budget. Like its predecessor, Viva Rock Vegas also received negative critical reviews and was nominated for four Golden Raspberry Awards, but did not win any.

Plot
Young bachelors and best friends Fred Flintstone and Barney Rubble have recently qualified as crane operators at Slate & Company. Soon to be employed, now they want dates, and little green alien The Great Gazoo, exiled to Earth by his species, offers to help, although only they can see him. Meanwhile, Wilma Slaghoople wants a normal life and activities, like bowling, despite her controlling mother Pearl, who wants her to marry smooth casino-owner Chip Rockefeller. Wilma angrily runs away to Bronto King in Bedrock. Waitress Betty O'Shale mistakes her as "caveless", and offers to share her apartment, and gets her a job.

Fred and Barney are smitten with the waitresses and invite them to a carnival, with Fred dating Betty and Barney taking Wilma. Fred wins a carnival game and gets a prize of an egg which hatches into a baby dinosaur, which he names "Dino". However, he does not really feel a connection with Betty, nor does Barney with Wilma, until both men switch dates. Wilma invites her new friends home to a birthday party for her father, Colonel Slaghoople, where all are shocked by her wealth. Fred intends to propose, but changes his mind after meeting Chip, who berates him for his low-level job at Slate & Company. Pearl dislikes the three new friends, but the Colonel accepts them, glad Wilma is happy, and privately gives her a valuable pearl necklace that once belonged to his great-grandmother. After the boys disgrace themselves at dinner, Wilma nevertheless proclaims her pride and follows them out.

Chip congratulates Fred on attracting Wilma and apologizes for his humiliation of Fred's job. He invites the four to his Rock Vegas resort as a peace offering. However, this is a plot by Chip to hope Fred gambles so Wilma dumps him, whereas Fred sees it as a chance to win big so he can impress Wilma with money like Chip's. Chip and his girlfriend Roxie are visited by two gangsters named Big Rocko and Little Rocko to collect a lot of money owed by Chip, who claims his upcoming marriage to Wilma will get him access to the Slaghoople fortune, and the gangsters consider that plan creditable, so they agree to suspend collections until after the wedding. Gazoo witnesses the entire conversation. When Barney tries to keep Fred from high-stakes poker, Chip sends Roxie to seduce Barney for an escort to an all-you-can-eat buffet.

Chip keeps Fred gambling to miss his dinner date with the others. Betty sees Barney wipe cream from Roxie's chest and misinterprets the move as a pass. Mick Jagged comforts the weeping girl, and they go on a date. Wilma breaks up with Fred over not spending any time with her. Chip warns her of burglaries and arranges that Fred loses everything before slipping Wilma's pearls in Fred's pocket and asking him to empty them. Hotel security arrests Fred for robbery. When Barney protests that Fred would do no such thing, and that Fred would not even be able to crack his own knuckles without help, Chip accuses Barney of being Fred's accomplice and has him arrested, as well. Angered that the two of them stole from her, Wilma goes back to Chip.

In prison, the men are visited by Gazoo, who earlier spied on Chip. Gazoo reveals that Chip is in severe debt to the mob, and hoped to solve both his problems by framing Fred for the robbery and plans to marry Wilma to get the Slaghooples' money. Barney slips through the bars, steals the keys, and unlocks the cell. Disguised as dancers, they accidentally run into Jagged's dressing room. Barney tells Betty he loves her, and they get back together.

Fred plans to disguise himself as Jagged in an attempt to reconcile with Wilma. Meanwhile, in the audience, Chip proposes to Wilma, but she is unresponsive. Fred then comes on stage disguised as Jagged and briefly sings to Wilma. He apologizes for his behavior earlier before proposing to her. Wilma happily accepts, rejecting Chip, and they marry in the Rock Vegas Chapel of Love, while the gangsters prepare to make Chip pay in their own manner. After the pastor proclaims them husband and wife, everyone sings "Meet the Flintstones". When Jagged sings "Viva Rock Vegas" at a party, Betty catches Wilma's tossed bouquet and kisses Barney. The newlyweds drive away with Dino and Gazoo to goodbye waves from their friends, family, and even Chip and Roxie.

Cast

 * Mark Addy as Fred Flintstone
 * Stephen Baldwin as Barney Rubble
 * Kristen Johnston as Wilma Slaghoople
 * Jane Krakowski as Betty O'Shale
 * Joan Collins as Pearl Slaghoople
 * Thomas Gibson as Chip Rockefeller
 * Alan Cumming as The Great Gazoo / Mick Jagged
 * Harvey Korman as Colonel Slaghoople
 * Alex Meneses as Roxie
 * Tony Longo as Big Rocko
 * Danny Woodburn as Little Rocko
 * John Taylor as Keith Richrock
 * Irwin Keyes as Joe Rockhead
 * Taylor Negron as Gazaam / Gazing
 * Mel Blanc (archive footage, voice) as Puppy Dino
 * William Hanna (special appearance) as himself
 * Joseph Barbera (special appearance) as himself
 * John Stephenson as the Minister who marries Fred and Wilma / Showroom Announcer
 * Rosie O'Donnell as the voice of the Octopus giving Wilma and Betty massages
 * John Cho as Parking valet
 * Kristen Stewart as Ring Toss Girl
 * Jim Doughan as Dinosaur Confessor

Production
Korman was the voice of The Great Gazoo in the animated series. Stephenson provided the voice of Mr. Slate from the animated series.

Krakowski had been reluctant to play Betty, feeling she would be overshadowing O'Donnell, until she was congratulated by Rosie for getting the role with flowers and a card that said "From Betty #1 to Betty #2, Now Yabba Dabba Do It!"

Music
Ann-Margret, who guest-starred as "Ann-Margrock" in the animated series' season four episode "Ann-Margrock Presents", sings the theme song, which is a slightly rewritten version of the song from Viva Las Vegas.

Box office
The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas opened theatrically on April 28, 2000 and earned $10,518,435 in its first weekend, ranking second to U-571 second weekend. The film ended its run on August 17, 2000, having grossed $38,268,275 domestically and $24,200,000 overseas for a worldwide total of $59,468,275. Based on an $83 million budget, the film was a box office bomb. This was an extreme disappointment compared to the first film's $358.5 million worldwide gross.

Critical reception
Like the first installment, Viva Rock Vegas received generally negative reviews from critics, although it fared slightly better than the first film. On Rotten Tomatoes, it has a 25% score, based on 72 reviews, with an average rating of 4/10. The site's consensus states: "The prequel to the first full-length feature set in Bedrock, Viva Rock Vegas is a surprising improvement over The Flintstones. Aimed towards an audience of adults and children alike, critics feel Viva will appeal to a broad range of viewers". Metacritic reports a 27 out of 100 rating, based on 26 reviews, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews."

Accolades
The film was nominated for four Razzies at the 21st Golden Raspberry Awards:
 * Worst Picture
 * Worst Supporting Actor (Stephen Baldwin)
 * Worst Supporting Actress (Joan Collins)
 * Worst Remake or Sequel