Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		3.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.5
Overall		3.0

Going Berserk Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf December 24, 2021

In 1983, John Candy already appeared in many movies, making an impression in “The Blues Brothers” and “1941,” and he stole scenes in 1981’s “Stripes,” establishing a big screen career for the “SCTV” performer. “Going Berserk” attempted to promote Candy to leading man status, with the Canadian comedy giving the actor room to show some range and display his love of silliness. To help the cause, the producers also bring in “SCTV” vets Eugene Levy and Joe Flaherty to support Candy, perhaps trusting such television gold might translate to a cinematic success. “Going Berserk” is an interesting failure, as it tries to latch on to a plot about the assassination of a congressman, but co-writer/director David Steinberg is an easily distracted man, endeavoring to work in as many skits and asides as possible, hoping to make something supremely wacky when the effort is, at best, mildly amusing. Candy works extremely hard to sell the mediocrity here, and it’s always fun to see the late, great comedian onscreen. It’s the starring vehicle that fails him, attacking funny business without a clear plan for story or character.

John (John Candy) is a limo driver by day, drummer at night, and he’s managed to romance Nancy (Alley Mills), the daughter of congressman Ed (Pat Hingle). The pair is about to be married, and John is a nervous wreck around his future in-laws, trying to keep cool with his business partner and friend, Chick (Joe Flaherty). John and Chick are involved with exploitation movie producer Sal (Eugene Levy), who wants exclusive rights to film the wedding with his crew, trying to persuade Ed he’s the right man for the job. But the politician is wary and somewhat busy, setting his sights on bringing cult leader Sun Yi (Richard Libertini) and his flock to justice, exposing their dangerous ways, which are hidden behind daily business at an aerobics studio. John is soon caught up with The Church of Sun Yi, hypnotized by cult member Angela (Dixie Carter), who orders the limo driver to murder Ed on his wedding day, causing all kinds of problems when he spots his trigger, a playing card, during daily life, with wild antics threatening his relationship with Nancy.

Steinberg arranges some help to understand the plot of “Going Berserk,” with the main titles offering a rap song that details the events of the story, walking viewers through John’s issues with marriage and crime. It’s an unexpected introduction, but things get weirder from there, soon meeting John in Africa, where he’s some type of tribal leader, looking to explain exactly how he found himself in such an unbelievable situation. With a “smoke ‘em if you got ‘em” moment of rest, John’s flashback adventure begins in North America, establishing the character as an anxious fellow about to embark on a marriage to the daughter of a powerful politician. She’s a golden girl and he’s a bum, but a lovable one trying to impress Ed while palling around with Chick, a halfwit who keeps the limo business going, and brings a working prostitute to a family meal at Ed’s mansion.

The limo boys are beholden to Sal, a sleazy producer who’s desperate for legitimacy, trying to land a gig directing John’s wedding day, making a positive impression on Ed. Such a request isn’t easily made, and this alone could serve as the main plot for “Going Berserk,” watching Sal, the brains behind drive-in release “Kung Fu U,” scramble to charm the congressman, hoping to talk his way into the position instead of going his usual route: blackmail. Levy is skilled at playing ill-tempered guys, and he does well in the feature, adding some pronounced oiliness to his section of the film. However, Sal’s quest to reach a mainstream audience is only a small part of “Going Berserk,” which also deals with The Church of Sun Yi, a cult trying to stop Ed from investigating its practices, making evil plans inside an aerobics studio. The screenplay lifts from “The Manchurian Candidate,” turning John into a brainwashed killer (also a dog), presenting a playing card as his signal to shoot Ed at his wedding.

“Going Berserk” juggles many ideas, but doesn’t commit in full to any of them. It’s an episodic understanding of John’s nutty life, watching the driver/drummer deal with wild experiences, including an arrest that sends him to court, with the public defender a drug addict looking to score from his clients. John is soon handcuffed to Muhammed (Ernie Hudson), forced to join him as they break out of custody, paying a visit to his girlfriend, Francine (Gloria Gifford). The pair have rigorous sex while John, still handcuffed to Muhammed, is tossed around an apartment hallway. Funny? No, but Steinberg commits to the idea, which has nothing to do with the plot, merely acting as a comedic interlude, and there’s a lot more of that in the feature.

“Going Berserk” actually becomes an “SCTV” movie at times, presenting fantasy sequences lampooning “The Blue Lagoon” and “Father Knows Best,” with the latter finally making use of Flaherty as the broadly abusive patriarch (Elinor Donahue appears in the sketch), and Candy reprises his version of Beaver Cleaver. Steinberg makes sure audiences get a chance to see scenes from “Kung Fu U,” and he makes time for John to visit a punk club, confronted by a younger generation of troublemakers. And there’s a sequence set inside a male strip club, with the drummer forced to become a bouncer for overheated patrons, creating a “Stripes”-like moment where Candy wrestles women. Hey, if it worked once before…

Going Berserk Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.84:1 aspect ratio) presentation for "Going Berserk" resembles many other Universal catalog titles. It's an older scan of the picture, offering limited fine detail, with only the basics of facial surfaces and period clothing emerging with texture. Distances are passable during urban tours. Colors are acceptable, but not dynamic, offering brighter primaries on aerobic gear and club signage. Skintones are natural. Delineation is satisfactory. Grain is on the chunky side. Source is in good condition.

Going Berserk Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA mix offers a comfortable listening experience for "Going Berserk." Dialogue exchanges are clear, preserving comic timing and chaotic outbursts. Scoring favors a funkier sound with emphasis on bass and percussion, and instrumentation is sharp. The opening rap tune is also clearly defined.

Going Berserk Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Photo Gallery (1:11) collects poster art, lobby cards, and film stills.

• T.V. Spot (:32, SD) provides a commercial for "Going Berserk."

• And a Theatrical Trailer (1:43, SD) is included.

Going Berserk Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Candy takes the job seriously, trying to come up with funny stuff for Steinberg, reacting wildly to everything put in front of him. He's not the problem here, and there's a decent supporting cast (including Paul Dooley and Kurtwood Smith) to handle all the strangeness (this includes the African tribe lip- synching "Blue Moon" at the end of the film). It's the general lack of concentration from Steinberg that weighs down "Going Berserk," offering a random assortment of tepid comedy for an endeavor that never decides if it wants to tell a story or just present a grab bag of ideas.