Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.0

Bon Cop Bad Cop Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov August 13, 2010

Winner of Best Motion Picture and Best Achievement in Overall Sound awards at the 27th Annual Genie Awards, Erik Canuel's "Bon Cop, Bad Cop" (2006) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Canadian distributors Alliance. The supplemental features on the disc include an audio commentary with director Erik Canuel and producer Kevin Tierney; a gallery of deleted scenes; teasers and trailers; and music video. In French and English, with optional French and English subtitles for the main feature. Region-A "locked".

Martin Ward and David Bouchard

The body of a tortured man is discovered on the top of a billboard in Canada. Half of it is in Ontario, the other half in Quebec. Martin Ward (Colm Feore, The Chronicles of Riddick), a Toronto-based detective, and David Bouchard (Patrick Huard, La vie après l'amour), a Montreal gendarme, are ordered to solve the case. The two immediately get to work but have a terrible time understanding each other - Bouchard speaks French, Ward speaks English - which is why they end up spending more time questioning each other than looking for the killer.

Eventually, Bouchard and Ward track down a hockey maniac (Patrice Belanger, Romeo et Juliette) with an agenda - the guy is after a group of individuals who have been instrumental in the sale of his beloved Quebec hockey team to Colorado. Before they get to him, however, he manages to kidnap Bouchard’s daughter, Gabrielle (Sarah-Jeanne Labrosse). Needless to say, things get personal and very soon a lot of people get hurt.

One of the highest-grossing Canadian films of all time, Erik Canuel’s Bon Cop, Bad Cop is a hilarious action thriller that has the potential to quickly frustrate a lot of people – especially outside of Canada. In one way or another, Bon Cop, Bad Cop satirizes just about everything English-speaking and French-speaking Canadians dislike about each other – from the way they express themselves to the way they dress.

The core of the narrative certainly reminds about Richard Donner’s Lethal Weapon - Ward and Bouchard are two cops who have nothing in common, other than perhaps their desire to serve the law; whenever possible, Ward likes to do things by the book (like Danny Glover’s character), while Bouchard likes to improvise (like Mel Gibson’s character).

The action in Bon Cop, Bad Cop, however, clearly isn’t of the same high quality as that seen in Lethal Weapon. While there are a couple of strong shootouts, the focus of attention is clearly on the cultural differences between French-speaking and English-speaking Canadians – hence the colorful mishmash of English and French expressions that could turn off some viewers expecting a straightforward action affair.

Generally speaking, the acting is excellent. Huard is terrific as the stubborn cop whose personal life is spinning out of control. Unshaved and always wearing a pair of well-worn jeans, he also looks good. I doubt female viewers will be paying too much attention to his gun, but he certainly creates an impression that he knows how to use it.

Feore has most of the hilarious one-liners; some of the best scenes in Bon Cop, Bad Cop are the ones where he pokes fun at Huard. He looks surprisingly calm and relaxed in front of the camera, particularly during the second half of the film.

Bon Cop, Bad Cop looks sharp and polished. The camerawork, special effects, and stunts are all excellent. The editing is also competent. The heavy metal/hardcore soundtrack, however, does not quite fit the tone of the film.

Note: In 2007, Bon Cop, Bad Cop won Best Motion Picture and Best Achievement in Overall Sound (Dominique Chartrand, Gavin Fernandes, Nathalie Morin, Pierre Paquet) awards at the 27th Annual Genie Awards.

Bon Cop Bad Cop Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 2.35:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Erik Canuel's Bon Cop, Bad Cop arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Canadian distributors Alliance.

This is a very strong high-definition transfer. Fine object detail is excellent, clarity pleasing and contrast levels consistent throughout the entire film. The color-scheme is also excellent; yellows, reds, blues, greens, browns, blacks and whites are rich and well saturated. Edge-enhancement is not a serious issue of concern; neither is macroblocking. I also did not see any traces of heavy noise reduction, aliasing, and ringing. There are no serious stability issues either. Finally, I also did not see any disturbing flecks, scratches, marks, stains, or debris, to report in this review. To sum it all up, this is an exceptionally strong high-definition transfer that should please fans of Bon Cop, Bad Cop. (Note: This is a Region-A "locked" Blu-ray disc. Therefore, you must have a native Region-A or Region-Free PS3 or SA in order to access its content).

Bon Cop Bad Cop Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are two audio tracks on this Blu-ray disc: French DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and English Dolby Digital 5.1. For the record, Alliance have provided optional English and French subtitles for the main feature. When turned on, they appear inside the image frame.

The French DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track is solid. The bass is potent and punchy, the rear channels intelligently used, and the high-frequencies not overdone. Many of the action scenes, for example, convey an outstanding range of dynamics. The dialog is also crisp, clean, stable and very easy to follow. There are no problematic dropouts, pops, cracks, or hissings either.

As expected, the English Dolby Digital 5.1 track is rather weak. I tested a couple of scenes at the very end of the film, but none sounded as impressive as they do with the French DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track. The bass, in particular, was disappointingly weak.

Bon Cop Bad Cop Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Greeting - a short greeting by director Erik Canuel. In French or English. (2 min, 480/60i).

Commentary - an audio commentary with director Erik Canuel and producer Kevin Tierney. This is a very relaxed, entertaining and informative commentary in which the two gentlemen spend a great deal of time explaining how certain scenes were filmed, making fun of the principal actors, discussing the production history of the film, etc. For the record, director Erik Canuel and producer Kevin Tierney have recorded two different commentaries - one in English, the other in French.

Deleted Scenes - with optional commentary by director Erik Canuel and producer Kevin Tierney. In French or English, with optional French or English subtitles.

-- OPP Headquarters (4 min, 480/60i).
-- Securite du Quebec Headquarters (4 min, 480/60i).
-- Lunch Special (1 min, 480/60i).
-- Gabrielle vs. Tatoo Killer (2 min, 480/60i).
-- David's Flashback (1 min, 480/60i).
-- All in the Family (2 min, 480/60i).

Trailers -

-- French teaser - (1 min, 480/60i).
-- English teaser - (1 min, 480/60i).
-- Quebec trailer- (3 min, 480/60i).
-- Canadian trailer - (3 min, 480/60i).

Music Video - Eric Lapointe performs the film's hit song "Tatoo" (4 min, 480/60i).

Bon Cop Bad Cop Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Erik Canuel's Bon Cop, Bad Cop is a cliched but very entertaining film that pokes fun at Canadians and their obsession with identity. Some of the dialog in the film is beyond hilarious. The Blu-ray disc herein reviewed, courtesy of Canadian distributors Alliance, looks and sounds terrific. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.