5.7 | / 10 |
Users | 3.8 | |
Reviewer | 2.5 | |
Overall | 2.9 |
The Munros are a typically U.S. dysfunctional family, complete with rebellious, uncommunicative offspring and baffled parents. Patriarch Bob (Robin Williams) would like to remedy the situation before his son and daughter instant-message their parents out of their lives. Bob rents a motor home to take the clan on vacation but soon finds that camping and togetherness can be hazardous to one's health.
Starring: Robin Williams, Cheryl Hines, Jojo, Josh Hutcherson, Jeff DanielsComedy | 100% |
Family | 68% |
Video codec: MPEG-2
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.40:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: LPCM 5.1
English: Dolby Digital 5.1
French: Dolby Digital 5.1
English, French
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region free
Movie | 1.5 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 2.0 | |
Overall | 2.5 |
If you really want to find out about yourself, put your family in an RV and drive.
There cannot be many family-oriented movies more nondescript than RV. Here's a
Comedy
that lacks laughs, originality, and most importantly, heart. RV
never
attempts to rise above formula, playing as no more self-important than any other garden-variety
movie of this sort, like Daddy Day Camp or
The Santa Clause 3: The
Escape Clause, at least until the end. That's one of its primary problems -- a lack of
originality. Not only does
it center around a tired plot and lame jokes, but it recycles the same material over and over
throughout the movie, sucking any life out of the idea no more than 20 or 30 minutes in. The
film offers a plot ripe for novelty; instead, the movie plays out as something of a
mixture of College Road Trip and
Without a Paddle: Nature's
Calling, neither exactly the kind of movie worthy of such a close association.
That's good advice for this Blu-ray.
RV pulls onto Blu-ray with nice looking 1080p, MPEG-2 encoded transfer framed inside a 2.35:1 window. Flesh tones occasionally veer towards the redder side of the road and some colors take on a warm appearance, but otherwise, the transfer is sufficiently impressive. The film features a myriad of colors, from clothing to those found in many of the nicely-appointed interiors of homes, offices, and of course, the RV. Likewise, the film's plentiful and bright outdoor shots tend to sparkle, showcasing plenty of greenery in the surroundings. Detail and clarity border on the exceptional throughout; viewers will see the texture of the highway, fine details in faces, and discover every corner of the RV. Combined with a steady yet not overly heavy amount of grain, RV sports a rather pleasing theatrical look about it and offers a better-than-expected Blu-ray transfer.
RV revs its engine and produces enough horsepower to feature a surprisingly robust PCM 5.1 uncompressed soundtrack. Bass plays a major factor throughout the movie. It rumbles realistically under the heavy beats of Bob's son's stereo that can be heard throughout the Munro household. A sequence in chapter two as the RV seemingly runs over half the neighborhood in Bob's attempt to become comfortable behind the wheel sends heavy crashes and generally powerful lows pouring out of most every speaker. The aggressive bass continues throughout the movie to fine effect. The film's Country-Western theme music plays with particularly fine clarity across the soundstage. Sound effects are plenty and clear, distinct around the soundstage and natural in presentation. Be they the rattling of metallic cookware or the rumbling of the RV down the road, the track delivers on all fronts. Dialogue is slightly muddled at times, one of the only drawbacks to an otherwise fine soundtrack.
RV cruises onto Blu-ray with several bonus features. First up is a "telestrator" commentary track with Director Barry Sonnenfeld. As he comments about the movie, sharing behind-the-scenes tidbits on how the film was made and discussing the professionalism and qualities of his cast, drawings appear on the screen to reinforce some of the points he makes. This style of commentary is also available on another of Sonnenfeld's movies on Blu-ray, Men in Black. Five featurettes represent the only other extras on the disc. Barry Sonnenfeld: The Kosher Cowboy (1080p, 9:14) features the cast and crew patting their director on the back and discussing his unique approach to filmmaking. JoJo: The Pop Princess (1080p, 4:55) looks at the style and performance of actress and pop star JoJo Levesque. RV Nation: The Culture of Road Warriors (1080p, 11:34) features the cast and crew discussing life in a recreational vehicle. Robin Williams: A Family Affair (1080p, 5:15) examines the contributions and comedic style of the film's star. Finally, The Scoop on Poop (1080p, 3:49) looks at the film's "fecal matter" joke.
RV is harmless entertainment, but it's entertainment that doesn't really entertain. The pacing is sluggish, the jokes mostly unfunny, and the material stale and no better or no worse than the plethora of poorly-scripted family Comedies of recent vintage. Robin Williams delivers an uninspired performance that is never an embarrassment but never challenges the actor, either. There are far worse movies out there, particularly within its own genre, but few are as mundane and forgettable as RV. Sony brought RV to the Blu-ray market early in the life cycle of the format, and its presentation holds up nicely even today. The image is sharp and stable and the sound is surprisingly robust. Sony has included a few bonus materials to boot. RV isn't a movie to completely avoid, but it's only worth a rental when the family has exhausted most other options suitable for movie night.
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