6.4 | / 10 |
Users | 3.5 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
High-strung father-to-be Peter Highman is forced to hitch a ride with aspiring actor Ethan Tremblay on a road trip in order to make it to his child's birth on time.
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Zach Galifianakis, Michelle Monaghan, Jamie Foxx, Juliette LewisComedy | 100% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.40:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
French: Dolby Digital 5.1
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1
Portuguese: Dolby Digital 5.1
English SDH, French, Portuguese, Spanish
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (1 BD, 1 DVD)
Digital copy (on disc)
DVD copy
BD-Live
Slipcover in original pressing
Region free
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 1.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Rumors of Due Date's similarity (and inferiority) to The Hangover have been greatly exaggerated. Both were helmed by Old School director Todd Phillips and both feature funnyman Zach Galifianakis, that much is certain. But as far as I'm concerned, the two couldn't be more different. The Hangover pummels its audience into senseless submission with a flurry of increasingly outlandish haymakers; Due Date dances, darts, jabs, and only takes a few big swings. The Hangover lurches ahead with a brash blend of raunchy humor and wild gags; Due Date makes more purposeful strides, fusing belly laughs with unexpectedly moving dramatic beats. The Hangover pushes harder and harder to leave comedy junkies in bleary eyed hysterics, sometimes to its detriment; Due Date strives to evoke more lasting emotions, be it amusement, shock, empathy, elation or sadness. No, Due Date isn't for everyone. The more affection you have for The Hangover, the less likely you are to enjoy Phillips's more subdued followup. It will even disappoint many a genre fan (as a number of negative reviews of the film will attest). Me? I loved it. I know I'm in the minority, but I thought it was better than The Hangover. That's right... I said it. Better than The Hangover.
"My father always had a saying: when a day starts like this, it's all uphill from here."
Due Date won't have any trouble making friends on Blu-ray. Backed by a near-perfect 1080p/AVC-encoded transfer, Phillips's buddy comedy looks every bit as good as a 2010 theatrical release should, and then some. The first thing you're sure to notice? Detail is outstanding. Fine textures are exceedingly well-resolved, edges are crisp and remarkably refined (with only a hint of minor ringing to be seen) and delineation is excellent. But it's not just clarity that excels. Contrast and color follow suit, lending the image a cool, confident disposition that's easy on the eyes. Primaries have bite, skintones are impeccably saturated and black levels, though susceptible to negligible crush on rare occasion, are deep and discerning. Better still, Warner's encode is free of significant artifacting, banding, aliasing and other distractions. Shot after shot, scene after scene, Due Date's high definition presentation proves its worth.
Warner's energetic DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track adds serious value to Due Date's Blu-ray release, just not quite as much as the studio's video transfer. Dialogue is clean, crystal clear, perfectly intelligible and naturally grounded in the mix regardless of the chaos that ensues. LFE output is decisive and defiant, granting every car wreck and violent blow notable weight and presence, and dynamics impress throughout. Christophe Beck's original music and Phillips's bass-heavy soundtrack selections are given the LFE channel's full support as well, and every hip-hop anthem and rock screamfest fills the soundfield. Rear speaker activity isn't nearly as assertive, but it isn't unfulfilling in any way. To the contrary, ambient effects are convincing and engaging, directionality is precise, acoustics are commendable (particularly in the cramped vehicles Peter and Ethan commandeer) and transparent pans whip from channel to channel with ease. In short, Warner's lossless track sounds great. There simply isn't much to criticize.
Due Date doesn't roll out many special features and those it does include disappoint. Fans of the film will be thoroughly underwhelmed.
Due Date has it all: great cast, funny script, surprising tone and plenty of laughs. Unfortunate comparisons to The Hangover are inevitable, but Phillips's buddy comedy stands strong on its own. At the very least, it's worth renting. It only helps that Warner's Blu-ray release makes it all go down smoothly. Its video transfer is as close to perfect as near-perfect comes, its DTS-HD Master Audio surround track is excellent and a slim supplemental package is its only weakness. It may not be for everyone, but Due Date still deserves a chance.
2-Disc Unrated Collector's Edition
2010
2010
Enlarged Edition w/ Extended Cut
2011
2011
2015
2012
Totally Inappropriate Edition
2011
2010
Bruno
2009
2018
2011
Unrated
2015
Extended Cut
2012
Extended Cut
2014
No se aceptan devoluciones
2013
2011
2011
Director's Cut
1995
2015
10th Anniversary Edition
2008