Plot: What’s it about?
Dave (Eddie Murphy) looks like a normal person, but inside of his head are numerous little voices. No, Dave isn’t insane, but he also isn’t human. Dave is just a human-like vessel used by a crew of very small aliens, who plan to use a powerful stone to withdraw all of Earth’s water resources. This will save their own planet, but render Earth useless for humans and as a result, put mankind on the fast track to extinction. As soon as Dave lands, he runs into complications galore, as the crew struggles to fit in. Then Dave meets a young woman who takes him in and tries to show him a good time. The crew’s captain soon begins to have feelings for the woman and the rest of the crew start to adopt some human traits as well. Will this derail their mission and if not, what will become of Earth once the mission is complete?
This is one of the most bland, predictable comedies I’ve seen. To think that Eddie Murphy used to be infamous for pushing the envelope with his work, but now he is content to just cash checks. Meet Dave has a few humorous moments, but otherwise this is just another formulaic family friendly comedy. You don’t have to dumb down movies for families, but sadly that is what happens here and Meet Dave is a dud in all aspects. Even with a solid supporting cast behind a sleepwalking Murphy, the material here is so weak and recycled, the laughs are scarce at best. This isn’t the worst comedy I’ve seen, but it is so paint by numbers, there is no reason to waste your time here. If you’re in the mood for a good laugh, explore your other options, as Meet Dave fails to deliver even moderate entertainment value.
Video: How does it look?
Meet Dave is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen. This is a solid transfer, but doesn’t stand out even though it is a marked improvement over the DVD. I found colors to be bright, if not as vivid as I would have liked, while black levels can be a little off here and there. The overall depth is decent, with more detail visible than on the DVD, but don’t expect three dimensional type stuff from this treatment. So above average in most regards, but this one won’t turn any heads.
Audio: How does it sound?
This DTS HD 5.1 option is serviceable, but never rises above the basics. That is no fault of the soundtrack however, as the material simply doesn’t require much from the surrounds. A few scenes do demand a slight bump and this track delivers, but for the most part, this is reserved and driven by dialogue. But the vocals are clear and clean, while the music sounds good too. Not much to talk about, but the bases seem to be covered here. This disc also includes a Dolby Digital 5.1 option, French and Spanish language tracks, and subtitles in English, Spanish, Cantonese, Mandarin, and Korean.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes about an hour of promotional featurettes, some deleted scenes, a gag reel, and crew profiles.
