When ISHTAR began, I marveled at the insane casting. First, you have two men who have no musical talent whatsoever. This is the shtick of the film but it doesn't work well. Such a musical team should have at least some possibility of someone enjoying their songs as professional singers. These two (Dustin Hoffman and Warren Beatty) have absolutely no talent and their casting as singers is way beyond an acting stretch--it just seems stupid. Second, Beatty's character in particular is awful. Who in their right minds would believe that he is an uneducated working stiff who's had jobs as an ice cream man, a gas station attendant and a factory worker?!? And, when he tells Hoffman that he's jealous of him because Hoffman is so good with ladies, it is just dumb....BEATTY of all people complaining that he can't get a girlfriend!?! Talk about ridiculous!! Third, it's a comedy...with Hoffman and Beatty?! Sure, Hoffman did TOOTSIE, but Warren Beatty and a comedy? What were they thinking?! Fourth, I think Beatty was supposed to be playing a Texan, as occasionally he had an exaggerated accent that sounded somewhat like a Texas accent. Beatty...as a Texan?! Yeah...right. So, at the outset the film just made no sense at all and you wondered if either Hoffman and Beatty were THAT out of touch or it was the director (Eileen May) who was certifiably crazy. My assumption is that both possibilities are true! Of course, for $5 million each, I guess I can understand why they'd agree to such stupid roles.
The film begins with Hoffman and Beatty meeting and forming a musical team. Unable to get work as an act in America, their agent offers them a job in Honduras as well as the fictional land of Ishtar (in North Africa). They choose Ishtar and find themselves in the middle of a revolution. Beatty is recruited by the Leftists (probably since they'd seen REDS and knew his political bent) and Hoffman is recruited by the wacky CIA agent, Charles Grodin. Unfortunately, both have no idea why they agree to do what they're doing and it looks again and again like they'll be killed. Sadly, they seem impossible to kill and they have many wacky adventures. Sounds kooky, huh? Well, no...it's not. Instead, it all seems very, very forced and not all that funny. Who thought the CIA and revolutions and these two guys were funny?!
Now, it's obvious from my review that I disliked this movie. The question, then, is this as bad as the reviewers said? Yes and no. The film is tolerable to watch (particularly if you think the CIA is the ultimate evil on Earth and are looking to confirm this). It is about as good as a second-rate made for cable TV movie. However, considering the film cost a hundred bazillion dollars and took director May decades to finish editing (or so it seemed to the studios who threatened lawsuits to get her to complete the film), the results are stupefyingly bad. This might just be one of the worst films made--dollar for dollar. Certainly not among the worst films ever made...but still quite bad. Only of interest to the very, very curious or those who enjoy pain...lots of unrelenting pain.
The film begins with Hoffman and Beatty meeting and forming a musical team. Unable to get work as an act in America, their agent offers them a job in Honduras as well as the fictional land of Ishtar (in North Africa). They choose Ishtar and find themselves in the middle of a revolution. Beatty is recruited by the Leftists (probably since they'd seen REDS and knew his political bent) and Hoffman is recruited by the wacky CIA agent, Charles Grodin. Unfortunately, both have no idea why they agree to do what they're doing and it looks again and again like they'll be killed. Sadly, they seem impossible to kill and they have many wacky adventures. Sounds kooky, huh? Well, no...it's not. Instead, it all seems very, very forced and not all that funny. Who thought the CIA and revolutions and these two guys were funny?!
Now, it's obvious from my review that I disliked this movie. The question, then, is this as bad as the reviewers said? Yes and no. The film is tolerable to watch (particularly if you think the CIA is the ultimate evil on Earth and are looking to confirm this). It is about as good as a second-rate made for cable TV movie. However, considering the film cost a hundred bazillion dollars and took director May decades to finish editing (or so it seemed to the studios who threatened lawsuits to get her to complete the film), the results are stupefyingly bad. This might just be one of the worst films made--dollar for dollar. Certainly not among the worst films ever made...but still quite bad. Only of interest to the very, very curious or those who enjoy pain...lots of unrelenting pain.