Run, Bandit, Run: "Bandit: Beauty and the Bandit" (1994)

Tuesday arrives in roar of a fast engine, and sirens as I hit the road again in pursuit of that iconic outlaw, Bandit...

On his way to open the Coca-Cola 600, a chance encounter with a mob boss's girlfriend sends Bandit on a detour involving a tour bus of nudists...

And some nuns...

And an Elvis impersonator...

"Bandit: Beauty and the Bandit" is a silly movie- but one that harkened back to the rather silly antics of Burt Reynolds in the original movies (and it's spiritual relative, "The Cannonball Run"). The story, while not engrossing, certainly was capable of pulling several chuckles and smiles from me.

Brian Bloom, brought his usual charm and lighthearted sense of wit to the role of Bandit again. Kathy Ireland was a big name back in the 1990's as a supermodel- but not so much as an actress. I'd have to guess that the franchise was trying to use her name as a draw for audiences.

The best thing that connected this installment of the franchise is the inclusion of the trucking community. The original "Smokey and the Bandit" was at it's heart a trucker movie, and it was nice to see that element come back into the series.

While "Bandit: Beauty and the Bandit" isn't the worst of the franchise, it's not the best either. I'd recommend it as part of a "Smokey and the Bandit" marathon, with the others... but I'd probably only recommend a single viewing. It's going into the "Bad".

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