Plot: What’s it about?
Larry (Larry the Cable Guy) just learned that his girlfriend is pregnant, but when he proposes to her in front a restaurant full of people, he also learns the baby isn’t his own. Meanwhile, his friend Bill (Bill Engvall) has problems of his own, as his wife won’t give him a moment’s peace and the yard needs to be mowed. But the weekend is coming up and along with their buddy Everett (D.J. Qualls), they head off to spend their one weekend of the month as reservists. The weekend should be without incident, but the trio are in for a shock, as a new sergeant arrives and prepares them for a tour of duty in Iraq. On the plane ride, the three fall asleep inside a Humvee, only to be dumped off and land in Mexico. The three have no clue where they’re at when they wake up and assume they’re in Iraq’s war zone. Can the three somehow manage to figure out the truth about what happened and in the meanwhile, can they help a local village fend off bandits led by Carlos Santana?
I think the reign of Blue Collar Comedy is on its last legs and if Delta Farce is the swan song, then the redneck movement will go out with a whimper. I don’t hate Larry the Cable Guy and Bill Engvall, but I do think they follow fellow redneck alumni Jeff Foxworthy and pursue other avenues. In Delta Farce, Larry the Cable Guy basically runs through the usual catch phrases and mispronounced words, that’s his performance. He even has to squeeze in his backwoods mantra of Git-R-Done, which really stands out as forced and had no place in this movie. Engvall is more natural and doesn’t rely on his redneck stuff as much, but he isn’t that great himself. I think D.J. Qualls has the funniest moments and that is never a good sign. Delta Farce isn’t awful, but it drags and there aren’t many laughs to be had. But if you’re one of those folks who simply get enough of Larry the Cable Guy, then by all means, give Delta Farce a rental and enjoy the ride.
Video: How does it look?
Delta Farce is presented in 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen. This movie looks good here, even great at times, but not quite in line with the upper level transfers. Some scenes show off impressive detail, close ups yield intimate views into pores and wrinkles, but others seem a little more flat. I never felt like I was watching standard definition however, so this does look good throughout and never appears soft in the least. The color field is rather drab, with a lot of browns, but when colors are present, they come off as bright and vibrant for the most part. No issues with contrast either, black levels look spot on at all times. So while not an elite level transfer, this is an above average presentation.
Audio: How does it sound?
I’ve noticed several recent Lionsgate comedies have been given 7.1 surround soundtracks, so I wasn’t surprised to find a 7.1 PCM option here. I am a little confused as to why, when more action oriented films aren’t given such attention, but I am glad to see higher end soundtracks available. The movie does have some explosions and bursts of gunfire, so the surrounds do pulse and there is some power to behold here. You might think the town well erupted right in your living room, as the surrounds are loud and immersive, when the action picks up. The rest of the time, the audio is more laid back and basic, but that’s how it should be. This disc also includes a Dolby Digital 5.1 EX option, as well as subtitles in English and Spanish.
Supplements: What are the extras?
C.B. Harding gives us his director’s perspective and as a veteran of the redneck comedy world, he seems to be quite pleased with his own work here. He talks about the cast and how great they were to work with, as well as some anecdotes from the shoot. I don’t know what I really expected here, but this is just not a great listen. A handful of featurettes are also here, but none stand out and they’re more promotional fluff than substance. In fact, some are brief interview snippets combined with clips from the movie itself, with no real insight whatsoever. This disc also includes some deleted scenes, a gag reel, and a gallery of still photos.
