The Love Bug

1997 "Herbie's Back In A Brand-New Movie!"
5.3| 1h28m| PG| en| More Info
Released: 29 November 1997 Released
Producted By: Disney Branded Television
Country: United States of America
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
Official Website:
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The inimitable VW Beetle is losing all his races and destined for the scrap heap until mechanic Hank takes him over and gives him a new lease of life. Soon, Herbie is winning again, to the fury of his previous owner, who builds a menacing black bug to challenge Herbie to the ultimate race.

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Director

Peyton Reed

Production Companies

Disney Branded Television

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The Love Bug Audience Reviews

Diagonaldi Very well executed
Sexyloutak Absolutely the worst movie.
Sameer Callahan It really made me laugh, but for some moments I was tearing up because I could relate so much.
Janae Milner Easily the biggest piece of Right wing non sense propaganda I ever saw.
fom4life Between the last feature length Herbie Film 'Herbie Goes Bananas' and the re-launch of the series 'Herbie: Fully Loaded' with Linsey Lohan, there was the short lived TV series 'Herbie the Love Bug'. This does not exist anywhere on video. I cannot view it so I cannot review it. I mention it to let the reader know the many lives of the beloved Love Bug. More importantly for the sake of this review is the fact that existing between these two films is 'The Love Bug'. This film is sort of a remake. Many similar story lines that were used in the first are used again here in the remake, but the film despite the same title is actually sequel. It is another film in the franchise. Doug Jones even appears in the film as Jim Douglas.The film is only available on VHS. Interestingly enough there are Disney movies advertised on the VHS for certain movies that have either been released or will be released on VHS and DVD. So why was this never released on DVD if it has ads for films on DVD? Is it worth it? Lets See!The acting minus the villain (John Hannah from the Mummy films) and the actors from the previous movie really are not that great. Even Bruce Campbell , though a good actor in other films, is not here. The acting brings the movie down several notches. I mean it looks like a TV movie, which it is. The film even has Mickey from The Monkees.Despite several acting flaws the movie asks the right question. How can Herbie do the things he does? A car can't do wheelies? This question drives the action of the characters. That is good. The question results in finding the original maker of the car. We learn how Herbie got life. That is also good. We learn that Herbie adjusts to the person who owns him. His role in people's lives is explained and understood. That is also good. The name 'The Love Bug' is given to an article the main female character writes about Herbie. Jim Douglas hears this comment as an idea he has never heard before but finds interesting and satisfactory. We see Herbie's evil brother Horrace. Evil Brother? The maker of the car was found so he can make a car for the villain. He ends up making an anti-Herbie. An evil Herbie. This Herbie is named Horace as I said before. This evil Herbie ends up killing the good Herbie. But with help from Herbie's maker and a special guest appearance from Jim Douglas, he comes back to life. After Herbie is brought back to life, Doug Jones cameo is over and he says 'I'm not needed anymore' and walks off in the distance. What an interesting way to write someone off.In order to control the Horace, the Irish villain puts a Wheel Lock on the steering wheel. I thought that was an interesting little bit. He then challenges Good Herbie to race Evil Herbie. Winner takes all. It is then interesting to watch Horace race Herbie. But it is not just a race , but a battle between good and evil.As they race , Horace has been installed with all types of tricks he uses to cheat in the race. What happens in the race you'll have to fine a local library to view a copy. Or you can buy it at Amazon. The plot line and the concepts of this movie would make this worth adding to your library but only after getting all the other Herbie's first. Maybe this is a step above 'Fully Loaded'. I haven't yet re-watched the older ones but am sure they are excellent. They were when I watched them last, but I might have more sense now.If the new 'Love Bug', had better acting and took more TLC into the production, it would be an outstanding film and would be on DVD. But alas they allowed the poor acting and underdeveloped script to proceed without taking more time to develop their really interesting premise. But the premise is enough to keep the film interesting enough and keeps the film from completely sucking. But what it could have been. It's a better made for TV sequel then 'The Parent Trap II' proving that not all made for TV sequels are not all bad.One last thing. The villain utters the line in the end, "I'll get you and your little bug too.
SirGEORGE "Witness the Resurrection"-Alien:Resurrection (1997)"Herbie's back in a Brand new movie!"-The Love Bug (1997)The tag lines of the worst movies of '97...with the same meaning.The first thing what I want to say, I am A REALLY BIG FAN of Herbie 'cause I was grow up on his films, I loved the jokes the tricks, the music and the characters-even the evil ones-and I'll love the "Herbie Movies" as long as I live.But NOT THIS waste of celluloid. This movie is stupid, pesky, and bad as "Alien:Resurrection".Why? Because the story is VERY stupid, the characters are simply idiots-professor Stumpfel(?!)-and the theme music is pesky, just like in "Alien:Resurrection". And the worst thing in the whole movie: Horace, The Evil Twin of Herbie. Laughably Stupid. Just like the "Newborn-Alien" in "Alien:Resurrection".And, the genesis of Herbie. Stupid! I mean who's idea was , Herbie was build by a German SCIENTIST, AND HE HAS GOT HIS "SOUL" FROM THE PHOTOGRAPH OF STUMPFEL'S GIRLFRIEND, WHAT FALLED INTO THE MELTING-POT?! BAD! And of course they've needed to build-again Herbie, It's the synonym of cloning Ripley, ain't? And the music, the music, the music, where is the good old "Herbie Theme" by George Bruns? Now We get only a corny, pesky, SILLY, BAD music. And where are the good old characters like Tennessee Steinmetz(Buddy Hackett) or Wheely Applegate(Don Knotts) or anybody from the original stuff?THE ORIGINAL IS ALWAYS THE BEST!So, if you are a Herbie-fan,or you just like Herbie movies, watch the old ones.1/10- STUPID plot; BAD music; BAD characters.
David Ogilvie I watched this on TV and persevered to the end. Like most Herbie fans I saw the films as a kid and I'm watching this as a 30 year old, so maybe my feelings are a bit off. After watching the film I came away with the feeling more so that Disney was at fault for this disaster rather than Herbie not having any mileage.The script is decent enough for a kids movie, but its the action sequences that are just so poor. The special effects are really bad and putting myself as a kid I'd have to say that they looked amateurish. In previous versions of Herbie there was a sense of believability about Herbies capabilities and that was lost in this version. Horace the Evil VW seemed under utilised, they should n't have killed him off. The most annoying thing for me was there was just no sense of speed or tension. When Herbie was split down the middle I just had no sympathy for my fave VW at all.The acting is well, run of the mill. I guess most of the cast were not busy and it was money for nothing. I think this was John Hannahs first vehicle in the US market and he was reasonable. Liked his line where Herbie is split in two and he says 'oh a drivethru'. Bruce Campbell does it by the numbers. Dean Jones you can just imagine was the first person Disney phoned when they said they were going to make this. Still his attendance on this movie is needed and for fans of yester year well its a good touch.The thing about this film is, if you had kids and they seen this first then it would be nigh on impossible to make them watch the early superior outings of one of the most famous cars in movie history.
Herbie-18 Disney, in making this movie, made lots of mistakes. First of all, the script was not at all like previous Herbie films. There was swearing and other bad words there. in addition, the "story" how Herbie was created was all lies. Everyone knows that Jim Douglas' friend Tennesee Steinmetz first named Herbie, and that all VWs had this peculiar quality (shown in Herbie Rides Again). This "Stumphel" thing was totally off. Also, Herbie himself was done wrong! Color, stripe color, sunroof color, interior, 53s, and other things too numerous. The only positive thing was Dean Jones, who was by far the best actor in that movie! I wish Disney would make another quality movie!