MEET DAVE

MEET DAVE stars Eddie Murphy in one of his funniest roles, but the movie goes off track part of the time, especially during the second half.

Murphy plays the tiny captain of a human-sized spaceship designed to look exactly like him. Coming from the Planet Nil, the spaceship’s mission is to blend in among human beings on earth to search for a powerful orb. The orb is designed to drain earth’s oceans of salt and moisture in order to bring energy to Nil, which has run out.

The captain discovers that the orb, encrusted with meteorite dirt, has been found by the boy of a young pretty widow. He also discovers, however, that a school bully has taken the disguised orb. As the boy helps the talking spaceship find the bully with the orb, the captain becomes sympathetic to the earthlings. Will he change his mind destroying their oceans? Complicating his decision is that his crew has become infected with powerful emotions because of their contact with the humans.

There are many funny jokes in MEET DAVE. The movie also has some heartwarming, touching, morally uplifting moments. Eddie Murphy gives one of his funniest, most winsome performances. During the second half of the movie, however, the worldview turns Romantic. The Nillians have been suppressing their emotions, and one of the Nillians even discovers his effeminate homosexual side. This effeminate stereotype not only will offend many in the family audience but many in the homosexual community as well. There is also a joke about heterosexual men never being able to dance well.

Though it is not sexually explicit (MEET DAVE is rated only PG), the movie’s homosexual humor is not funny. It also plays into the movie’s politically correct Romantic themes during the second half: that Nillian society has made its people violent, destructive and incapable of expressing compassion or love. Of course, this also sends the message that our own society shouldn’t suppress outlandish, offensive homosexual behavior, even to protect children.

MEET DAVE also has some plot holes. The most glaring problem is that the story never resolves the plight of the Planet Nil, which will be wiped out if it doesn’t find a new energy source. Furthermore, some but not all of the special effects are a little cheesy.

Finally, MEET DAVE has some light scatological humor, light obscenities and light profanities.

Overall, therefore, MOVIEGUIDE® advises caution for older children. Concerned, responsible parents will want to teach their children about the dangers of unrestrained emotions. They will also want to protect their children from the attacks on masculinity in today’s feminized society where, too often, inappropriate feelings are expressed at the expense of moral order, rational thought and the Word of God. True compassion demands appropriate responses that reflect biblical principles. False compassion violates God’s principles. For example, a parent’s great love for her children should not compel her to forego all standards of discipline for them in the home.