July 21, 2001 -- Paul Hogan, who came out of nowhere (well actually, Lightning Ridge, New South Wales, Australia) to become an international star with "Crocodile Dundee" in 1986, has been heading down hill ever since. The latest sequel, "Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles," the third in the series, doesn't come close to the original.

Hogan reprises his role as Mick Dundee. Linda Kozlowski ("Village of the Damned") is back as Dundee's girlfriend, Sue Charlton. Alec Wilson is also back, but as a different character, Jacko. There are others back from the original as well. In this episode Sue is called back to the states from the Outback of Australia to run a publication after the editor unexpectedly dies. Dundee decides to go undercover to help out with his wife's investigation of a movie studio suspected of foul play.

Everyone seems to be having a good time with this very loose, sloppy, weakly-written production. It doesn't take itself seriously, and that's a good thing. There are lots of movie in-jokes, like the studio tour of Paramount, which just happens to be the studio which produced this movie. The movie Dundee is investigating is also the third in a series of films, all unsuccessful. Dundee figures out what is going on, simply from television cop shows, about 15 minutes after the audience has already figured it out. There is a scene in which Mike Tyson teaches Dundee transcendental meditation. Dundee remarks that Tyson must be a peaceful man at heart. The movie is very good-natured, folksy and easy-going, it just isn't very funny. There are a lot more groans than laughs. There are also a number of weak reaction shots.

Hogan, Kozlowsky, Serge Cockburn (who plays their son, Mikey), Alec Wilson and Aida Turturro of "The Sopranos" TV show, who plays Sue Charlton's editorial assistant are adequate in their roles. The problem with this one is the writing, by Matthew Berry and Eric Abrams (both of "Married ... With Children"). The writing is of the level of a weak TV situation comedy. It needed to be a lot sharper. This film rates a D.

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