Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back Blu-ray offers solid video and audio in this enjoyable Blu-ray release
When best buddies Jay (Jason Mewes) and Silent Bob (Kevin Smith) discover that a major motion picture is being based on their likenesses, they head for Hollywood to claim the big movie money they deserve. But when the dopey duo learns that they've been cut out of the cash, they set out to sabotage the flick at all costs. Featuring a host of celebrity cameos set to a hot hit soundtrack, Jay and Silent Bob's raucous cross-country road trip is a crash course in the rules of the road with a nonstop assortment of outrageous characters that will have you laughing out loud!
Miramax? I thought they only made classy movies like 'The Piano' and 'The Crying
Game'!
In a rare case of complete originality in Hollywood today, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back
tackles a mostly taboo issue in major motion picture film: the movie industry itself, not to
mention just about everyone else and everything you could possibly imagine. This incredibly
crude yet undeniably witty satire takes aim at actors, directors, writers, royalties, and the entire
filmmaking process. It also takes pot shot after pot shot at you and me, those who would
badmouth Hollywood on the Internet, taking aim at armchair movie critics, bloggers, and fanboys
the world over. For good measure, the film also manages to parody several of the biggest films of
the last quarter century or so, including Planet of the Apes, The Fugitive, Good Will Hunting,
E.T., American Pie, and Star Wars. All of this includes participation from
several Hollywood bigwigs, including directors Gus Van Sant and Wes Craven, and actors Shannon
Doherty, Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, James Van Der Beek, and Jason Biggs, all portraying
themselves. Miramax films also goes all out, playing along with the joke that their studio has
gone down the tubes ever since She's All That was released, negating the studio's image
as a maker of more mature, important films like The Crying Game and The
Piano, and now reaching into the very bottom of the barrel for their new movie featuring the
comic book characters "Bluntman" and "Chronic," inspired by this movie's titular characters, Jay
(Jason Mewes, Dogma) and Silent Bob (Kevin Smith, Live Free or Die Hard).
Take this Miramax!
After Jay and Silent Bob are finally denied permission to loiter in front of the Quick Stop Groceries
convenience store, they are informed by old friend Banky (Jason Lee, Alvin and the Chipmunks) that his comic,
Bluntman and Chronic, has been optioned by a Hollywood studio, and they set
out to
collect their check from the powers-that-be. After all, Bluntman and Chronic are characters
based on them, so why shouldn't they get in on the action? They pay a visit to Holden McNeil,
co-creator of the comic series, only to learn he sold his half of the rights to Banky years ago (as
seen
in the film Chasing Amy). Holden regrets selling the rights and missing out on the
movie money. After all, "if the buzz is any indicator, that movie's going to make some huge
bank." That buzz stems from the Internet, a small, insignificant invention Jay has never heard
of. When Jay and Silent Bob are made aware of this marvelous invention, they discover an army
of prepubescent armchair movie critics who bash both the film and those characters portrayed in
it, which means they are indirectly bashing Jay and Silent Bob. Dead set on stopping
anyone else from badmouthing them, Jay and Silent Bob head to Hollywood to stop Miramax from
shooting the movie. Production doesn't begin for three days, and the duo hitchhike across the
country from New Jersey, getting involved in an international jewel heist along the way with a
quartet of sirens bent on framing them for the theft. One of these ladies, Justice
(Shannon Elizabeth, Scary
Movie), falls for Jay and becomes determined to save him and Silent Bob from their
impending doom as they descend on Hollywood.
Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back is a pretty humorous movie, at least in a juvenile and
potty-mouthed sort of way. Our heroes are your average clueless Joes, whose lives revolve
around thinking about attractive women, loitering in front of a convenience store, thinking about
attractive women, smoking dope, and thinking about attractive women. The difference here is
the complete and utter suspension of disbelief we, the audience, are immediately thrown into as
we watch these two delinquents meander around, seemingly clueless that a world outside of the
corner convenience store exists, and they both pull off the roles as if this were a documentary at
times rather than a film staring two actors. At other points throughout the movie, the
characters obviously play directly to the audience, and both perspectives add a charm and
carefree attitude to the picture as we can't help but adore these lovable losers who only want
people to stop harassing them on the Internet.
As a casual fan of Kevin Smith's "View Askewniverse," I enjoyed this film, but ultimately felt it
failed to live up to the incredible trio of breakout films Smith began his career with:
Clerks, Mallrats, and Chasing Amy. While Jay and Silent Bob Strike
Back is good natured fun, the movie lacked the charisma and heart that was evident in
Smith's earlier films. Most of the parodies in this film are spot-on, funny, well-deserved, and
well-played, but the core of the film, obviously, showcases Jay and Silent Bob bumbling around as
only they can, and in that regard, this film is a success. Made by any other director, this film
would have been very good, but in comparison to Smith's other work, this one just falls a bit flat
overall. The film's lighthearted nature and over the top antics, not to mention the
offensive-to-just-about-everyone script ultimately save the day, and the performances by
everyone involved,
who all
obviously enjoy poking fun at one another, save the movie from the depths of
mediocrity.
Presented on Blu-ray in 1080p, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back offers up a quality image.
While by no means perfect, this one is more than passable, showcasing some very good strong
points amidst a few weak spots. Framed in its original 2.35:1 aspect ratio, this transfer offers
excellent color reproduction that is dynamic and clear, adding depth and mostly excellent clarity
to
the visual presentation. Skin tones are also realistic, never appearing overly red or any other
shade that would seem unrealistic. Black levels are also good, but are a far cry from some of the
best I've seen lately. There are some instances of spotting on the print itself, but since the movie
is several
years old, a bit of splotching is to be expected, and it doesn't necessarily detract at all from the
otherwise very good image quality on display here. A few scenes look very soft and undefined,
such
as a roadside shot in chapter 3 where Jay and Silent Bob are hitchhiking. The grass behind them
looks more like a green mass rather than showcasing individual blades. There are also a
few very poor, unfocused, excessively grainy, and undefined long distance shots scattered
throughout the film. All in all, however, this is a very pleasing transfer, though it falls way
short of
matching the best the format has to offer right now.
The primary audio track included here is a high definition, uncompressed PCM 5.1 mix that is more
hit than miss. From the loud, powerful, and fun opening title music, the soundtrack does its job of
pulling the viewer into the "View askewnaverse" and never letting go until the credits roll. Music
through the entire film is engaging, well pronounced, and clean. Particularly impressive is
Steppenwolf's Magic Carpet Ride, played over a drug-induced van ride with the Scooby Doo
gang. Dialogue reproduction never raised any red flags, coming from the center channel with clarity
and fine attention to detail. There are some really nice sonic moments throughout the film,
including the parody of the movie Scream that features loud musical cues and impressively
powerful thunder, both of which surround the viewer in an aural assault. There are a few instances
of solid, deep bass, such as in chapter 14 when filming
on the "Bluntman and Chronic movie begins. This track isn't one to get too excited about, but
it offers a very nice, clean, and engaging experience nonetheless that adds to the humor, wit, and
charm of this film.
View Askew fans will need to look elsewhere for their fill of extras, namely the loaded special edition
DVD release from way back when. This paltry Blu-ray edition offers up a lone commentary track
featuring writer/director/actor Kevin Smith, actor Jason Mewes, and producer Scott Mosier. As you
might expect, the track is fun, especially for those more familiar with the work of Smith and Mewes.
Smith carries the bulk of the load, as he should, combining irreverent humor with some more
serious discussion about the film thrown in, mixing the two seamlessly as only he can. Mewes and
Mosier are a solid supporting cast, chiming in when called on but leaving the star to do his thing.
Kevin Smith's movies rely on a solid foundation of knowledge of his entire film library, and coming
in cold to any of his movies but the original Clerks or perhaps the follow up film,
Mallrats, which takes place in the same timeframe as Clerks, will leave most
viewers scratching their heads, wondering what all the fuss is about.
For fans of Kevin Smith, owning this movie on Blu-ray is a no-brainer. For fans new to the director
and his world, however, this is simply a horrible place to start. While the movie will make sense on
a basic level, much of the best humor will be totally lost, and therefore to those unfamiliar
with the work of Kevin Smith, I strongly urge you to begin with Clerks and work your way
through his catalogue. His films are certainly not everyone's cup of tea as they are replete with
crude humor, but his natural storytelling ability and the way he creates a seamless, realistic world is
uncanny, and I recommend everyone at least watch the aforementioned Clerks before
making a decision to see his other films. For those established fans, this Blu-ray release is a
generally good one from a video and audio standpoint, but hardcore Smith fans will want to hang
onto their existing DVD copy for the supplemental material. Therefore, Jay and Silent Bob Strike
Back is recommended to serious Kevin Smith completist fans only.
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