Trailers for the movie emphasized the tacked-on "talking kangaroo" scene, which gave audiences a false impression that this was a family film involving a talking kangaroo. Posters also emphasized the kangaroo. The misleading publicity is often credited with the film's achieving the #1 box office spot on opening weekend; industry observers said later that if the film had been more honestly portrayed as what it was, as a gangster comedy with fairly adult humor, it probably would have failed. The film had dismal reviews from critics and considerable backlash from audiences who felt they had been tricked. There was a direct-to-DVD sequel that was more in line with what was promised by trailers, as it was an animated family comedy.