The film was released on DVD in 2003 by Universal Studios Home Entertainment, available in both 16x9 anamorphic widescreen and 4x3 fullscreen editions. The film's tagline, "This summer it's finally safe to go back in the water." references the tagline of the 1978 feature film Jaws 2, "Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water." Accolades Awardīest Performance in a Feature Film - Supporting Young Actressīest Performance by a Young Actor in a Comedy Film Īudiences surveyed by CinemaScore gave the film a grade of "A-" on a scale of A+ to F. On Metacritic it has a score of 43% based on reviews from 19 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews". Rotten Tomatoes gives the film a 32% approval rating based on reviews from 19 critics. Leslie of Boxoffice noted the scene where a hammerhead shark attacks a seabird, which brings to mind similar footage from National Geographic, may be shocking for very young children. Joe Leydon of Variety criticized the plot but appreciated the performances of Hogan, Wood, Wesson, Hayes and Field, as well as the animatronic work on the film. Flipper ultimately grossed $20 million domestically, on a $25 million budget. Nevertheless, a trio of real dolphins did interact with star Elijah Wood during production, with Wood saying that he enjoyed the opportunity to swim with them. Conti stated that using real dolphins does not work as well as many might think. Animatronic dolphins, designed by Walt Conti and his team, had to be used extensively, such as in scenes where Flipper interacts with the human characters, or is shown swimming along. It is Flipper, who has come to see Sandy off.
The next morning, when Sandy's mom ( Mary Jo Faraci) and younger sister ( Allison Bertolino) arrive to pick him up, there is a commotion. Dirk Moran is then arrested by the sheriff for illegally dumping toxic waste and attempting to kill Sandy since he knew that he saw them that night.
There is a harrowing moment when Scar proves stronger than Flipper, but Flipper's dolphin pod comes to his aid in the nick of time and drive Scar away. As Scar is about to attack Sandy, Flipper appears and starts nose-butting him in the gills. Sandy swims for his life towards Dirk's boat. He sees an approaching dorsal fin and thinks it is Flipper, but it is actually Scar, a large great hammerhead shark that has been lurking in the island's waters and is said to have taken out a tourist boat. Sandy barely survives an encounter with Dirk Moran's boat, which dismantles the dinghy. Sandy, however becomes concerned that something has happened to Flipper, without informing anyone except Kathy's young son, Marvin ( Jason Fuchs), who sets off in the dinghy to find him. Porter rushes back to alert the sheriff about the barrels. Flipper also manages to locate the rest of his pod, and reunites with them, in the process, dropping the camera. The group uses Flipper's ability of echolocation and a special camera attached to his head to help them locate the barrels of toxic waste. They manage to cure Flipper anyhow.Ĭathy determines that Flipper has been poisoned by toxic waste, which is also shown to have been ruining the local fishing. Pete leads Kim to Flipper who is beached on the shore and sick. The next morning, as Kim arrives looking for Sandy, Pete, Porter's pet brown pelican, comes running, as if asking her to follow him. They fail to locate the dolphin, but see the dumping of barrels off of Dirk Moran's boat. That night, Sandy and Kim set out on a dinghy to look for Flipper. The next morning, Porter and Sandy are paid a visit by the sheriff Buck Cowan ( Isaac Hayes), who explains that they could not keep the dolphin unless he is in captivity. Sandy meets a dolphin that escaped Dirk's shooting, and eventually names it Flipper. As a big game fisherman, Dirk Moran makes it plain that he hates just about every other fish-eating animal on earth and shoots at the pod ending with a dolphin being fatally shot. Nearby, a pod of Bottlenose dolphins is frolicking near Dirks boat. While out on Porter's fishing trawler, they meet Porter's enemy, Dirk Moran ( Jonathan Banks). His mood remains unchanged even after meeting Cathy ( Chelsea Field), a local shopkeeper with whom his uncle carries on a flirtatious relationship, and Kim ( Jessica Wesson), a girl his own age. Initially, Sandy is unenthusiastic and disappointed that he isn't going to a Red Hot Chili Peppers concert. Sandy Ricks ( Elijah Wood) is sent off for the summer to stay with his Uncle Porter ( Paul Hogan) in the seaside town of Coral Key.