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Travis Willock reviews
Warner Home Video
- Cert: PG-13
- Cat.no: 24427
- Running time: 100 minutes
- Year: 2002
- Pressing: 2002
- Region(s): 1, NTSC
- Chapters: 26
- Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1
- Languages: English, French
- Subtitles: English, French, Spanish
- Widescreen: 1.85:1
- 16:9-Enhanced: Yes
- Macrovision: No
- Disc Format: DVD 9
- Price: $26.98
- Extras:Additional Scenes, Theatrical Trailer, Music Video, Making the Music Video.
Director:
- Ron Underwood
Screenplay:
- Neil Cuthbert
Cast:
- Pluto Nash: Eddie Murphy
Dina Lake: Rosario Dawson
Bruno: Randy Quaid
Flura Nash: Pam Grier
Tony Francis: Jay Mohr
I know what you’re thinking.When you saw the title of this review youautomatically prepared yourself for the onslaught of sarcastic remarksthat come from a movie like this. You probably went into myRollerballreview expecting that…. wait a minute I guess that one was really bad(I was caught up in the fact that I finally got to review, if I reviewedthat movie now it’d be different). Well let’s just say I was suprised byThe Adventures of Pluto Nash. There’s something about this movie that oozes quirkinessthat you don’t see anymore. It’s funny because I watched this and I wasreminded of the hokey sci-fi cinemas of the 80s likeAdventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the Eighth Dimension and many more.You just don’t see movies like this anymore.
Pluto Nash tells a simple story. The moon has been colonized and LittleAmerica houses the most rocking night club: Club Pluto. Pluto Nash(Eddie Murphy) owns it – obviously – and makes it the most money grossingclub on the moon despite it’s lack of gambling. When the mob comes in toforcefully buy the club Pluto refuses. Like clockwork a bomb detonatesin the club and now Pluto, along with waitress Dina Lake (RosarioDawson) and his robot bodyguard named Bruno (Randy Quaid) he must findout who wants him killed.
Despite the overly simple story Eddie Murphy provides more comedy reliefhere than he did in Nutty Professor 2: The Klumps and more likeabilitythan his overlooked role in I Spy. Rosario Dawson bounces back fromthe terribleMen in Black II(Pluto was filmed at least a year before MIB II) and Randy Quaid’s robotcharacter Bruno works on a goofy level. Another thing that suprised me was thegood action sequences. These aren’t going to make Jerry Bruckheimer fear forhis job mind you but they are filmed well.
Despite my apparent gushing of this movie be warned that it’s either alike it or loathe it film. You’re not going to love it, no matter whatyou do. That’s how I felt about, it has this average feel to it but it’senjoyable if you check your brain at the door.
Even if you do end up hating the movie you’ll walk away being impressedwith the transfer. Presented in anamorphic 1.85:1 widescreen (thankfullyanother Warner release lacking a full frame counterpart) this is one ofthe best transfers I’ve seen from the studio. Maybe they’re learning afew things from affiliated company New Line Cinema. Pluto Nash exhibitsdeep blacks and vivid colors. Check out the neon signs in Little Americato see what I mean. I noticed no compression artifacts likepixelization. The only flaw in the transfer is that flicker can bespotted from time to time.
Audio is offered in an average Dolby Digital 5.1 track. Most of themovie is dialouge driven but the action sequences exhibit minorambience. Some scenes scream to be rendered louder. A very average trackindeed.
This is another release, likeBallistic: Ecks vs. Sever(shudder), that could have been given the bare bones treatment. Warner hasprovided a few extras but definitely nothing to write home about.
- Additional Scenes: 12 minutes, non-anamorphic 1.85:1 widescreen. These are presented in verybad shape but there are four scenes here. Don’t bother.
- Theatrical Trailer: No wonder the film bombed and hit video so fast!The trailer runs a mere 1.5 minutes and offers no clue of what the filmis about. Presented in anamorphic 1.85:1 widescreen.
- Music Video: A pretty crappy music video by some group I can’t evenremember. Runs 3 minutes and is non-anamorphic.
- Making the Music Video: An odd feature, shouldn’t there be a making ofthe film here? Runs 3 minutes and is full frame.
No extra is truly worth watching as the additional scenes are beyondtolerable and the music video is worthless.
Packaging is the elusive snapper case exhibiting the theatrical posteras its cover. There are 26 chapters to the film and menus are staticwith music.
I’m not condoning ‘Pluto Nash’ as the best movie of all time, I’m justsaying that it’s a harmless picture that deserved at least a littlemore. It’s no ‘Lord of the Rings’ but you may find some fun here.
PICTURE QUALITY
SOUND QUALITY
EXTRAS
OVERALLEmailTravis Willock
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.