Blu-ray Movie Reviews

The Broken Lizard boys’ last jaunt was the semiamusing Club Dread. It yielded some laughs and the worst-looking DVD I have seen in years. So, the idea of their next movie being available on HD DVD is amusing in itself. The movie follows a group of college buddies as they train and compete in the underground German drinking contest, which goes by the same name as the title. If you haven’t found their previous movies funny, this one won’t convince you. If you’re looking for a funny, stupid movie, this one is it.

The 2.40:1 video is quite detailed throughout. A few scenes are a little noisy. The colors also seem a little off, but this was no doubt a stylistic choice. The audio, just the required Dolby Digital Plus, is surprisingly good. There is a lot of use in the surrounds, and the music selections sound great. Like most comedies, this one is primarily center-channel driven, but the mix never gets muddled.

There are two commentary tracks, although neither has the full Broken Lizard crew. Almost 30 minutes of deleted scenes are here, as well, along with dual commentary tracks. There’s a short featurette on the history of beer by the Broken Lizard team, as well as a documentary on an actual frog fluffer. (Don’t ask.) Lastly is a short on party fouls, with interviews and some clips.