Animal, The (2001) - Synopsis

The Animal (2001) - heading

Marvin Mange (Rob Schneider, deuce Bigalow : Male Gigolo (2000)) will soon have the strength of a mountain lion, the agility of a chimpanzee and the affections of. .. a goat? His life is going to be a zoo thanks to a weird experiment that invites him to take a walk on the wild side.

A police evidence file clerk, Marvin dreams of becoming a full-fledged cop like his dad-all he has to do is pass the physical endurance test.

One night, while Marvin is left alone at the precinct, he answers a 911 call. There's a robbery in progress, and with no one to assist, a bungling Marvin races to the scene. The bad guys get away, and Marvin ends up in a near-fatal car crash. As he is pulled from the wreckage by a shadowy figure, he has no idea that he is about to become the guinea pig for a bizarre procedure.

His rescuer, the eccentric Dr. Wilder (Michael Caton, Castle, The (2002)), has cracked the genetic code. In his private barnyard lab, he repairs Marvin's body with a strange fusion of animal organs, including those from a performing sea lion and a talented dog, to name a few.

When he returns to his job at the station, Marvin has no memory of Wilder's procedure. He credits a new health drink with his bulging muscles and keen sense of smell. On the outside, Marvin looks normal, but inside, he never knows which beastly behavior will emerge as he swings through the urban jungle.

After he sniffs out a drug smuggler at the airport, Marvin is a hero. He is instantly made a full-fledged officer by the ever trusting Chief Wilson (Edward Asner, bachelor, The (1999)) and left under the watchful eye of his increasingly suspicious boss, Sgt. Doug Sisk (John C. McGinley, any Given Sunday (1999)).

Life gets more complicated when he meets and falls for Rianna (Colleen Haskell, Survivor), a former tree hugger who now volunteers at a local animal shelter. When Marvin's mountain lion vibes kick in, all hell breaks loose, not only at the shelter but at the local butcher shop. As the animals within him start to take over, Marvin's world gets more unpredictable by the minute.

Revolution Studios presents a Happy Madison Production, a Columbia Pictures release, The Animal. The film stars Rob Schneider, Colleen Haskell, making her feature film debut, and John C. McGinley. Rounding out the cast are Guy Torry, Louis Lombardi and Edward Asner. Luke Greenfield directs from a screenplay by Tom Brady & Rob Schneider, story by Tom Brady. Adam Sandler and Jack Giarraputo serve as executive producers. Barry Bernardi, [Carr D’Angelo] and Todd Garner serve as producers and Tom Brady and John Schneider are co-producers. Peter Lyons Collister is director of photography. Alan Au is production designer and Jeff Gourson and Peck Prior are editors. Jim Lapidus is costume designer. Michael Dilbeck is music supervisor and music is by Teddy Castellucci.