Many years ago, "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" brought together a lot of funny people and some excellent writing to create a neat comedy . "Rat Race" is an attempt to create a similar sort of film, though the results are very uneven...much more so than the original.

The story begins in Las Vegas. Seven different people find a special coin in the slot machine--one that tells them to immediately see the boss (John Cleese). When they all do, they learn that they all have a chance to win $2,000,000. How? The money is supposedly in a dufflebag inside a locker in Silver City, New Mexico...and each is given a copy of the key. And, the first one there gets it all! And, knowing human nature, you know they won't just decide to work together and split the money....greed sets in big time!

Some of the stories are very funny--particularly Jon Livitz and his family trip to the Barbie museum. That one made me laugh out loud many times. A few are just okay. And, a few are just not funny at all and are complete wastes of time--such as Rowan Atkinson and his ridiculously unfunny character as was the guy who talked funny because he had a stud in his tongue. Both were tiresome....and a tiny bit of them would have been enough. Overall, an incredibly uneven movie that really could have used a re-write....and a huge infusion of humor.

"Rat Race" has widely been viewed as a semi-remake of "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World". Personally, I think that no movie can equal the latter. So, as long as this one doesn't actually try to ape that one, it comes out pretty good. Once again portraying a gaggle of people in a wild race to try and find an exorbitant amount of money, the movie is mostly an excuse to be silly, not really focusing on greed the way that "IAMMMMW" did.

Ignoring that, it's basically a litany of hilarity. Whether it's John Cleese's slimy weirdo, Rowan Atkinson's narcoleptic Italian (why didn't they cast Roberto Benigni in that role?),Jon Lovitz in Hitler's car, Cuba Gooding Jr. driving a most unusual bus, Whoopi Goldberg learning a lesson about squirrels, or something else, they just go all out here. All in all, it's good for a fun time, if nothing else. Also starring Breckin Meyer, Amy Smart, Seth Green, Vince Vieluf, Kathy Najimy, Kathy Bates and Dave Thomas.

Rat Race is an all star reworking of It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World.

A group of people set off from Las Vegas to Silver City in New Mexico to win $2,000,000 hidden in a locker.

It is organised by a casino mogul Donald Sinclair (John Cleese) who has invited some high rollers to place bets on who might win the prize.

The humour is laboured. The jokes are unfunny. It is all tired and lazy.

Sometimes being silly can be fun. This was generally uninspired as the actors had little to go on. Cuba Gooding Jr mugs it as a disgraced referee. He is one of three Oscar winners in the cast.

Only Jon Lovitz got some decent laughs as a Jewish man who ended up in Klaus Barbie museum and then later drives Hitler's car.