Plot: What’s it about?
Bo and Luke Duke are legends in Hazzard County, trouble makers of an epic level who somehow manage to always stay one step ahead of Boss Hogg and his boys. But before they were legends, they were awkward teens trying to get laid and save the family farm from foreclosure. After landing in and out of trouble too often, cousins Bo (Jonathan Bennett) and Luke (Randy Wayne) are sent to live with their Uncle Jesse (Willie Nelson), who runs the family farm and also runs moonshine on the side. But of late, former friend Boss Hogg (Christopher McDonald) has turned his back on Jesse and the other moonshiners, delcaring the county dry and adding steep penalties to moonshine related activities. Since Jesse wouldn’t cooperate with his new plan, Hogg plans to foreclose on the farm and throw the Dukes out on the street. Meanwhile, Bo and Luke start to run moonshine in their new car, seeking to get money and help Jesse save the farm. Their gorgeous cousin Daisy (April Scott) is also trying to help, but when she trusts the wrong man, she reveals too much information and Hogg puts Jesse behind bars. With the future of Uncle Jesse and the farm in their hands, can Bo and Luke take down Hogg and restore order in Hazzard?
I have seen enough miserable direct to video prequels and sequels to choke a horse, so when The Dukes of Hazzard: The Beginning arrived, I didn’t hold out much hope. The Dukes of Hazzard movie was pretty lame, outside of Jessica Simpson’s ass in those shorts, so I didn’t think we needed a prequel, especially one with Jessica. Instead of Jessica, we have an American Pie meets The Dukes of Hazzard, a teen comedy that just happens to involve The General Lee. I will give credit where credit is due, this movie has a lot of gorgeous young women and the ones that don’t get naked, wear skin tight clothes. So there is eye candy and then some, but hardly “too hot” enough to warrant the unrated label. I also liked Christopher McDonald and Harland Williams, who actually made some the lame material work. But the rest of this movie just plain stinks, a teen comedy cliche machine that never manages to be humorous for longer than half a minute. The babes are hot and quite a few of them reveal their lovely breasts, but even sweet jugs aren’t enough to save this one. I suppose if you just can’t enough teen comedies, The Dukes of Hazzard: The Beginning is worth a rental, but don’t expect too much.
Video: How does it look?
The Dukes of Hazzard: The Beginning is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen. This is a great visual treatment from Warner, as the print is very clean and the image has a lot of depth. The film’s vibrant color scheme is well presented, with bright and bold hues throughout, while flesh tones remain natural at all times. The black levels are sharp and provide excellent contrast, so no detail is lost in this one. This might be a direct to video release, but the transfer is superb and Warner has given us another terrific visual effort.
Audio: How does it sound?
The soundtrack here is more than solid, but lacks the punch and presence I expected it to possess. The music sounds good, with ample depth, but aside from that, the surround presence is minimal. The rear channels spark in from time to time, but not too often and when they do, the result isn’t too memorable. This does not ruin the experience, but with such an upbeat, vibrant movie, I think a more active soundtrack would add to the entertainment. The dialogue is pretty smooth however, with no muffled or distorted vocals in the slightest. This disc also includes subtitles in English and French.
Supplements: What are the extras?
You’ll be able to learn all you’ll ever need to know about this movie in a collection of featurettes, which combine to provide an in depth look behind the scenes. This isn’t the kind of movie where technical insight is that rewarding, but you’ll find some good stories and interviews here.
