The Film
In the typical big budget action film there are the heroes, who don't play by the rules but somehow get the results, and then there are The Other Guys, and this time the story is about the latter. The premise is that detectives Gamble and Hoitz (Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg) are those sort of cops, the guys who usually are in the background and never enter the limelight. After the two typical heroes (Samuel L. Jackson and Dwayne Johnson in extended cameo roles) "retire" early, Gamble and Hoitz get to make their move.
At times this feels like a rehash of Last Action Hero, as it is essentially a spoof on the over-the-top buddy cop action films, and offers nearly as many celebrity walk-ons and cameos. Hilarity should ensue, but as many jokes fall flat as succeed, making for an unbalanced 107 minutes - or 116 minutes in the extended edition on Blu-ray. In one of the extras, director Adam McKay says, "we've made a lot of silly films," and that pretty much sums up The Other Guys - it is a silly thing where a lot of damage is done along the way, but hopefully not to the careers of the actors involved.
For another guy's take on The Other Guys, check out Joe Lozito's review.
The Picture
The 2.40:1 1080p presentation is truly excellent, both in the theatrical and extended edition with just a touch of film grain, and an otherwise crystal clear picture. Likewise nearly all the bonus material is quite pleasing to see as well. The skin tones are excellent; the colors seem quite saturated and accurate throughout. What is also notable is that Blu-ray almost makes action films such as this one look too good, as it is now fairly obvious that streets were closed for a few sequences.
The Sound
For a comedy there are some loud sequences, but as an action film The Other Guys is right where you'd expect it. The action sequences practically explode thanks the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 channel soundtrack, while the dialog is absolutely clear as well. The sound comes through the discrete channels as expected, and the film is neither too hot, nor too quiet. It is an action film that sounds good and has real sonic impact, without being completely over-the-top.
The Extras
The Blu-ray package isn't just loaded; to put it in gun terms it is loaded like a high capacity magazine and then some. The disc includes both the theatrical release as well as the unrated film version - which is notable because the film was originally rated PG-13, and the unrated version would easily push this into solid R territory. There are more than 100 minutes of bonus material in total, which is notable as the theatrical version of the film is only 107 minutes! These include deleted and extended scenes, a "Bed, Bath & Way Beyond - Watch Captain Mauch in Action!" sequence, plus a "Crash and Burn! - Stunt Featurette." The Blu-ray exclusives throw in more deleted/extended scenes, a gag reel, "Line-O-Rama," "Pimps Don't Cry Music Video" and a "Mom"-mentary featurette. But the funniest part of the whole package might be the short "Flash Forward" featurette, which essentially offers a follow-up to scenes that happened in the movie from the supporting character's perspective..
Final Thoughts
It is probably safe to say that you have to like Adam McKay's and Will Ferrell's sense of humor to truly appreciate The Other Guys. If you're not a big fan, you could feel like an "other guy" while watching it. But that said, there are moments throughout that even those who don't like "silly films" will probably find amusing. And as far as Blu-rays go, this one shows that it shouldn't be hard to load with extras to keep the hardcore fans really delighted.
Product Details
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