Think Big (1989) Starring The Barbarian Brothers

Think Big Poster - Barbarian Brothers

Plot:
Two dim-witted truck drivers (Peter and David Paul AKA The Barbarian Brothers) cross paths with a teen genius on the run from a think tank with the plans for a secret weapon.

Starring:
Peter Paul, David Paul, Martin Mull (Clue), Richard “Jaws” Kiel (James Bond films), Richard Moll (Night Court), Michael Winslow (Police Academy), Tommy ‘Tiny’ Lister (The Fifth Element), and David Carradine (Kill Bill)

Director:
Jon Turteltaub (National Treasure, Cool Runnings, 3 Ninjas)

Watch all the best parts in 3 minutes:

This film is only available on VHS and somewhat rare so grab it while you can.

Bonus Video: The Barbarian Brothers and Richard Kiel lifting weights and rapping on Japanese television to promote Think Big.

Buy Think Big (1989): Amazon | eBay

Reviews

loved it [10/10]

My kids loved this movie when they were young. The watched the tape so much it broke into! The movie is based for children and the way my kids loved it, made it a great movie! they went around singing the song all the time. even there friends loved this movie. they are 18 and 19 now and wish they could find it on DVD. I have a 9 yo now and would love to let her watch it to see how she would react. We have done searches for this movie and are unable to find it. It is a great kids movie! they still talk about it. The twins were very good in this movie. the kids loved the trucks. the also loved the chicken bone song and can still sing it.
twhorselover2002

Great supporting cast in not-so-great comedy [6/10]

First of all, I’d like to say that it’s a shame this movie isn’t out on DVD yet, because I’d very much like to see some bonus-material on this one, especially with all the talent that’s been crammed into it.

The plot is about two moronic muscle-brothers (Peter and David Paul), who work for an angry boss (flamboyantly played by the always mad and funny Richard Moll), and they drive toxic waste across the USA in their 18-wheeler. During their trip they hook up with a young woman, Holly (played by the beautiful Ari Meyers) who has invented a groundbreaking new device, which can control every mechanical item and turn it upside down (make red lights turn green, open locked security-doors, make a coke-machine spew out free soda and money, etc.) – of course she is followed by a bad man (played by the recognizable comedian Martin Mull), who wants to use her invention for evil purposes.

Holly’s friend Irene Marsh (Claudia Christian from “Babylon 5”) also joins them, and falls in love with one of the brothers. The two brothers are followed by an eager repoman called Sweeney, playing very comically with lots of laughs by the otherwise more serious and frowning David Carradine in one of his most lighthearted roles.

Also among the talented supporting cast are: Tommy “Tiny” Lister Jr., everybody knows this guy (at least as the President from “Fifth Element”), and here he plays one of the brothers trucking-partners, who has a “Z” shaved in his hair. Rafer Johnson, famous athlete in his final movie-performance as “Johnson”, also plays one of the brothers co-workers who won’t drive toxic waste. Al Septien, the writer of “Leprechaun 2” and “Candyman 3” plays a security guard. David Bowe, who played “Bob” in Al Yankovich’s “UHF” is also a security guard here.. Jean-Claude Van Damme’s wife Darcy LaPier is also in this movie, playing a hot waitress who almost rapes one of the brothers. Famous German talk show host Thomas Gottschalk also plays one of the bad guy’s henchmen, and constantly gets beaten up by the brothers who mess with his ponytail. FURTHERMORE (Yes, there are more stars in this movie), Michael Winslow (the funny black guy from the “Police Academy”-movies) is also one of the brothers’ trucking friends, and he also does a few funny voices/accents here, although his part is so small and insignificant that he doesn’t really get a chance to shine. And don’t forget about the huge muscle-man Tony Longo, who’s also in here somewhere..

Well, back to the plot: The brothers drive across the USA with toxic waste and at the same time tries to save Holly from Dr. Bruekner. All the other characters in this movie are just there to make the running-time reach a reasonable length for a feature-film. The dialogue is sometimes slightly funny, but mostly just dumb and dull. The highlights of the film is undoubtedly every scene with Richard “Jaws” Kiel, who steals the whole movie. If he played the lead in a movie, it would be the best movie EVER.. just look at “Eegah!”

Conclusion: The plot is lame, the two stars are hideous and terrible actors, the comedy is mediocre at best, and there’s no logic connected with anything that happens here either. BUT.. this is Jon Turtletaub’s debut as a writer/director, so it has some value just for that fact alone.. and Jim Wynorski helped him make it too! And all these fabulous actors crammed together in one movie is also a very good selling point, so I definitely think it is worth watching, especially if you’re under 15 I suppose..

-So let’s get this movie on DVD soon!

KnatLouie