Starring: Lindsay Lohan, Michael Keaton, Matt Dillon
Directed by: Angela Robinson.

This, the latest episode in the comedy about a walking, talking, snarling, sneering Volkswagon is the weakest yet. Just goes to show that you can only stretch a novel idea until the theme is feasible. After a point, a series becomes an exercise in self-indulgence.

The chances of James Bond sequels faring better at the box office is higher than for the "Love Bug/Herbie" series, for the simple reason that a small animated car can only go this far, and no further.

In the new entry into the series the fetching Lindsay Lohan gets to own the human car. Most of the film is devoted to her attempts to outrace another car racer, played by Hollywood's resident boor Matt Dillon.

His efforts to outdo Herbie (the car) are done up in a style that punctuates the character's stupidity while accentuating the film's aborted attempts to be savvy.

The big-versus-small debate has never been more flippantly done. Here, the basic premise that a small live car can salvage its own dignity by becoming more than a mere 'thinking' machine is given an excessively tongue-in-cheek treatment.

The characters never grow. They only groan. To see actors like Michael Keaton (he was Batman once) and Matt Dillon (he was a part of a terrific experimental film "Drugstore Cowboy" once) going through ritualistic stock laughter is a painful experience.

But, then, what more could we expect from a sequel that repeats much of the theme and situations from the earlier films of the series, but leaves out that vital quality of renewed vigour.

"Herbie: Fully Loaded" is absolutely dead at the center. Whether it's in her relationship with her father or with the car Lindsay Lohan (who sailed into substantial stardom with the double role in "The Parent Trap" a few years ago) seems to be going through the motions with even less feeling than the mythic little car.

There are some extraneous characters like Maggie's boyfriend (Justin Long) and strangely a girlfriend who appears mysteriously half way through the plot for no apparent rhyme or reason.

Was the scriptwriter trying to fill out the edges long after the warning signals of imminent collapse were ignored? Whatever the reason for the belated expansion plans, the narrative just doesn't jell.

The car as usual steals the show. He's welcome to it.