4.9 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 2.5 | |
Overall | 2.5 |
Alex Hesse and Larry Arbogast are working on a new drug which will reduce the chances of a woman's body rejecting an embryo and thus causing a miscarriage. When their research funding is withdrawn, and human experimentation is denied to them, they decide to test the drug by briefly impregnating Hesse. Hesse however becomes attached to "his" unborn baby.
Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Danny DeVito, Emma Thompson, Frank Langella, Pamela ReedComedy | 100% |
Romance | 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 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region free
Movie | 2.5 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 3.5 | |
Extras | 0.5 | |
Overall | 2.5 |
In a world where science means more, biology means less, and traditional gender roles, and gender entirely for that matter, are being thrown out the window…why not have a man bear a child? Junior, which released a quarter of a century ago, was in some ways well ahead of its time, whether it meant to be or not. The film, from Director Ivan Reitman, is otherwise a stumbling block Comedy that cooks up a good idea but struggles to find a center. For a movie about the biologically impossible and all of the seemingly unique angles and opportunities afforded to its story, the film choses to simply recycle pregnancy gags and stereotypes with a man, rather than a woman, carrying the child. Make that man a musclebound Arnold Schwarzenegger and it’s really only by sheer force of exaggerated imagery that the film works on any level. But even a talented cast cannot save a movie that struggles with tone and pace even in deciphering its one-trick-pony plot.
Junior's Blu-ray is a surprisingly decent release coming from the Universal catalogue department. The image is generally fair and basically filmic. Grain can be a little clumpy at times, but it's also fairly even through much of the presentation. Textures enjoy good stability, image clarity and definition are fair with a few pushes to robust and there's not much evidence of significant noise reduction in most scenes. clothing and skin textures aren't insanely complex but there's certainly enough general clarity and raw definition to please. Various environments -- the cluttered lab, doctors offices, homes, an idyllic rural home for expectant women introduced later in the movie -- are likewise well defined with good clarity and sharpness on display. Colors are where the image lacks. The palette is a little pale, lacking firmer contrast and saturation but still yielding relatively healthy tones, particularly skin. Pale, almost ghastly skin tones are most noticeable in various shots and scenes at the aforementioned home for pregnant women seen later in the film. A few other problems pop in from time to time. Title wobble, print wear, and the occasional shot that exhibits the telltale signs of edge enhancement appear, but are rare. Junior hardly approaches the catalogue release zenith, but it's a perfectly serviceable image at worst and borderline good at its best.
Junior's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack, much like the video presentation, exceeds expectations. Music is joyfully wide, playing with solid enough clarity and positive and wide stage presence. A crying baby sound emanates from the side in the film's opening moments, and a larger symphony thereof fills the stage with a surprising vigor moments later. Gentle applause during a gathering at the 40 minute mark offers a decently immersive spread. Lingering background thunder in chapter five and very light environmental ambience in a few spots help define various outdoor scenes throughout. Music is the big winner, though, with that good fidelity and wide stage engagement. Dialogue is clear with nicely refined verbal structure and natural front-center placement.
Junior's Blu-ray contains a single featurette titled, yup, Featurette (1080p upscaled, 6:11). The piece briefly recaps the plot and quickly explores story, themes, characters, and more, constructed of interviews and clips from the film. The feature must be accessed in-film via the pop-up menu. No "top menu" is included. Needless to say, no DVD or digital copies are included, either.
Junior certainly has its moments. The cast is likable and the jokes are fine, but the film never stretches, never tries to find anything more than the baseline humor of a man experiencing all of the usual pregnancy symptoms, the hormonal swings, the aches and pains, and the like. There's some character drama tossed in but there's little heart on display. Universal's Blu-ray is rather generic, presenting with an older, but very serviceable, 1080p transfer. The same can be said of the 5.1-channel lossless soundtrack. One short extra is included. Fans probably won't see a better release anytime soon (would it surprise anyone if this is Junior's swan song on physical format media?) but would be smart to wait for a sale price that's more in-line with the quality of the disc.
Unrated and Unprotected
2007
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2012
Warner Archive Collection
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