The Zookeeper

Kevin James is an actor who became most famous as a sidekick to bigger stars like Will Smith, but primarily alongside his childhood friend Adam Sandler. Recently, however, he’s becoming someone who doesn’t want to be listed second or even later in the credits. The Zookeeper could have been the film that brings him to the forefront. It seems to have somewhat succeeded, but we can't say that he truly shines. The Zookeeper is a classic, sometimes cringeworthy comedy that mainly tries to be quite cool, which it mostly is. Animals are great, and they'll be even more awesome when voiced by well-known actors, including James's partner Sandler. However, the story doesn’t stand out; it’s essentially about James receiving advice—from animals—on how to pick up a human female. It’s a bit like Hitch, but missing that cool guy played by the aforementioned Smith. (2013-02-17)

There are too many swear words for kids and too few for for teenagers, while for adult viewers, there is too little of a normal plot. Kevin James invited a group of his friends to voice animal companions for him in a movie that would have seemed clichéd even ten years ago. The hysterical elephant might be entertaining for most, but in the end does little to save this movie. (2011-09-01)

I’m a fan of Adam Sandler, but I made a huge mistake by not checking what this movie was about beforehand, or even watching the trailer. I was pretty shocked by what unfolded. Kevin James plays a zookeeper who's kind of a loser, and the animals decide to help him out. The twist? He doesn’t know they can talk—until he does. Yeah, it sounds pretty ridiculous, and honestly, it kind of is. But sometimes even movies like this can work, and occasionally, this one does. Still, it feels like it was designed from the start to be a goofy family flick, though I’m not sure how much it’ll appeal to kids. On the plus side, Sandler’s voice work as the cute little monkey was a highlight, even if the rest of the movie didn’t quite hit the mark. (2011-10-01)

A lot and really a lot weak, lame and stupid. It is saved only by animals that are cute and maybe Rosario Dawson, otherwise the whole movie is a total flop. Kevin James needs Adam Sandler by his side in person, not just lending his voice to an animal. A typical example of American B-movie production. (2015-11-07)