|
|
|
 f
you haven't seen the television series The Crocodile Hunter, you're
missing out on the hilarious antics of the effervescent Steve
Irwin.Growing up on his parents' wildlife sanctuary in Australia, Steve learned to be a hands-on type of guy when it came to reptiles and other "little beauties," as he calls them, including snakes, birds, lizards and Tasmanian devils. When Steve was just nine, his father took him to catch a troublesome crocodile that had to be relocated. With his characteristic lack of fear for his own safety, young Steve dove into the water and came up spluttering, but holding on to the croc. He eventually took over his parents' sanctuary, now called the Australia Zoo and home to 150 rescued crocodiles as well as other species, including Australian icons such as koalas and kangaroos. Steve's passion for saving wildlife led to his highly popular television series, The Crocodile Hunter, and viewers immediately fell in love with this crazy Australian whose love for animals seems to have no limits. |
|
|
Even when being bitten, mauled, or
even poisoned by some of the animals on his show, he remains focused on
the camera, either admiring the animal or gently berating it for being
naughty enough to bite. He doesn't sit still for long, as the camera
follows him to his next find of a rare lizard or bird, exclaiming,
"Check this out!" But viewers beware: his enthusiasm is highly
infectious. Irwin's first feature film, The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course, starts off in much the same way each episode of the television series does. Steve talks to the camera as he ventures out to save a crocodile in distress. His wife, Terri, is along for the ride not just to provide support, but also helping hands - she's caught a few crocs herself and has been put in life-threatening situations many times during her adventures with Steve. The croc in question is a nasty, moody one, but hey, Steve's never failed yet and with the help of Terri and their dog Sui, their mission is accomplished. But wait a minute, who's chasing them? Could it be poachers? Crikey! It turns out the croc they've rescued has swallowed a top secret surveillance beacon  that
fell to earth when a U.S. espionage satellite exploded in orbit. The
"poachers" are actually U.S. government agents! Steve and Terri
try to outrun them through tangled bush and murky swamps, meeting up with
venomous snakes, baby roos and bird-eating spiders along the way.Will they be able to save the croc from being mishandled by the agents? Crocodile Hunter to the rescue! - Alexandra Heilbron |