The Dukes of Hazzard (film)

The Dukes of Hazzard (film)

Company type	Film
Industry	Motion picture
Founded	2005 (2005)
Founder	Jay Chandrasekhar (director), John O'Brien (screenplay)
Headquarters	United States
Products	Action-comedy film

The Dukes of Hazzard is a 2005 American action-comedy film directed by Jay Chandrasekhar with a screenplay by John O'Brien. Loosely adapted from the television series that aired from 1979 to 1985, the movie features Johnny Knoxville, Seann William Scott, and Jessica Simpson in her first major film role, alongside Burt Reynolds, Joe Don Baker, Lynda Carter, and Willie Nelson. The storyline centers on cousins Bo and Luke Duke, together with Daisy and Uncle Jesse, as they strive to prevent the corrupt Hazzard County Commissioner, Boss Hogg, from confiscating their family farm.

Distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures and released on August 5, 2005, the film debuted with $30 million at the box office and ultimately earned $109.8 million worldwide against a production budget of $50 million. Although it achieved notable commercial success, critical reception was predominantly unfavorable.

A prequel titled The Dukes of Hazzard: The Beginning was subsequently released directly to video in 2007.

Plot

Set in Hazzard County, Georgia, cousins Bo, Luke, and Daisy Duke operate an illicit moonshine business for their Uncle Jesse, utilizing their distinctive orange 1969 Dodge Charger known as the "General Lee." They frequently find themselves at odds with the corrupt county commissioner Jefferson Davis "Boss" Hogg and Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane.

Following a botched delivery and an altercation at the Boar's Nest bar involving race car driver Billy Prickett, Rosco plants a counterfeit moonshine still on the Duke property and seizes their farm through eminent domain. The family relocates to live with their neighbor Pauline, who informs them that several other farms have also been taken over.

Bo and Luke discover a map showing the confiscated lands along with a locked safe at a nearby construction site. With assistance from their friend Sheev, they open the safe to uncover geological core samples. Cooter and his team upgrade the General Lee to prevent it from being impounded so Bo and Luke can travel to Atlanta.

At a university laboratory, Katie-Lynn Johnson reveals that the samples point to Boss Hogg's intention to conduct strip mining across the county. After being arrested and subsequently escaping—thanks to Daisy—they return home to find Uncle Jesse and Pauline held captive. Bo and Luke create a distraction while Daisy and Cooter manage their rescue.

Katie-Lynn and Sheev attempt to expose Boss Hogg’s scheme during a county rally but fail to convince the audience. Bo wins the rally’s race event and leads the crowd to the courthouse where plans for mining are officially rejected. Boss Hogg tries to have Bo and Luke re-arrested; however, Daisy persuades the Georgia Governor to grant them a public pardon. The movie concludes with a communal cookout at the Duke family farm.

Cast

• Johnny Knoxville as Luke Duke
• Seann William Scott as Bo Duke
• Jessica Simpson as Daisy Duke
• Burt Reynolds as Boss Hogg
• Willie Nelson as Uncle Jesse Duke
• David Koechner as Cooter Davenport
• M. C. Gainey as Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane
• Michael Weston as Deputy Enos Strate
• Lynda Carter as Pauline Powers
• James Roday Rodriguez as Billy Prickett
• Kevin Heffernan as Derek "Sheev" Sheevington
• Nikki Griffin as Katie-Lynn Johnson
• Jacqui Maxwell as Annette
• Alice Greczyn as Laurie Pullman
• Junior Brown as The Balladeer (narrator)
• Joe Don Baker as Governor Jim Applewhite
• Barry Corbin as Bill Pullman
• Andrew Prine as Angry Man
• Brendan Schetter as Random Stoner
• Michael Roof as Dil Driscoll

Cameo Appearances

Every member of the Broken Lizard comedy group makes an appearance, with Kevin Heffernan taking on a supporting role while the rest appear briefly:

• Steve Lemme portrays Jimmy, the son of Bill Pullman’s character.
• Jay Chandrasekhar and Erik Stolhanske return as their Super Troopers characters, campus police who intervene with the Dukes.
• Paul Soter features as television reporter Rick Shakely.

Other notable cameos include:

• Charlie Finn as geology student Royce Wilson.
• A. J. Foyt IV, appearing as himself during the Boar's Nest bar fight scene.
• Rip Taylor, who is seen in the blooper reel during the closing credits.

Stunt Work

Initially reluctant to participate, Johnny Knoxville agreed to join following script modifications and the hiring of stunt coordinator and second unit director Dan Bradley, acclaimed for his expertise in orchestrating car chase sequences. Knoxville commended Bradley, highlighting his status as one of Hollywood’s most sought-after stunt professionals.

Filming Locations

Principal photography occurred between November 15, 2004, and February 2005. The majority of filming took place in Louisiana, particularly around Clinton and French Settlement, where the Boar's Nest bar was represented by the Moonlight Inn. Scenes set in Atlanta were actually shot within the New Orleans Central Business District. University scenes were filmed on location at Louisiana State University.

Variations from Original Source

In the television series, Bo and Luke Duke were under probation for moonshine running, limiting their travel without Boss Hogg’s approval. The 2005 film portrays them actively manufacturing and distributing moonshine with freedom to travel, including journeys to Atlanta.

The portrayals of Boss Hogg and Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane are considerably darker in the film. Unlike the series’ depiction of Boss Hogg as corrupt yet nonviolent and Rosco as comedic relief, the movie’s versions engage in serious criminal behavior such as hostage-taking and violent acts.

The General Lee car’s iconic appearance is introduced progressively in the movie—initially shown faded and lacking distinctive features like the Confederate flag and "General Lee" decals—before being restored by Cooter. This contrasts with the series where the car is instantly recognizable.

The film also presents a significantly larger and more militarized law enforcement presence compared to the small sheriff’s department portrayed in the original series.

Character backgrounds differ: Luke Duke’s Marine Corps service from the series is omitted, while Uncle Jesse is newly depicted as a Korean War veteran in this adaptation.

Box Office Performance

The Dukes of Hazzard debuted at number one in the United States, earning $30.7 million across 3,785 theaters during its opening weekend. Adjusted for inflation, it ranks 24th among August opening weekends historically. The film went on to gross $109.8 million worldwide, performing better domestically than internationally.

Critical Response

On Rotten Tomatoes, the movie holds a 14% approval rating based on 168 reviews, with critics describing it as a "dumb, goofy, and vacuous adaptation" primarily focused on car chases. Metacritic assigns a score of 33 out of 100 from 36 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews." Audience feedback via CinemaScore gave it a "B+" grade. Fans of the original television show were largely critical of this adaptation.

Renowned critic Roger Ebert awarded one star to the film, calling it a "lame-brained, outdated wheeze," and found Burt Reynolds’ involvement ironic given his association with Smokey and the Bandit. Ebert ranked it as his second-worst film of 2005; Richard Roeper placed it at number one on his worst list. Ebert later included it among his most despised movies.

In contrast, Owen Gleiberman from Entertainment Weekly gave it a B+, describing it as "trash, all right, but perfectly skewed trash — a comedy that knows just how smart to be about just how dumb it is."

Accolades

Award	Ceremony Date	Category	Nominees	Outcome	Template:Refh
Stinkers Bad Movie Awards	2006	Worst Director	Jay Chandrasekhar	Template:Nom
		Worst Actor	Johnny Knoxville (also for Daltry Calhoun and The Ringer)	Template:Nom
		Worst Supporting Actress	Jessica Simpson	Template:Won
		Worst Song or Song Performance in a Film or Its End Credits	"These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" performed by Jessica Simpson	Template:Won
		Less Than Dynamic Duo	Johnny Knoxville alongside Seann William Scott	Template:Nom
		Most Annoying Fake Accent (Female)	Jessica Simpson	Template:Won
		Worst Resurrection of a "Classic" TV Series	The Dukes of Hazzard	Template:Nom
People's Choice Awards	10 January 2006	Favorite Song from a Movie	"These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" by Jessica Simpson	Template:Won
Golden Raspberry Awards	4 March 2006	Worst Picture	The Dukes of Hazzard	Template:Nom
		Worst Director	Jay Chandrasekhar	Template:Nom
		Worst Supporting Actor	Burt Reynolds (also for The Longest Yard)	Template:Nom
		Worst Supporting Actress	Jessica Simpson	Template:Nom
		Worst Screenplay	John O'Brien	Template:Nom
		Worst Screen Combo	Jessica Simpson paired with her Daisy Dukes	Template:Nom
		Worst Remake, Rip-off or Sequel	The Dukes of Hazzard	Template:Nom
MTV Movie & TV Awards	3 June 2006	Best On-Screen Team	Johnny Knoxville, Seann William Scott, and Jessica Simpson	Template:Nom
		Sexiest Performance	Jessica Simpson	Template:Nom
Teen Choice Awards	20 August 2006	Choice Movie: Female Breakout Star

Soundtrack

The lead single from the 2005 movie The Dukes of Hazzard soundtrack was Jessica Simpson's rendition of "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'". Co-produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, this version features altered lyrics and musical elements tailored to Simpson's portrayal of Daisy Duke. It includes a newly added bridge and spoken-word parts, blending country and hip-hop styles.

Brett Ratner directed the music video, which gained notoriety for its suggestive imagery, notably scenes showing Simpson washing the General Lee car while wearing a bikini, sparking debates over its sexualized content.

On the commercial front, the single peaked at number 14 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and received Gold certification from the RIAA after surpassing 500,000 digital downloads. It also achieved top chart positions internationally, reaching number 2 in both Australia and Ireland and securing a spot within the UK top five.

The soundtrack features two renditions of "Black Betty": the original by Ram Jam alongside a cover performed by Spiderbait. Additionally, tracks from AC/DC such as "If You Want Blood (You've Got It)" and "Shoot to Thrill" contribute to the film's dynamic musical atmosphere.

Controversies

Prior to the film’s release, Warner Bros. agreed to pay $17.5 million to the producer of Moonrunners, the 1975 movie that inspired the original The Dukes of Hazzard television series. Gy Waldron, who created the TV show and wrote its screenplay, also pursued legal claims concerning the adaptation. In 2011, James Best, known for his role as Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane, filed a lawsuit over unpaid royalties related to spin-off projects that utilized his likeness.

Ben Jones, recognized for portraying Cooter Davenport in the series, expressed disapproval of the movie’s emphasis on sexual themes, asserting that it strayed from the family-oriented spirit of the original show. He encouraged fans to boycott the film unless modifications were made. Nevertheless, some commentators pointed out that sexualized aspects were present in the original series—particularly through Catherine Bach’s depiction of Daisy Duke, which popularized "Daisy Dukes" denim shorts. A review from the New York Daily News described the film’s humor as more explicit but noted it retained a similar approach in representing Daisy Duke.

John Schneider, who originally played Bo Duke, initially commended the updated portrayal of Bo and Luke’s relationship but later condemned the film as "terrible," stating it failed to capture the essence of Dukes. Schneider also mentioned that Johnny Knoxville apologized at the premiere and questioned why television networks broadcasted this movie but refrained from airing reruns of the original series.