Plot: What’s it about?
John Tucker (Jesse Metcalfe) seems to have the perfect life. His family is rich, he has great genetics, and he rules his school. As captain of the basketball squad and the school’s main man, he pulls in babes like no one else, so he is indeed a power player. To Tucker, women aren’t just sex objects, they’re sport and as such, he wants to find out how many he can handle at once. He manages to balance cheerleader Heather (Ashanti), the eco-minded Beth (Sophia Bush), and the brilliant book babe Carrie (Arielle Kebbel), three of the school’s hottest ladies, but his juggling act doesn’t last forever. After a while, the ladies learn the truth and now that they’re clued in, they want to settle the score with Tucker. The trio make some attempts to humiliate Tucker, but the plans fail and the girls remain unfulfilled in their plot of vengeance. They decide to get even, they need to break Tucker’s heart and since he has been with most of the school’s most popular girls, they decide to create a new one. Kate Spencer (Brittany Snow) is chosen and while she is a kind, but unpopular girl now, she will soon be the newest hottie on campus, a chick even Tucker would fall for in an instant. But will the girls’ plot go off as planned, or will they wind up with more than they bargained for?
This movie was hyped a lot on television, with ads all over the place blaring the film’s title over and over, telling us how John Tucker Must Die. A host of young and beautiful stars paraded across the screen, with revenge the only plot device hinted at. I tend to have a soft spot for movies about high school, embracing even bad movies in the genre, so I figured this one would be worthwhile. As it turns out, the movie is not worthwhile and actually has very little to offer. The previews gave the vibe of a serious mean streak, as if the humor here would be dark, but that simply isn’t the case. There is no edge to this one, its about ten levels softer than Mean Girls, the movie that it seems infatuated with. The cast is as promised, young and beautiful, but performances don’t stand out and there is little to no charisma on showcase. Jesse Metcalfe is solid on Desperate Housewives, but he isn’t able to make this larger role work. The eye candy that surrounds him is very fun to look at, but the actresses fail to connect with the material and that dooms the movie. This should have been a sharp, even cruel movie, but instead it comes off as lame and mediocre. John Tucker Must Die just doesn’t deliver on the hype and not only should John Tucker die, this movie should as well.
Video: How does it look?
John Tucker Must Die is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen, with a full frame version included on the disc’s flip side. The source print is almost pristine and shows minimal grain, which means the visuals come across in sharp and ever impressive form. The colors stream across the screen in vivid hues and no signs of flaws, while flesh tones seem natural and consistent also. No issues in terms of contrast either, as black levels are razor sharp and no visible detail loss is evident. The transfer is also free from compression errors, which means Fox has provided a top notch visual effort.
Audio: How does it sound?
This is a dialogue driven comedy, so don’t expect the world. But this is a teen aimed picture made in the MTV era, so the soundtrack is there to add some spice when needed. The dialogue is clean and never muffled, so no vocals are lost in the slightest. A little atmosphere is present in some sequences, more than in most comedies, but still a not a lot. The music also adds in some kick from time to time and overall, this is a competent soundtrack that never disappoints. This disc also includes Spanish and French language tracks, as well as subtitles in English and Spanish.
Supplements: What are the extras?
The film’s director Betty Thomas and editor Matthew Friedman sat down to discuss the production, with results in a decent, talkative session. I was glad that both seems to realize the movie is no masterpiece, so there isn’t a constant flow of undeserved praise here. You will hear some compliments, but these two aren’t as delusional as some I’ve heard. A trio of very short, very skippable featurettes are also here, as well as two deleted scenes and a People in Planes music video.
