Plot: What’s it about?
I’ve found that there are times in one’s life that really dictate how they think, feel and act in the future. When it comes to movies, there are some that I like and watch that, well, aren’t really that good. But it brings me back to particular time in my life in which I watched them and I suppose that’s the appeal. The mid 90’s for me was full of change. I was in college, had just moved out on my own (the college I went to was located in the same city I lived) and I was free to watch whatever I wanted whenever I wanted because I was now free of the burden of living with my parents! Yay! To my point, there are a slew of mid-90’s comedies that I watched over and over again: Billy Madison, Tommy Boy and Happy Gilmore just to name a few. No, they weren’t the greatest films ever made, but they made me laugh and I still hold many of those near and dear. Each of the aforementioned titles has been released on Blu-ray and now we’ve got Damon Wayans as the sadistic officer in all its HD glory. Atten-CHUN!
Maj. Benson Payne (Damon Wayans) is an overbearing killing machine who’s seen it all. He’s beaten every bad guy out there, literally. There are no more wars to fight or bad guys to kill. After being passed over for a promotion, he’s discharged from the Marines and ends up at Madison Prep School where he’s put in charge of the Jr. ROTC program. As we might expect, his squad is full of the usual cookie-cutter stereotypes with the fat kid, the brain, the tough guy who wants to be given a chance and an adorable little one. Payne uses insults, ridicule and every other trick in the book to whip his crew in shape in order to beat the rival squad at the Virginia ROTC games. There’s a romantic interest with a school counselor (Karyn Parsons) as well.
Considering the films I listed above, none of them were really “Academy” level. They’re fun to watch and make me laugh and that’s what being entertained is all about. As of this writing, I’m 53 years old and I still love movies like this for some odd reason. This was a good segue into films for Wayans who had been previously known for the television show In Living Color. While he had some hits and misses, odds are that he’ll always be remembered as Major Payne. I’m willing to bet that there are many folks out there who have been waiting for this one on Blu-ray and the wait is finally over. Well the wait’s been over for a while since this was a Wal-Mart exclusive (part of a deal with Universal and Wal-Mart). Nevertheless, another classic from the 90’s has arrived. Rejoice!
Video: How’s it look?
This is a double-edged sword. On one hand, Kino has been knocking it out of the park with some of their catalog titles. I’m not sure how the studio system works when ownership transfers to another studio, but whatever they’ve been doing – I urge them to keep it up. Given their efforts with some of my cult classics like Billy Madison and Happy Gilmore, one would expect that Major Payne might get the same treatment. One would be mistaken. So while it’s true that this Blu-ray does have a brand new HD Master – From a 4K Scan of the 35mm original camera negative, it’s still a Blu-ray and not in 4K. First world problems, right? Having said that, the 1.85:1 AVC HD encode does look good and some of the things that plagued earlier releases are now a thing of the past. Contrast and colors pop, black levels are spot on, grain has been eliminated and detail has been improved. For what it’s worth, this is the best the film has ever looked on disc format, but fingers crossed for that 4K disc at some point.
Audio: How’s it sound?
The same DTS HD Master Audio sound mix from Universal’s Blu-ray is present. Again, there’s nothing too mind-blowing here, it’s pretty standard for a 90’s comedy. There are some scenes in which the surrounds chime in for some extra oomph, but by and large this is a front-heavy mix with emphasis on the vocals. It’s nice and pleasing, but nothing too memorable either.
Supplements: What are the extras?
- Audio Commentary – Director Nick Castle’s comments are moderated by Filmmaker Douglas Hosdale as we do get a new commentary track for this film. I’d have liked Damon Wayans to have been involved, but this track is interesting to say the least. Castle tells some stories, working with the acclaimed comic and the long-lasting appeal of this film. For true fans of the film, this is worth a listen.
- There’s Not Much You Could Do: Interview with Actor Michael Ironside – Ah, Michael Ironside. Probably my favorite Canadian actor who had so many good roles that I lost count. I’m being serious, I LOVE this guy. This is right up there with the new commentary track, so sit back and enjoy what he’s got to offer.
- Theatrical Trailer
The Bottom Line
It seems odd to me that given Kino has done a lot of 4K releases from 90’s catalog titles, why this one is still in Blu-ray. But they don’t run those decisions by me. What I can say is that the new 4K restoration does breathe new life into this film and the addition of a new audio commentary and featurette do sweeten the deal. For the time being, this is the most definitive version of the film out there.
