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Without a Paddle Blu-ray
Paramount Pictures | 2004 | 99 mins | Rated PG-13 | May 12, 2009
Without a Paddle Blu-ray ReviewThis decent Nature Comedy is worth a rent.Reviewed by Martin Liebman, May 28, 2009 I don't have to outrun the bear, I just have to outrun you. Moderate-to-low expectations meet movies like Without a Paddle, a 2004 nature Comedy that offers up a surprisingly watchable story that nicely balances humor, action, and drama. While by no means a diamond-in-the-rough, Without a Paddle accomplishes what it sets out to do, and delivers a far more palatable experience than its dreadful sequel, a film that basically rehashes the plot of its predecessor but loses every last bit of charm and wit in the process. Without a Paddle works because the humor plays in context of the story; rarely is it forced into the film for the sake of a cheap laugh. Supported by suitably good performances from its trio of leads -- Seth Green (Can't Hardly Wait), Dax Shepard (Employee of the Month), and Matthew Lillard (In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale) -- Without a Paddle makes for an enjoyable, though not at all memorable, Comedy experience.
Childhood friends Dan (Green), Tom (Shepard), and Jerry (Lillard) are reunited when Billy, the fourth of their closely-knit group, dies. Though they now lead vastly different lives -- Dan a doctor, Jerry a businessman, and Tom a wanderer -- the death of their friend allows them to reconnect and reminisce about what once was, a childhood that saw the foursome an inseparable group. In Billy's honor, Dan, Tom, and Jerry set out to find long-lost treasure when they discover a detailed map with notes in Billy's own hand identifying its likely whereabouts. The trip will take them deep into the heart of Oregon where they will face difficult terrain, dangerous wildlife, a pair of gun-toting drug dealers, and a pair of scantily-clad environmentalists that live high atop a redwood. Despite cold, rainy nights and plenty of mishaps, the trio rekindle the spirit that defined their youths and learn that life isn't just about the quest for financial betterment. Without a Paddle represents filmmaking at its most basic. There's nothing complex about the story, the film sees only a handful of special effects, and most of it plays about as lighthearted and innocent as anything out there -- and this is exactly why it works as well as it does. The film knows its place, doesn't overstep its boundaries, offers up some solid humor that works nicely and doesn't completely offend the sensibilities, and tells a predictable but nevertheless fun story that does manage to speak on the importance of friendship and the ties that bind in both life and death. Without a Paddle delivers a surprisingly solid emotional foundation when the boys deal with the loss of their friend. Tom, Jerry, and Dan's reminiscence of Billy gives to the film a soul, and for a character the audience barely knew, the death actually means something thanks to both good writing and good acting in selling the plot device. Once the adventure begins, the film slows down a bit but never scrapes the bottom of the barrel for material. Green, Shepard, and Lillard make for a solid trio, coming together and playing longtime best friends with a believable air that, perhaps more than any other aspect, sells the film and allows it to rise above expectations. Video  Without a Paddle navigates onto Blu-ray with a nice-looking 1080p, 2.35:1-framed transfer. Another solid effort from Paramount, the image delivers a clean, crisp, sharp, and colorful viewing experience. Most every scene impresses, with a nice bit of depth and detail in both foreground and background images. Most impressive are the frayed, dirty clothes worn by the drug runners; the grease, tears, and general grime that cover them appears clearly visible and lifelike in close-up shots. Colors impress, too, the many greens of the grass, trees, and foliage appearing bold and natural. There are plenty of random anomalies seen on the print, including a plethora of white speckles, but this one is fairly clear in most every scene, with grain presence minimal at standard viewing distances. Lastly, flesh tones impress with a stable, natural hue, and blacks appear sufficiently deep and true. Without a Paddle continues the tradition of quality releases from Paramount. Audio  Without a Paddle sinks onto Blu-ray with a Dolby TrueHD 5.1 lossless soundtrack. As to the pluses, the track features about what one might reasonably expect of a Comedy on Blu-ray. Primarily dialogue-driven, the spoken word plays crisply and clearly throughout. The track features a slight bit of ambience, primarily heard across the front. The rear speakers, generally, are used sparingly, though a few gunshots and sound effects spill into the back channels. The low end only comes to life once or twice, an explosion heard near the end of the film delivering the goods and serving as one of the more lively moments. Unfortunately, there is a lip synch issue that plagues a small part of the track. First noted around the 19-minute mark, dialogue is clearly a good half-second ahead of mouth movements. The disc was ejected from the player and re-inserted for verification, and the problem remained. A second copy of the film verified the problem. The issue appears much more prominent on a Panasonic BD-30 test machine but was also evident on a PlayStation 3 running the most recent firmware, though to such a lesser extent where it may not have even been noticed had the problem not occurred with the Panasonic. On both machines, the problem does not remain throughout the entirety of the film. Odd audio issue aside, the track delivers a decent listen that supports the film nicely enough. Supplements  Without a Paddle surfaces onto Blu-ray with an average selection of extras. First up is a commentary track with Director Steven Brill. The director speaks on the expected array of material, discussing the technical aspects behind the making of the film, behind-the-scenes trivia, the work of his trio of lead actors, the jokes, scenes excised from the film for pacing, the use of firearms in the film, and more. Also included is a video commentary with Brill and Actors Dax Shepard, Seth Green, and Matthew Lillard. Generally irrelevant but a fun listen, the participants thrive on delivering witty banter as they share their experiences in the making of the film. MTV's Making the Movie: 'Without a Paddle' (480p, 18:11) is a basic piece featuring cast and crew recounting the plot and reminiscing on the making of various scenes. Concluding the supplements are 13 deleted scenes (480p, 24:08) with optional director commentary, a collection of six MTV Interstitials (480p, 2:43), and the film's theatrical trailer (480p, 2:32). Final words Though certainly not the sort of film that will find its way onto all that many "top ten" lists or scheduled for archival with the National Film Preservation Board, Without a Paddle makes for a decent Comedy that satisfies in context, delivering a fun script, zany but not eye-rolling-inducing laughs, and solid acting from its trio of lead characters. Certainly far better than its copycat sequel, Without a Paddle should satisfy most any viewer in search of a completely innocent and lighthearted Comedy that serves no other purpose than to offer a 98-minute reprieve from the difficulties of life. Paramount's Blu-ray release of the film delivers a fine 1080p video transfer and a nice selection of bonus materials, but the audio track features a lip-sync problem that distracts when present but does not hinder the entire movie. Likewise, the severity of the issue seems dependent on the playback device utilized. Otherwise, the track delivers as-expected. Audio issue or not, Without a Paddle comes recommended as a rental only. 
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