Rating summary
| Movie |  | 3.5 |
| Video |  | 3.0 |
| Audio |  | 4.0 |
| Extras |  | 0.0 |
| Overall | | 3.0 |
Something Big Blu-ray Movie Review
Reviewed by Brian Orndorf May 25, 2016
Emerging from the success of 1969’s “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,” 1971’s “Something Big” aims to sustain the freewheeling good times with another folksy western, this time pitting Dean Martin against Brian Keith. “Something Big” (which could inspire a drinking game, finding characters working the title into dialogue any chance they get) isn’t a dynamic production from director Andrew V. McLaglen (“The Wild Geese”), but it gets the job done thanks to the charms of the cast and its askew sense of frontier priority. The screenplay by James Lee Barrett isn’t always interested in Gatling gun action and chases, but pursues a lightly romantic tone as female characters become treasures to cowboys and military men, with the adventure straddling the border between America and Mexico.
Martin is always up for a good time, and his relaxed ways help “Something Big” achieve a comfort level that welcomes laughs and action. The tale concerns the daily dealings of outlaws and Army men struggling with female entanglements while hunting for a Mexican treasure, taking the emphasis off broad masculinity and squinty showdowns, keeping the vibe of the picture alert and pacing on the move, periodically stopping to reassess Wild West goals. Camaraderie is enjoyable, with performances taking control of the effort, easing dramatic demands until the final act, when a sense of severity returns to land “Something Big” with a touch of gravitas.
Something Big Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality
The AVC encoded image (1.78:1 aspect ratio) presentation struggles with erratic cinematography. Outdoor adventures tend to register with the most power, finding passable detail as distances are explored and leathery characters are surveyed, achieving a modest level of clarity that frequently battles with softness. Interiors are intentionally hazy, aggressively so at times, delivering bloomy whites. Colors are a tad faded, but costuming preserves more vibrant hues, and skintones remain appealing. Delineation isn't problematic outside of a day-for-night sequence. Source is in decent shape, but scratches and speckling remain.
Something Big Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality
The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix provides a clean listening experience that doesn't find much difficulty with dialogue exchanges, keeping voices detailed throughout. Scoring is also nicely balanced, supporting without disruption. Instrumentation remains appealing during the soundtrack cut as well. Atmospherics supply expanse, and action preserves snap, delivering heavier gunfire and explosions.
Something Big Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras
No supplementary material is included on this disc.
Something Big Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation
Substance isn't completely welcome here, and hilarity isn't achieved, but "Something Big" delivers a satisfying viewing experience that respects the essentials of western adventure while adding period-ready touches to help the effort compete in the marketplace, including a pop song written by Hal David and Burt Bacharach, meant to mirror "Butch Cassidy," or at least siphon a bit of the feature's success.
