Jingle All the Way Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		1.5
Overall		3.0

Jingle All the Way Blu-ray Movie Review

Parents, please, if it a boy's toy, it is an "action figure," not a "doll!"

Reviewed by Martin Liebman December 11, 2008

You're my number one customer!

Every Arnold Schwarzenegger fan knows that Jingle All the Way is the famed actor's finest comedy. All right, maybe not. That honor is definitely bestowed upon Twins, a film that easily ranks among Arnold's best, period. Jingle All the Way is nevertheless a surprisingly funny and occasionally touching picture that might not have terminated the competition at the box office, but the Holiday film featuring a running man on a predatory search for the hottest-selling Christmas gift for junior and leaving behind plenty of collateral damage in his wake has certainly gotten a raw deal and taken plenty of red heat from moviegoers who frown on the strongman's comedic efforts. Nevertheless, Arnold captures the essence of the film perfectly, as he always seems to, lending not only an imposing physical presence to the role but a healthy dose of charm, wit, and heart to an otherwise standard but highly effective and always-watchable Holiday comedy. For a film that plays towards young male audiences, Jingle All the Way also offers enough to appeal to the adults in the audience, too, featuring a few mature themes and an impressive cast, namely comedians Sinbad (First Kid), James Belushi (K-9), and the late Phil Hartman (Small Soldiers) in addition to star Schwarzenegger in his unique leading role.

Turbo Man: because a son's love can't be bought with anything less.

Howard Langston (Schwarzenegger) is a loving husband and father but always gets caught up in his work, routinely forgetting and missing family events. When he misses his son Jamie's (Jake Lloyd, Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace) karate class, Howard offers to make it up to his son any way he can, including offering to purchase for him a Turbo Man action figure. Unfortunately, it's Christmas eve, Turbo Man is the hottest toy in the history of toys, and not a single one is to be found around town. In his frantic search for the gift, Howard continues to run into a rival father named Myron (Sinbad), himself on the prowl for the Turbo Man action figure. With the competition fierce and the possibility of finding the toy become less likely as time quickly runs out, Howard may be faced with the possibility of disappointing his son one last time -- or finding a way to give him a gift bigger and better than any action figure out there.

Jingle All the Way succeeds because it captures both extremes of the Christmas season well, playing on the rough-and-tumble, "gotta have it" mentality that surrounds the latest and greatest fad with a rather touching message on the importance of family, both, of course, draped in heavy comedic overtones. Every Christmas season seems to unwrap yet another must-have toy, whether it be Tickle Me Elmo, the Nintendo Wii, or in this case, Turbo Man, a generic red-clad action hero plucked from yet another tacky television show reminiscent of the look and feel of the Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers shows, from what may be gleaned by the few glimpses of the fictitious "Turbo Man" television program this film's audiences are privy to throughout the movie. The film never misses a beat in Arnold's search for the action figure (referred to as a "doll" throughout). The hijinks and extremism of last-minute shopping are captured with zany results and reminding more technologically-savvy audiences of the beauty of e-mail alerts and one-click online shopping (particularly from Amazon.com; order Jingle All the Way on Blu-ray today!). Of course, Jingle All the Way would be nothing more than an extended skit satirizing the rough-and-tumble Holiday shopping season if it weren't for the film's message on the importance of family and giving, particularly during Christmas. Jingle All the Way successfully brings its story full circle in an emotionally satisfying climax that makes the film worthwhile.

Jingle All the Way Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

20th Century Fox launches Jingle All the Way onto Blu-ray with a high quality 1080p transfer framed in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio. The image is sharp and nicely detailed with strong colors and vibrant imagery in most every scene. A fine layer of grain is visible over the image in addition to a few speckles that do not detract from the presentation. Blacks are generally excellent, and flesh tones are natural in appearance. The cold Minnesota streets seen in many shots throughout the film offer some very nice depth and a high level of detail. There are never any problems with the transfer being too soft. The quality here is perhaps better than expected, looking deep, clear, and sharp; every inch of the screen is full of nice, high quality imagery. Jingle All the Way surpasses any and all expectations for its Blu-ray video presentation.

Jingle All the Way Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Jingle All the Way comes to Blu-ray with a rock-em-sock-em DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless soundtrack. This audio presentation is powerful and loud, perhaps too loud, and several segments will force many listeners to scramble to lower the volume, a good example being the Santa melee in chapter 11. The track makes full use of the surrounds. They are active in most every action sequence, filled with superhero comedy goodness. Bass is deep and powerful, and dialogue reproduction is strong and forceful. The Holiday-themed score plays nicely across the front with solid support from the rear. A band playing Christmas music in chapter six offers pounding bass from the percussion section and the sound spreads out efficiently and naturally throughout the entire soundstage. Many of the sound effects during the film's climactic action sequence feature chair-rattling bass and practically incessant surround activity. Other than being far too loud at times, the track is nicely balanced and powerful, the movie easily sounding better than ever on Blu-ray.

Jingle All the Way Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

In addition to the extended cut of the film, this Blu-ray edition of Jingle All the Way offers viewers three featurettes. The Making of a Hero (480p, 15:29) examines the design of the Turbo Man character, including his abilities, costuming, and accessories. The feature also looks at the construction of the full-sized suit, its inner workings, and the filming of the various special effects shots. Super Kids (480p, 8:12) features several youngsters sharing their thoughts on the ideal superhero. Finally, Turbo Man: Behind the Mask (480p, 8:17) looks back at the fictitious world of the actor who played "Turbo Man" in the television series depicted in the film.

Jingle All the Way Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Jingle All the Way is an Arnold Schwarzenegger film suitable for the whole family. Heavy on the laughs, charming, and always entertaining, the film may not be a classic, or even vintage Arnold, but it features the Austrian Oak in a role well-suited to his abilities, both in stature and in his under-appreciated comedic skills. 20th Century Fox's Blu-ray release of Jingle All the Way is surprisingly good from a technical perspective. Both the picture and sound qualities are first-rate for a much-maligned catalogue title. Unfortunately, the disc is a bit light when it comes to the special features tab on the disc, but fans searching for the highest quality presentation of the film yet need look no further. Jingle All the Way will make for a fine Holiday rental, but the disc also warrants a purchase for Arnold completists, Blu-ray collectors, and established fans of the film. Recommended.