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Traveta reviews
(Widescreen Version)
Warner Bros. Home Video
- Cert: PG-13
- Cat.no: 23302
- Running time: 95 minutes
- Year: 2002
- Pressing: 2002
- Region(s): 1, NTSC
- Chapters: 28
- Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1
- Languages: English, French
- Subtitles: English, French, Spanish
- Widescreen: 2.35:1
- 16:9-Enhanced: Yes
- Macrovision: No
- Disc Format: DVD 9
- Price: $26.98
- Extras:HBO First Look, audio commentary, additional/extended scenes,premiere party footage, Eddie Murphy Improvs, theatrical trailer.
Director:
- Tom Dey
Screenplay:
- Alfred Gouch, Miles Millar and Keith Sharon
Cast:
- Mitch: Robert DeNiro
Trey: Eddie Murphy
Chase: Rene Russo
ReRun: T.J. Cross
Lazy Boy: Mos Def
Vargas: Pedro Damian
William Shatner: Himself
Whoa, stop the presses, it’s a new genre never before seen!Buddy cop movies! Wow, imagine the possibilities, we could get movies calledRush Hour,Lethal Weapon, and Shanghai Noon. But don’t forget to have onewith Eddie Murphy and Robert DeNiro! Sorry, I had to do that because ofmy sarcastic tendency. All sarcasm aside, Showtime is not nearly as badas I just led on. True, it does have a lot of cliches but underneath therun of the mill genre you’ll find a marginally enjoyable movie.Seriously, I’m not being sarcastic.
Showtime tells the story of a serious cop named Mitch (Robert DeNiro)and another cop just there to make it funny, Trey (Eddie Murphy). Mitchis on the case of a weapons smuggiling ring one night when Trey busts inthinking Mitch is a part of the ring. As Mitch is taking down the perp, acameraman rams the camera in his face and he shoots it. The next day,the people behind the camera view the scene and determine that Mitchcould be the next hit to save their ailing station. So an executivenamed Chase (Rene Russo) sets up the reality show (how many realityshows are there now?) and contacts Mitch. Of course, Mitch doesn’t wantto do it but the studio is threatening to pin a lawsuit on them for thewhole camera incident, so he’s obligated. Trey,an aspiring actor, stages a fight and wins the attention of Chase. Treythen becomes the trademark funny partner for Mitch. From that course on,the two cope with the success of the show, Trey doing the best, and takeacting tips from William Shatner, among other things.
Showtime failed to garner any huge box office success. It started herein the US on March 15, 2002, going up against Ice Age andResident Evil,I chose the latter over it as did many people as Showtime ranked at 3just behind RE at 2 and Ice Age at 1. I don’t really see why it didn’tdo great, maybe it was because of marketing or something, but it’s notthat bad of a movie. It does tend to drag a little though, I will saythat. It’s an average buddy cop movie with a few laughs and some coolaction scenes. A definite rental if anything.
Warner is bowing this movie with a widescreen version and full frameversion. I would never choose full frame so let’s get around that. Onone more note, I’ve noticed a disturbing trend in the fact that more andmore movies are being released in two versions anymore. Good forchoices, I guess, but most people bought DVD players just to ensurewidescreen viewing. Some guy who hates the black bars must becomplaining. But at least we even get it in widescreen at all, huh?
Anyway, let’s get into the disc. The picture on this 2.35:1 widescreentransfer is great. AfterCollateral Damage,I was worried that Warnermight be losing their touch but this transfer shines. Colors are boldand sharp with little to no edge enhancement applied. I did notice alittle bit of pixelization here and there but nothing too distracting. Afine transfer from Warner.
The sound is decent. The dialogue seems, I don’t know, low sometimes.While the action scenes are very booming. It isn’t anything that woulddestroy the movie but it could have been a little better.
The extras are alright though. HBO First Look, Deleted scenes, someimprovs, trailer, and premiere party footage. Not bad, at least Warnerspiced it up a little instead of the average documentary surplus on someDVDs.
Overall, Showtime is destined for rental status. Some good laughs arethere but they’re far between. I found it marginally enjoyable and Ithink you will too.
PICTURE QUALITY
SOUND QUALITY
EXTRAS
OVERALLEmailTraveta
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.