Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		3.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		4.0
Overall		3.0

Nacho Libre Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman February 28, 2024

The title Nacho Libre is a play on “lucha libre,” which literally translated from Spanish would mean “free fight," but properly translated is essentially “wrestling.” So, the implication is that this is a comedy about Mexican style wrestling, and indeed it is. But people don’t need to know that the title is a play on terminology to get where this movie is going once they see Jack Black on the poster. The School of Rock actor is best known for his comedic chops and shenanigans, and he lends his talents to this film, directed by Jared Hess (Napoleon Dynamite). So, the style is clear, but that does not necessarily translate into a movie that is anywhere near as good as Black's best and Hess' dynamite feature length debut.

Ignacio (Black) was raised in an orphanage and remains a permanent fixture there, even into adulthood. Now no longer being cared for, he is playing a part in caring for the orphans. He's in charge of meal preparation and service, but the "food" he prepares is not to anyone's liking. He dreams of being a luchador, or Mexican wrestler, but such practice is frowned upon at the orphanage. But, it would provide him opportunity to make a little money and buy better ingredients with which to cook for the children. Eventually, he teams up with a street thief named Steven (Héctor Jiménez) and the two begin to compete in small-time wrestling gigs where they make a little money, even when they lose. But will that be enough to up the quality of food at the orphanage and satisfy Ignacio's life-long dream of making it in the wrestling ring?

Nacho Libre is peculiar picture that is at once both outrageously funny and mind-numbingly inane. The film is all over the place with its relationship building, with Ignacio working to up his game with Steven, to increase his status with the orphanage's beautiful new teacher, Sister Encarnación (Ana de la Reguera), and make amends to the orphanage's children by striving to serve them superior food. All the while, the film follows his exploits in the ring and his exploits to improve his exploits in the ring, and the movie just meanders all over the place as a result. It's wielding so many narrative tentacles that none of them really hit the mark with any kind of fervor or memorable depth. The wrestling bits are ok, and there's some humor to be found in them and in the world around them, but the rest of the film just sort of pokes and prods and hopes and prays that something sticks, and much of it doesn't. It's a serviceable little film, but it's too unfocused and undisciplined to really hit the mark with the flavor it should.

Jack Black does what he can with the role, and he gives the character an influx of personality, but it's not quite enough to fill a fairly vapid character whose struggles start on the page, not with Black's performance. He does the best he can do juggle all of the character's wants and needs and relationships but even an actor of his caliber struggles to make it all work, all the time. He's just reason to watch, because he's worth watching in anything he does, but it's a shame that a project with such potential feels so overstretched on one hand yet so confined and tiny on the other.

Nacho Libre Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Paramount's Blu-ray release of Nacho Libre is antiquated, to say the least, what with the MPEG-2 video encode at work, but even so the picture looks by-and-large fine. It's nicely filmic, retaining a workable grain structure that lends a pleasing film-like look to the image. Details are appreciably complex, maybe not so tight and terrific as the best of Blu-ray, but viewers will certainly find a nice, stable selection of imagery that boasts good and crisp details on basics like faces and the lucha libre costumes as well as all the various foods that Ignacio serves. Likewise, various details in the ring and the locker room, throughout the orphanage, and in several outdoor locales are well defined and pleasing to the eye. There has certainly been no dumbing down of the image to smooth out details. Colors are very warm. The warm palette is the first thing most will notice, with colors pushing red and skin tones looking practically sunburned. Still, this temperature allows the wrestling costumes in particular to really pop and leap off the screen. There are some mild speckles and pops here and there, but the print is by no means in bad shape. The encode appears solid, too.

Nacho Libre Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Adding to the "retro" feel of this Blu-ray is the Dolby Digital 5.1 lossless soundtrack. Yes, there is no lossless option on the disc. The lossy 5.1 listen is certainly adequate, however, conveying music with pleasing width and good clarity as well as modest and balanced surround engagement. There's not a feeling of substantial impact even in the wrestling matches, but enough heft, surround support, and stage engagement do at least help to draw the listener in, but listeners should not expect to feel like they're ringside. Everything is "good enough" but nothing excels. Dialogue is clear, intelligible, centered, and well prioritized for the duration.

Nacho Libre Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This Blu-ray release of Nacho Libre contains a playful commentary, a handful of featurettes, deleted scenes, and more. No DVD or digital copies are included with purchase. This release does not ship with a slipcover.

• Audio Commentary: Dubbed "Dinner and a Commentary," the track features Actor Jack Black, Writer/Director Jared Hess, and Writer/Producer Mike White. They order and eat some food and talk about the movie, both little anecdotes and significant making-of insight. It's at once serious, funny, and very honest.
• Detras de la Camara (480i, 4x3, 28:33): A catchall sort of supplement that offers raw on-set footage looking at various aspects of the production and making various scenes.
• Jack Black Unmasked! (480i, 4x3, 12:36): A closer look at Black's life and work on the set, including interviews and the making of various scenes, supported by voiceover narration. Also included is a quick look at the history of lucha libre.
• Exterior - Hacienda - Night (480i, 4x3, 14:58): A "fly on the wall" type of supplement that offers in-depth access into the making of some scenes from the film. Some interview clips are included.
• Interior - Lucha Libre Ring - Night (480i, 4x3, 15:15): Another piece that offers raw access into the shoot, this time revolving around action inside the wrestling ring. Some interview clips are included.
• Lucha Libre (480i, 4x3, 3:13): Discussing the history, flavor, cultural linkage, and uniqueness of Mexican Lucha Libre.
• Hecho en Mexico (480i, 4x3, 2:28): Shooting authentically in Mexico and casting Mexican actors.
• Moviefone Unscripted with Jack Black & Hector Jimenez (480i, window box, 9:12): The Nacho Libre actors interview one another.
• Jack Sings (480i, 4x3, 3:46): Behind the scenes and rehearsals of the songs. Included are La Cancion de Ramses (3:46) and La Cancion de Encarnacion (2:32).
• Deleted Scenes (480i, window box): Included are The Way of the Eagle (7:57), Poem for Ramses (0:43), and Ramses Gets Jumped (0:55).
• Promo Spots (480i, window box): Nontraditional advertisements for the film. Included are History of Heroes (0:32), He Fights... (0:32), and Action Figures (0:32).
• Photo Gallery (1080p): Still photos which must be manually advanced. There is no accompanying music. Photo selections include On Set, Luchadores, and Nacho Especial.
• Nacho Libre Theatrical Trailer (1080p, 2:15).
• Previews (1080p, 1:22): Despite the use of the plural "previews" and the seeming promise of trailers for other films, this is actually a single add for Paramount high definition home video content.

Nacho Libre Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Even Jack Black can't quite save Nacho Libre from the grip of mediocrity. It's a solid premise with OK execution and a rare middling performance from Jack Black who puts heart into the part but can't quite muster up much soul for the character. It's fun in spurts, not overlong, and still worth watching because even a middling Jack Black is funnier than most everyone out there, but... Nacho Libre just never comes together. Paramount's Blu-ray shows its age with MPEG-2 video and lossy audio, but both are fine. There are lot of supplements, but again of vintage quality. Worth a look.