5.1 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 2.5 | |
Overall | 2.5 |
Young Devon Butler (Norman D. Golden) is obsessed with being a cop. Whether he's memorizing lingo from Miami Vice or tailing "suspects" on the playground, this kid knows all the moves. And when Devon witnesses a murder, he's eager to share what he knows with the police - for a price. In exchange, Devon demands to be made a cop - complete with badge, handcuffs and cool shades. Saddled with a pint-sized squad car sidekick, hard-boiled detective Nick McKenna (Burt Reynolds) is not happy. But when the crooks come gunning for the boy, Nick and Devon become real partners as they race against time to bring the bad guys to justice.
Starring: Burt Reynolds, Norman D. Golden II, Ruby Dee (I), Holland Taylor, Ray SharkeyComedy | 100% |
Family | 77% |
Crime | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 2.5 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 3.5 | |
Extras | 1.0 | |
Overall | 2.5 |
Cop and a Half is a Fantasy film set in the real world. A young boy's obsession with law and order and the actions of the local Tampa cops (not to mention all of the ones he watches on television) leads him to do a little detective work of his own and eventually live out his dream of getting a badge and a set of cuffs at the age of eight. He's not the police world's equivalent of Doogie Howser but he does get to pal around with (the late) Burt Reynolds and get mixed up with some drug dealing bad guys. The film is predictable but decent, mindless fun and finds just enough heart to keep it afloat when cliché promises to overwhelm its manufactured scenes and sensibilities.
Cop and a Half delivers a surprisingly decent and occasionally very enjoyable Blu-ray video presentation. Grain is a bit uneven, sometimes appearing fairly even in density and consistency with occasional bursts of increased intensity and added snowiness while at other times it's largely absent, but never to the point that the image appears scrubbed down or devoid of detail. The image is fairly sharp and nicely detailed. Textures around Devon's school -- posters, worn down lockers, tile in the bathroom -- are all nicely revealing and clear, while facial features, clothes, and other environmental details, including police stations, warehouses, and various exterior locations, regularly reveal impressively stable visuals. Colors are varied and bright. Clothes, environments, little Devon's water pistol all present with eye-catching saturation and natural vibrancy. There are a few moments when colors run a little washed out around the 50-minute mark but such is the exception to the rule. Print wear is occasionally visible but never a serious problem. Likewise there are rare signs of edge enhancement, but other tinkering or source flaws are few and far between.
Cop and a Half features some faux surround sensations during a song inside a nearly empty warehouse location in chapter two, which is probably the most interesting moment in this otherwise meat-and-potatoes DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 lossless soundtrack. Universal's audio presentation handles a few throaty motorcycle engine revs in chapter seven well enough: they are widely spaced and surprisingly detailed and weighty, even without a dedicated low end channel to add to the effect. Action effects at the end, which include a few gunshots, some toppling boxes, a high speed boat chase, and two boats making a risky jump, lack absolute sonic clarity and immersive positioning, but they're largely fine for the movie's channel limitations and the film's inherently straightforward sound design. The track picks up a few modest ambient effects, such as a ticking clock in an interrogation room in chapter three when Devon is cutting his deal to be a cop. Dialogue is never problematic and plays with a satisfying phantom center positioning.
This Blu-ray release of Cop and a Half contains one extra. The generically titled Featurette (1080i upscaled, 4x3, 5:57) offers a plot recap followed by then-young Norman D. Golden II sharing details about the characters and the story. Reynolds and Director Henry Winkler chime in as well in between on-set footage and clips from the film. The supplement and subtitle options must be accessed in-film via the pop-up menu. No top menu included. The release does not ship with DVD or digital copies. It also does not ship with a slipcover.
Cop and a Half hasn't aged well or found itself accepted within the ranks of cinema cult favorites, but it's a decent little nostalgic trip to simpler movies and simpler times (an eight-year-old wielding a colorful water gun on school grounds would certainly land him in deep trouble today). What the film lacks in creativity it at least partially makes up for with (manufactured) heart. Universal's Blu-ray is overpriced but not half bad in the video or audio departments. A throwaway vintage featurette is the only extra. Fans or anyone hungry for a taste of nostalgia should not hesitate to pick it up, assuming it's ever priced where it should be, which is around $5-$8.
(Still not reliable for this title)
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