6.2 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
Jack Black is at his comic best as Ignacio, a disrespected cook at a Mexican monastery that can barely afford to feed the orphans who live there. Inspired by a local wrestling hero, he decides to moonlight as the not-so-famous Luchador "Nacho Libre" to earn money for the monastery -- not to mention the admiration of beautiful nun Sister Encarnacion.
Starring: Jack Black, Héctor Jiménez, Ana de la Reguera, Richard Montoya, Darius RoseComedy | 100% |
Sport | 21% |
Video codec: MPEG-2
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: Dolby Digital 5.1
French: Dolby Digital 5.1
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1
English, English SDH, French, Spanish
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 2.5 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 3.5 | |
Extras | 4.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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