Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		4.0
Overall		3.5

Clerks III 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman December 17, 2022

Whether or not you're a fan of Kevin Smith in general, or the Clerks franchise in particular, if you're a regular denizen of this site, you may want to thank whatever divinities you pray to that Smith is around, because, as he makes clear in a really sweet opening introduction that plays as the disc boots up, he is an unabashed champion of physical media. "What are you going to do if the cloud goes down?" he says, somewhat echoing this father's recriminations to his sons who prefer looking at map and direction giving apps to actually paying attention to what streets they're on and how they're getting places. So while you may not be a collector who collects Kevin Smith films, chances are you can agree that someone who finds physical media a "must have" in this increasingly streaming day and age is someone to be celebrated. The good news is, for Clerks fans at least, Clerks III has a lot of heart (in more ways than one, but more about that later) and the typically goofy Smith sense of humor. This outing also has a built in "meta" element in that a major through line of at least the second half of the film is that Randal Graves (Jeff Anderson) suffers a near fatal heart attack (there's that heart part) and decides upon recovering that he wants to make a movie about working at the Quick Stop, a production that will of course include many of the other characters who have been seen in the two previous Clerks outings.

The first part of the film is arguably a bit more shapeless, with Smith spending time letting the audience get reacquainted with this motley crew of characters. Jay (Jason Mewes) and Silent Bob (Kevin Smith) have set up (pot) shop next door, and frequently do deals right out in front of the mini- strip mall where the Quick Stop is, but there are a number of other folks culled from Smith's so-called View Askewniverse here, including of course Dante Hicks (Brian O'Halloran), Emma Bunting (Jennifer Schwalback Smith), and Veronica Loughran (Marilyn Ghigliotti). With a minor upcoming spoiler warning that I might jokingly refer to as the literary equivalent of "we're not even supposed to be here today" (and so you've been warned), it's soon revealed that Becky (Rosario Dawson) has been killed (while pregnant) by a drunk driver, and that Dante is still recovering from that trauma.

And in fact an awareness of mortality if not the actual Spirit of Death suffuses this piece and gives it a rather bracingly melancholic aspect. Suffice it to say that Becky's demise and Randal's heart attack are not the end of "health issues" in the film, and in fact for such a comparatively gonzo enterprise like the two previous Clerks films have been, there's some "lump in the throat" emotion that definitely wells up as the story reaches a bittersweet conclusion.

As with many of Smith's offerings, and in fact now all three of the Clerks films, the humor can be hit and/or miss, and some of the obviously improvised stuff, like Justin Long's emergency room attendant, seem kind of forced and frankly not very funny. A longish montage of "big names" auditioning for Randal's production may also pay mixed dividends for some. What is kind of interesting in that regard, then, is that the actual human emotion that Smith exploits at several key junctures in the film actually rings true and gives the film a rather heartwarming spirit, despite its more unkempt proclivities.

Clerks III 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Note: Screenshots are sourced from the 1080 disc.

Clerks III is presented in 4K UHD of Lionsgate Films with a 2160p transfer in 1.90:1. Captured with Red cameras (as is disclosed in the closing credits roll) and finished at a 4K DI (per the IMDb), my comments in my 1080 review that this may not seem like the stuff of "high definition dreams" is probably even more true for this 2160 presentation, the 4K UHD version enjoys a noticeable uptick in fine detail levels in particular, though, again as I said with regard to the 1080 version, there frankly may not be "wow" visuals in terms of what that fine detail is on. For example, even in the opening montage, "little" and obviously fairly mundane objects like the coffee filter offer a more palpable texture in this version, and that continues to be the case throughout the presentation in other elements like the stucco wall of the strip mall, or fabrics on various outfits. In fact I found the improvement in detail levels here to be more noticeable than any perceived added nuance courtesy of HDR, but that may again be due at least in part to the relative "ordinariness" of the palette in general. Things are still extremely well suffused throughout, they're just not "exciting" in the traditional sense. The digital grain field in the cemetery scene I mentioned in the 1080 review is a bit more defined in this version, and in fact I became more consciously aware of other uses in some of the quasi-video segments, including some of the black and white moments.

Clerks III 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Clerks III features a nicely bombastic Dolby Atmos track, which in a way I might compare to the one I recently reviewed on Amsterdam 4K, in that there's no question that surround activity is consistent and well handled, but the actual "Atmos" elevated effects may not be completely mind blowing. But both courtesy of a glut of fun source cues and some generally exuberant underscoring by James L. Venable, not only are the side and rear channels regularly engaged, there can be some thumping low end emanating from the subwoofer. A number of outdoor scenes have at least intermittent ambient environmental action, and even some scenes inside the Quick Stop offer clearly delineated directionality. Dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly throughout. Optional English, French and Spanish subtitles are available.

Clerks III 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Both the 1080 and 4K UHD discs contained in this SteelBook sport the same slate of supplements:

• Introduction by Kevin Smith (HD; 2:14) is kind of an unavoidable easter egg, so to speak, in that it's not listed as an official supplement, but it's nonetheless authored to play automatically when you boot the disc. This should be Exhibit A in anyone's defense of physical media.


• Audio Commentary with Writer / Director Kevin Smith, and Actors Brian O'Halloran, Jeff Anderson, Trevor Fehrman and Austin Zajur is a little raucous at times, as should probably be expected, but will be a fun experience for Clerks fans.


• The Clerks III Documentary (HD; 1:36:12) is the first of two rather expansive pieces on the film, filled with tons of background and some fun interviews.


• We're Not Even Supposed to Be Here Today: 3 Decades of Clerks (HD; 1:15:15) offers even more behind the scenes footage and often funny interviews.


• Deleted and Alternate Scenes (HD; 29:30)


• Theatrical Trailer (HD; 1:56)

The SteelBook features an acetate O-Ring that offers Jay and Silent Bob. Randal, Dante and Becky can be made out through a "window" on the O- Ring, and once that's removed, the three are in a kind of cloudy yellow morass which may or may not be smoke emanating from a mega joint Jay is puffing on on the back cover, along with other assorted characters. The inside features an illustration of the strip mall with the guys playing hockey on the roof. The SteelBook includes a 1080 disc as well as a digital copy.

Clerks III 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Not all of the comedy connects successfully in Clerks III, but there's a surplus of heart in this feature that should certainly appeal to fans of the previous two films. It's kind of fun to see all of these performers now a couple of decades later, and that in and of itself will probably recommend this film to anyone who loves the first two. Technical merits are solid and the supplements very enjoyable. Recommended.