Jingle All the Way Blu-ray delivers great video and audio in this enjoyable Blu-ray release
Christmas. It's the most magical time of year. But while many are bustling to find their
children the perfect gifts, others aren't quite ready to adopt the holiday spirit. High-powered
businessman Howard Langston loves his family, but he just can't seem to find enough time for
wife Liz and son Jamie. But Howard will make it up to Jamie... he'll buy him the toy on every
child's list to Santa -- and the hottest action figure of the season -- Turbo Man! Unfortunately,
Howard if facing one BIG problem: It's Christmas Eve, and Turbo Man has been sold out since
Thanksgiving! Howard's down-to-the-wire trek to find Turbo Man quickly turns into an odyssey
wilder than he could have ever imagined. In the course of his seemingly endless Yuletide
misadventures, he finds himself in a no-holds-barred fight-to-the-finish with a crazed postman
named Myron, who is out to claim the last Turbo Man for his own kid.
Every Arnold Schwarzenegger fan knows that Jingle All the Way is the famed actor's
finest
comedy. All right, maybe not. That honor is definitely bestowed upon Twins, a film that
easily ranks among Arnold's best, period. Jingle All the Way is nevertheless a surprisingly
funny and occasionally touching picture that might not have terminated the competition at the
box
office, but the Holiday film featuring a running man on a predatory search for the hottest-selling
Christmas gift for junior and leaving behind plenty of collateral damage in his wake has certainly
gotten a raw deal and taken plenty of red heat from moviegoers who frown on the strongman's
comedic efforts. Nevertheless, Arnold captures the essence of the film perfectly, as he always
seems to, lending not only an imposing physical presence to the role but a healthy dose of charm,
wit, and heart to an otherwise standard but highly effective and always-watchable Holiday
comedy. For a film that plays towards young male audiences, Jingle All the Way also
offers enough to appeal to the adults in the audience, too, featuring a few mature themes and an
impressive cast, namely comedians Sinbad (First Kid), James Belushi (K-9), and
the late Phil Hartman (Small Soldiers) in addition to
star Schwarzenegger in his unique leading role.
Turbo Man: because a son's love can't be bought with anything less.
Howard Langston (Schwarzenegger) is a loving husband and father but always gets caught up in
his work, routinely forgetting and missing family events. When he misses his son Jamie's (Jake
Lloyd, Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace) karate class, Howard offers to make
it up to his son any way he can, including offering to purchase for him a Turbo Man action figure.
Unfortunately, it's Christmas eve, Turbo Man is the hottest toy in the history of toys, and not a
single one is to be found around town. In his frantic search for the gift, Howard continues to run
into a rival father named Myron (Sinbad), himself on the prowl for the Turbo Man action figure.
With the competition fierce and the possibility of finding the toy become less likely as time quickly
runs out, Howard may be faced with the possibility of disappointing his son one last time -- or
finding a way to give him a gift bigger and better than any action figure out there.
Jingle All the Way succeeds because it captures both extremes of the Christmas season
well, playing on the rough-and-tumble, "gotta have it" mentality that surrounds the latest and
greatest fad with a rather touching message on the importance of family, both, of course, draped
in
heavy comedic overtones. Every Christmas season seems to unwrap yet another must-have
toy, whether it be Tickle
Me Elmo, the Nintendo Wii, or in this case, Turbo Man, a generic red-clad action hero plucked
from yet another tacky television show reminiscent of the look and feel of the Mighty Morphin'
Power Rangers shows,
from what may be gleaned by the few glimpses of the fictitious "Turbo Man" television program
this film's audiences are privy to throughout the movie. The film never misses a beat in Arnold's
search for the action figure (referred to as a
"doll"
throughout). The hijinks and extremism of last-minute shopping are captured with zany results
and reminding more technologically-savvy audiences of the beauty of e-mail alerts and one-click
online shopping (particularly from Amazon.com; order Jingle All the Way on Blu-ray
today!). Of course, Jingle All the Way would be nothing more than an extended skit
satirizing the rough-and-tumble Holiday shopping season if it weren't for the film's message on
the importance of family and giving, particularly during Christmas. Jingle All the Way
successfully brings its story full circle in an emotionally satisfying climax that makes the film
worthwhile.
20th Century Fox launches Jingle All the Way onto Blu-ray with a high quality 1080p
transfer framed in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio. The image is sharp and nicely detailed with
strong colors and vibrant imagery in most every scene. A fine layer of grain is visible over the image
in addition to a few speckles that do not detract from the presentation. Blacks are generally
excellent, and flesh tones are natural in appearance. The cold Minnesota streets seen in many
shots
throughout the film offer some very nice depth and a high level of detail. There are never any
problems with the transfer being too soft. The quality here is perhaps better than expected, looking
deep, clear, and sharp; every inch of the screen is full of nice, high quality imagery. Jingle All
the Way surpasses any and all expectations for its Blu-ray video presentation.
Jingle All the Way comes to Blu-ray with a rock-em-sock-em DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless
soundtrack. This audio presentation is powerful and loud, perhaps too loud, and several segments
will force many listeners to scramble to lower the volume, a good example being the Santa melee in
chapter 11. The track makes full use of the surrounds. They are active in most every action
sequence, filled with superhero comedy goodness. Bass is deep and powerful, and dialogue
reproduction is strong and forceful. The Holiday-themed score plays nicely across the front with
solid support from the rear. A band playing Christmas music in chapter six offers pounding bass
from the percussion section and the sound spreads out efficiently and naturally throughout the
entire soundstage. Many of the sound effects during the film's climactic action sequence feature
chair-rattling bass and practically incessant surround activity. Other than being far too loud at
times, the track is nicely balanced and powerful, the movie easily sounding better than ever on
Blu-ray.
In addition to the extended cut of the film, this Blu-ray edition of Jingle All the Way offers
viewers three featurettes. The Making of a Hero (480p, 15:29) examines the design of the
Turbo Man character, including his abilities, costuming, and accessories. The feature also looks at
the construction of the full-sized suit, its inner workings, and the filming of the various special
effects shots. Super Kids (480p, 8:12) features several youngsters sharing their thoughts
on the ideal superhero. Finally, Turbo Man: Behind the Mask (480p, 8:17) looks back at
the fictitious world of the actor who played "Turbo Man" in the television series depicted in the film.
Jingle All the Way is an Arnold Schwarzenegger film suitable for the whole family. Heavy on
the laughs, charming, and always entertaining, the film may not be a classic, or even vintage
Arnold, but it features the Austrian Oak in a role well-suited to his abilities, both in stature and in
his under-appreciated comedic skills. 20th Century Fox's Blu-ray release of Jingle All the
Way is surprisingly good from a technical perspective. Both the picture and sound qualities are
first-rate for a much-maligned catalogue title. Unfortunately, the disc is a bit light when it comes to
the special features tab on the disc, but fans searching for the highest quality presentation of the
film yet need look no further. Jingle All the Way will make for a fine Holiday rental, but the
disc also warrants a purchase for Arnold completists, Blu-ray collectors, and established fans of the
film. Recommended.
Jingle All the Way: Other Editions
3-disc set
Blu-ray bundles with Jingle All the Way (2 bundles)
Fox Home Entertainment has announced the technical specs and special features for the upcoming Blu-ray releases of 'Home Alone' and 'Jingle All the Way', both due to hit store shelves on December 2nd. Both titles will come on BD-50s featuring 1.85:1 1080p AVC video ...
In an early announcement to retailers, Fox Home Entertainment has revealed that they will bring the holiday films 'Home Alone' and 'Jingle All the Way' to Blu-ray on December 2nd. As this not an official announcement by the studio, technical specs and special ...
