John Travolta and Robin Williams have chemistry galore and charisma to spare in “Old Dogs” as a couple of carefree middle-aged bachelors who become anxiety driven babysitters. This shallow, low-brow, Walt Disney buddy comedy relies on dog-eared routines. Nevertheless, “Wild Hogs” director Walt Becker imparts enough momentum so the complicated comic narrative does not get in the way of the story. Unfortunately, “Old Dogs” knows no new tricks. Basically, Travolta and Williamson tangle with two rambunctious fraternal 7-year old twins (call it “2 Men & 2 Kids”) while their activist mom pulls a two-week stretch in a Federal pen for environmental protesting. Happily, Travolta and Williams have several opportunities to humiliate themselves. Williams is the butt of more jokes than Travolta. The John Travolta in “Old Dogs” is a far cry from the murderous killer that he portrayed opposite Denzel Washington in “The Taking of Pelham One, Two, Three.” Travolta sports a goofy Jack Nicholson-style Joker smile, while Williams cavorts about with a misspelled tattoo on his partially shaved chest. Essentially, “Old Dogs” amounts to a farcical middle-aged take on “The Pacifier,” the Vin Diesel comedy ‘The Pacifier” about an action hero on babysitting detail. Kelly Preston plays the incarcerated mom. Ann-Margret and Rita Wilson appear in cameos….
