Plot: What’s it about?
Thurgood Jenkins (Dave Chappelle) is a custodian with a simple life, he goes to work, he comes home, and he gets high. He doesn’t smoke alone however, as his partners in puff and he have been lighting up together since they were all kids. Brian (Jim Breuer) is slow, but has a good heart and works at a record store, Kenny (Harland Williams) is a kind soul who teaches schoolchildren, and Scarface (Guillermo Diaz) is a fast food worker with a very short fuse. But all four share one common bond, the love of the green and whenever they’re home from a hard day at the office, a group smoke session is started. But one night when he sent out to fetch snacks, Kenny feeds the wrong animal some sweets, a diabetic horse that belongs to a police officer. The horse kicks the bucket and soon enough, Kenny is in jail for killing an officer of the law. His friends want to bail him out before he gets cornholed, but the cash situation is dismal. After some intense silence, the boys decide to sell pot and since Thurgood can smuggle weed from the lab where he works, the idea seems like a golden one. But resistance comes in the form of rival drug pusher Samson Simpson, who puts the pinch on the boys. A raid is planned to steal a ton of grass from the lab, then sell it fast to free Kenny. But the raid goes bad and soon, the boys have to turn narc and help put Samson behind bars. But can these three potheads manage to keep their composure and spring their friend, or will his freedom go up in smoke?
I have to admit, I was never that taken with the films of Cheech & Chong, outside of a couple that were packed with laughs. In other words, I don’t hold out much hope for “stoner” comedies, though an exception is Half Baked, one of the funniest movies I’ve ever seen. Yes, I said one of the funniest I’ve ever seen and no, I am not the kind to fire up on a regular basis. The movie is lowbrow, but the dialogue is hilarious and the cast simply couldn’t have been more perfect for this picture. Dave Chappelle shows off his stuff before his popular television show, with spot on timing and great reaction work. His costars are just as well chosen, including some cameos that are too great to put into words. This is silly, over the top humor, but it is done with skill, even the wild nonsensical sequences come off with a certain level of polish. So no, you won’t want Half Baked if you’re after intellectual bliss, more like some insane, hilarious fun. The manic pace is almost constant too, so even when jokes fail, a new one is delivered to balance out the equation. I know some folks will dismiss this as just another stoner movie, but in my option, this is a well crafted, wild experience. This new HD-DVD has all the supplements from the standard DVD, not to mention a much improved transfer, so there is no reason not to upgrade in this case.
Video: How does it look?
Half Baked is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen. This movie has vibrant colors and a fun visual design, so I was pleased to see it released so soon on HD-DVD. I didn’t expect a world of difference, but this new transfer is a large improvement in all respects. As I said before, the colors are bold and vivid here and all the hues look excellent here, while contrast is flawless and the film’s visual design is well handled. As far as crispness, there is a lot more detail in this new transfer, but the movie isn’t as refined as some out there. I do think this is as good as Half Baked can look in 1080p however, its just that this movie wasn’t shot to be razor sharp like some are. So in the end, this is a welcome improvement over the standard release and for fans, the movie looks better than ever and the transfer alone justifies an upgrade.
Audio: How does it sound?
A new Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 option is on board, but this movie doesn’t provide much surround presence. The lone element that makes use of the surrounds is the musical soundtrack, but it sounds good and adds life to the experience. The rest of the audio comes from the front channels, but that isn’t a problem, as the soundtrack is more than solid. The sound effects come across well and while not immersive, in this case that is never a concern. The main ingredient in Half Baked is dialogue and since the vocals always sound clear and free from errors, I can’t complain. This disc also includes French and Spanish language tracks, as well as subtitles in English, Spanish, and French.
Supplements: What are the extras?
The same assortment of extras from the standard release are present, so no lost goodies here. Tamra Davis, the film’s director sits down and discusses the production in an audio commentary track, but don’t expect the world here. She has some insights on what the shoot was like, the cast and the material, but not enough stories to last. So give it a listen, but prepare for some stretches of silence and narration. You can also check out an alternate end sequence, as well as a selection of ten outrageous deleted scenes, sure to please fans. This disc also includes five minutes with the guy on the couch, recipes from Granny’s cookbook, and a special look at the different types of smokers.
