Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

Footloose Blu-ray Movie Review

Rebel with a cause.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman February 17, 2012

He is testing us.

Benjamin Franklin once said, "[t]hey who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety." Footloose celebrates the notion of personal freedom and decries the opposition thereof, even under the guise of "protecting the children." It champions self-determination, self-control, and self-liberty over edicts and laws -- albeit edicts and laws with superficial good intentions -- meant to repress rather than grant more or recognize the same levels of freedom. Footloose represents a cinematic conversation between, on one side, dictated measures to prevent possible future tragedies, and on the other the advancement of dialogue centered around personal choice, responsibility, and care. It contrasts knee-jerk reactions with the greater good of personal freedom. Certainly, the film's central premise -- the challenge to a law that open, unsupervised dancing has been prohibited following a terrible tragedy -- may be food for thought for even the staunchest of Libertarians and the strictest of Authoritarians alike. There's the absolute belief in "cause and effect" and "if...then" broad brush strokes on one side, and on the other the belief that choice and resultant consequence are not universal, that a single event is not representative of a much larger whole. This Footloose shares these themes in common with the original Footloose, the latter a favorite of the 1980s and billed as "the film that defined a generation." With the story and message largely the same, is there any reason for this -- or any -- generation to choose the new over the old?

An impassioned plea.

The small Georgia town of Bomont is struck by tragedy. Five teenagers -- amongst them the local Reverend Shaw Moore's (Dennis Quaid) own son -- are killed in a terrible car accident following a night of drinking and dancing. The Reverend persuades the city council to vote on a measure that bans lewd music and public dancing. In wake of the tragedy, it seems the sensible thing to do. Three years later, the town still hasn't fully recovered from its loss, and public dancing is still prohibited. Enter Ren MacCormack (Kenny Wormald), a Boston transplant coming to Georgia to live with his aunt and uncle following the death of his mother. He's not only overcome by culture shock, but he's shocked to learn that dancing is prohibited. Ren is a gymnast, a teenager who lives to move and loves to dance. He's befriended by Willard (Miles Teller), a country boy through and through, and he finds himself drawn to Ariel (Julianne Hough), the local hottie who happens to be the preacher's rebellious daughter. Ren's impact on the town is immediate. He's busted for breaking the music ordinance, and his anti-status quo ways have him on thin ice in school, in the community, and with Ariel's father. Ren won't stand for it. He just wants to dance, not jeopardize the community. Can he successfully challenge the ordinance, make a name for himself in Bomont, and get the girl?

Footlosse goes to show that freedom -- at least the yearning for freedom -- never goes out of style. This new and, indeed, improved take on the 1980s film champions the same values in many of the same ways. Certainly, audiences who have seen the original have, from a base perspective, seen this one; there's nothing thematically new, the characters behave in much the same ways, and the resolution is largely similar. 1984's Footloose was arguably a film not in need of a remake (are there any [relatively good] films truly "in need" of a remake?) but every now and then a filmmaker manages to one-up the original. 2011's Footloose is perhaps not as rhythmic as Kevin Bacon's movie, but this one plays with more heart and a more grounded, slightly more plausible take, even, on the same story. This version of Footloose proves to be remarkably smooth and fast-paced, more so than the original and even as they both progress through the same ideas and, indeed, many of the same scenes. It lacks the heavy underlying playfulness of the original but manages to paint its themes and characters a bit more complexly without aggravating the basic tenets of either. It increases drama without expanding on scope or altering the story. It just feels more complete, more in-line with its story, less something of a Musical and more something of a Drama. Ultimately, one's enjoyment and acceptance of it will come down to personal preference, and audiences negatively attuned to the remake concept and craze will dismiss it outright. Others will embrace it, and others still will find it inferior to the original. Isn't freedom a wonderful thing?

Technically, Footloose enjoys precision filmmaking and solid acting that both accentuate the story and further its appeal as a Drama more so than a Musical. Director Craig Brewer does a fine job of balancing a respect -- and including a great number of similar and identical elements -- for the original while also shaping the movie into one with its own identity and his unique stamp upon it. He handles the opening sequence -- that transitions from toe-tapping, energized goodness to great tragedy in the blink of an eye -- with care and professionalism, allowing the audience to experience as firsthand as possible from their seats and with only minutes of screen time the perspective of a traumatized town and the instant reaction to criminalize the very things that led up to the tragedy. The audience is presented with a bill of goods that promotes the quashing of vulgar music and lewd dancing, not to mention a curfew and an absolute prohibition on dance of any kind outside of church, school, and civic functions. Brewer ensures that these proclamations don't come lightly and that the audience won't be spoon-fed the idea. His direction and storytelling are equally powerful, guiding the audience to at least understand in the context of tragedy the purpose for the banishments and the restrictions that form the film's conflict. Brewer is equally careful in not painting the generally peaceful rebellion against the prohibitions as the standard and the outcome all audiences must accept, even if that is the side the story ultimately and expectedly promotes. Both sides are generally eloquent, with of course both also showing the dangers of extremes, preconceived notions, and guilt by association. It's no surprise how Footloose is going to end, but the journey is rewarding and enlightening for both the audience and the characters, the former of whom is treated to a balanced Drama that's as smooth and catchy as it is thought-provoking and ever-relevant.

All is not perfect within the movie, however. Certainly, some performances leave a bit to be desired, though not to the absolute detriment of the whole. On the positive side, Dennis Quaid is perfectly cast as a hardline preacher whose exterior shell isn't as durable as he believes it to be, whose innermost beliefs aren't necessarily exactly as he preaches from the pulpit or votes on the council. Certainly, he holds firm to those core spiritual truths he preaches, but there's always an undercurrent of doubt surrounding his position on the ordinances that's evident throughout, even as he admonishes his daughter's behavior, scolds Ren, and upholds those same ordinances. It's inspired casting, and he's every bit as a good as, if not better than, John Lithgow's fine take on the same character back in 1984. Kenny Wormald shows star potential in a performance that channels a James Franco exterior but that doesn't necessarily reflect Kevin Bacon all that much beyond their basic core values and the maroon tux jacket both wear at the end of the movie. Wormald makes the part his own and sells it easily for modern audiences, and not only because he carries an iPod rather than a Walkman. The remainder of the performances, with the exception of a good effort by Miles Teller as Ren's Country friend Willard, are largely generic and uninspiring, but the movie generally gets it right with its leads. The dancing isn't going to inspire, either, at least for those audiences expecting something more polished and professional. Truth be told, looser and more everyday dancing suits the movie well, for two reasons. One, the dancers aren't accustomed to dancing, save for Ren; and two, these are down-home Country folks, not big city types who are probably more exposed to popular culture and modern dance moves than they. Lastly, there's the bastardization of Kenny Loggins' Footloose tune that largely ruins the film's end and leaves a bad taste in the mouth, but asking for perfection in a movie such as this might be asking for a little too much. The good certainly outweighs the middling and the bad by a large margin, which is about all one can want from a remake of a decades-old fan favorite.

Footloose Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Paramount's Blu-ray release of 1984's Footloose featured atrocious video quality. That's not the case with 2011's transfer. In fact, this release positively sparkles and presents viewers with a faultless 1080p image that represents what new release Blu-rays are all about. The image retains a natural layer of grain, aiding in the production of a film-accurate representation for home viewing. Clarity is outstanding in every scene, bright or dark, inside or out. Fine detail is wonderful. Whether the texture of blue jeans; cowboy hats; human faces; the dirt on the road; pavement; foliage; building façades; or the dings, dents, and worn paint on vehicles; there's never a surface that's not superbly reproduced. Likewise, colors are marvelously natural and balanced. The image is never flamboyant and never dull. On the contrary, blues, greens, reds, yellows, earth tones, naturally vibrant hues and deliberately faded colors alike all appear with precise balance that perfectly reflect the setting. Just as important, flesh tones are splendidly natural and black levels are true. The image is absolutely free of blocking, banding, aliasing, or other maladies. This is a picture-perfect 1080p transfer that's of reference quality from start to finish.

Footloose Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Footloose debuts on Blu-ray with a stellar DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless soundtrack. The film's open is loud and dynamic yet retains impeccable clarity. Such is the case with any loud music heard throughout the movie, all playing with seamless spacing and a fine immersive sensation. Music is crisp through the entire range, with satisfying highs and wonderfully balanced and potent lows. Bass excels outside of music, too. Stomping dancers, the rumble of a tractor's engine, and various crashes all offer solid, realistic bass. The racing sequence delivers smooth and natural directional effects as the school busses zip and zoom around the speakers. The track handles atmospheric elements with ease, too. Chirping birds, light winds, and the din of a busy school hallway are all seamlessly recreated. Of course, dialogue is clear and never lost to supporting elements. This is a wonderful and seamless track. Everything is in order and all is very well balanced, whether blaring music or light score, hushed or heavy sound effects. It supports the movie very well and, like the video presentation, is of reference quality.

Footloose Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Footloose contains a quality assortment of extras, headlined by a strong audio commentary track, several featurettes, and deleted scenes.

• Audio Commentary: Director Craig Brewer discusses joining the project, his admiration for the Ren MacCormack character and his love of the original Footloose, making the movie relevant for this generation, shooting locations, the cast, the story's themes, what's the same and what's different, the music, and pretty much everything surrounding the movie and remaking a classic. This is a steady, interesting, and informative track that's definitely worth a listen.
• Jump Back: Re-Imagining Footloose (1080p, 14:46): This is an all-encompasing feature that contains cast and crew discussing the original and moving on to explore the hiring of a director for the new movie, casting this version, writing the script, this movie's darker and grittier drama, differences from the original, keeping the old VW Bug in the movie, costuming, music, shooting locales, the timelessness of the message, and more.
• Everybody Cut: The Stars of Footloose (1080p, 12:59): A closer look at the casting, works, and qualities of Kenny Wormald, Julianne Hough, Dennis Quaid, Andie MacDowell, Miles Teller, Patrick John Flueger, Ziah Colon, and Ser'Darius Blain.
• Dancing with the Footloose Stars (1080p, 12:39): A closer look at the movie's dance choreography, both that retained from the original and new for this movie.
• Deleted Scenes (1080p, 6:54): Ariel and Rusty Drive, Ren's Gym Flip, Reverend Shaw's Speech, Willard's Bloody Nose, and Roger Argues with the Moores. Available with optional director commentary.
• Music Videos (1080p): "Footloose" by Blake Shelton (4:24), "Fake ID" by Big & Rich (3:32), and "Holding Out for a Hero" by Ella Mae Brown (4:22).
• Footloose Rap (1080p, 2:01): Emily Whitcomb's Footloose-inspired Rap video remade for the new movie.
• UV Copy.
• DVD Copy.

Footloose Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Footloose is a surprisingly superb remake that hits all the right notes, though in this case that should be taken figuratively rather than literally. The new version of the famed Kenny Loggins song largely crashes and burns, but most of the other updates in Footloose equal or, in many cases, better the original. This take on the story plays with more heart than does its predecessor. It's not always as light and catchy or even fun, but it works very well as a mostly serious Drama that will challenge viewers who fall on both sides of the personal liberty question. Good lead performances and solid direction round Footloose into a relatively rare remake that scores better than the original. Paramount's Blu-ray release of Footloose is fantastic. Unlike the Blu-ray release of the 1984 version, this one sports faultless video quality. Also included is a dynamic lossless soundtrack and a strong assortment of extras. Highly recommended.