Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		2.5
Overall		3.5

The Brothers Grimsby Blu-ray Movie Review

Pig and elephant DNA just won't splice, but elephant seed and a couple of heroes? Watch and find out...

Reviewed by Martin Liebman July 1, 2016

There's raunchy, and then there's ridiculous, and then there's revolting, and then there's all three hand-in-hand in some cosmically absurd amalgamation of crazy. And then there's The Brothers Grimsby. Director Louis Leterrier's (The Incredible Hulk) film, from the devious mind of Sacha Baron Cohen (Borat, The Dictator), takes pride in several scenes of excess perversion scattered amongst an otherwise crude, but not always seriously distasteful, Action/Comedy. Hugely explicit "sex," which effectively amounts to incest and beastiality with some greater context to try and take the edge off without devolving into straight cringe-fest territory, dominate the movie at two key points, bundled into a flick that is otherwise unapologetically crude but rather funny in execution. The film simply takes two scenes too far, hindering an otherwise entertaining raunch-fest centered around reconnecting with family, a love of (obsession with) European football, killing bad guys, and saving the world, which, of course, involves a rather unique solution. Hey, it's all in a day's work for the man behind Brüno.

Ouch.

Nobby (Sacha Baron Cohen) loves life. His favorite soccer team is soaring, his wife (Rebel Wilson) is eager to have him, and his gaggle of kids are even pulling their weight by feigning disease to suck in some free cash from the government. But there's a hole in his life. He and his brother, Coddy, inseparable as children, have been separated for almost 30 years. Nobby hasn't given up hope in finding him. He's left his brother's room untouched. One day, he receives word that his bother might be nearby at a summit promoting a "world cure" headed up by a woman named Rhonda George (Penélope Cruz). Indeed, it turns out Nobby's bother (Mark Strong) is there. He's a special government operative, providing overwatch for the event and working to foil a possible assassination attempt on Ms. George. Unfortunately, his reunion with his brother couldn't have come at a worse time. The assassin's bullet misses its target but strikes an AIDS-infected young boy instead. Now, with the world's attention on a suddenly HIV-positive Daniel Radcliffe, the chase begins for Coddy and his brother, the former of whom is charged with the assassination attempt. The brothers are left with no choice but to fight their way to freedom and save the world from a diabolical plan to wipe out the lower rungs of society.

Sure, a couple of scenes are nearly too revolting to watch, even in the otherwise humorous context, but there's a pretty funny, though still distasteful, movie surrounding them. Trying out a mattress in the store in a more, uh, telling manner? A great moment. A poorly conceived tattoo, on multiple levels? Worth a good laugh. Taunting bad guys about riding in a bulletproof car by rolling down the window and literally lowering those defenses? It works. Misadventure at every turn, slowing down a secret agent with one bonehead decision after another? Endless laughs. Nearly very joke hits the spot. How bout the action? Some POV action scenes that look straight out of a Call of Duty game? Not bad, either. Nobby gets a gun, and likes it. Oh yes. Cohen knows his crude humor inside and out -- and literally inside in The Brothers Grimsby (which is oddly hard to write...these fingers keep wanting to type either The Brothers Grimm or The Great Gatsby or some combination of the two, but anyway) -- and it shows. The movie is sharp witted and well written. It takes Buddy Action movie tropes to a whole new level and scrapes the bottom of the barrel deeper than most any film before it. It's spot-on. It's just...too much. And too bad, too. It's a really fun, if not completely mindless, ride outside of about five minutes of yuck. But it's that yuck that sets it apart, for better or for worse.

The film's actual plot line is terribly routine. It's nothing more than a vehicle for the string of gags that relentlessly light up the screen, for better or for worse, as audiences root for the title characters as they return to their roots, en route to saving the world from the root of all evil: a group that sees other people as the root of all evil. The Brothers Grimsby lays into all sorts of tropes and genre mechanics, pushing extremes by utilizing all the weapons in its arsenal (and its arse) to save the day. The movie's joys come in a myriad of forms and fashions, including the supporting Grimsby townsfolk who live and breathe three things in life: Grimsby heritage, drink, and football. They're all excellent, often baring all for the cause. Sacha Baron Cohen and Mark Strong share wonderful chemistry. Though they don't resemble one another at all -- one is a beer-bellied slob with an IQ lower than the number of rounds in the handgun he comes to know and love and the other a clean-shaven hero with the build and wherewithal to get the job done -- they share an unmistakable brotherly bond, even through the most difficult personal, and external, trials and tribulations they face throughout the movie. Strong is particularly impressive. He's willing to go for broke in both of the film's over-the-top scenes while keeping a straight face and taking the adventure at face value, even if that means a face full of, well, um, elephant love juice?

The Brothers Grimsby Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The Brothers Grimsby features a top-shelf 1080p transfer. The digitally sourced image presents with impressive clarity and high yield detailing. Digital smoothness or glossiness are never a major concern. Textural elements impress, including standby telltale signs like faces and clothes but also broader image parameters like odds and ends objects and rougher surface details in Nobby's home or at his favorite watering hole. Colors are well balanced and naturally punchy. The palette never pushes too hot or cold; the transfer yields lifelike saturation across the board, even considering some of the more aggressive colors, like the practically neon green on police cars. Flesh tones appear natural and black levels hold deep and accurate. This is another first-class 1080p presentation from Sony.

The Brothers Grimsby Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The Brothers Grimsby penetrates sound systems with an aggressive and exciting DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack. The track impresses in every area of concern. Musical delivery is fluidly spaced and active through the stage, saturating the listening area with well defined notes throughout the entire range, supported by a prominent, but not overbearing low end support structure. Likewise, big action scenes take full advantage of the 5.1 configuration, soaking the stage in mayhem. Gunfire, explosions, zips and zooms, and all sorts of rowdy and raucous effects pack plenty of punch and, again, are supported by a healthy low end blast. Mild and aggressive ambient support likewise impress, particularly in more densely packed locales like a bar or sporting event. Dialogue delivery is clear and detailed with natural center positioning.

The Brothers Grimsby Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The Brothers Grimsby contains deleted and extended scenes as well as a couple of making-of features. A UV digital copy code is included with purchase.

• Line O Rama (1080p, 2:21): Humorous outtakes from various moments.
• Gag Reel (1080p, 2:34).
• Deleted Scenes (1080p, 8:54): Job Interview, Pump Up Speech, and Cardinal Burns Forensics.
• Extended Scenes (1080p, 9:02): Cargo Plane, Elephant Vagina, and Bath Tub.
• The Making of The Brothers Grimsby (1080p, 11:50): Writer/Executive Producer Phil Johnson, Director Louis Leterrier, Actor Sacha Boren Cohen, Actress Rebel Wilson, Actor Mark Strong, Producer Peter Baynham, Actor Johnny Vegas, Stunt Coordinator Adam Kirley, Special Effects Supervisor Steven Warner, Producer Todd Schulman, Actress Isla Fisher, Producer Anthony Hines, Actress Annabelle Wallis, Actor Ricky Tomlinson, and Actress Gabourey Sidibe discuss the film's origins, casting, character development, filiming locations and the creation of several scenes/stunts with interviews, and behind the scenes footage, all with movie scenes interspersed throughout.
• The Elephant in the Room (1080p, 4:21):Actor Sacha Boren Cohen, Director Louis Leterrier, Producer Peter Baynham, Prosthetics Coordinator Rob Carlisle, Special Effects Supervisor Steven Warner, and Actress Gabourey Sidibe discuss the elephant sex scene and how the filiming process worked both in the studio and in Africa.
• Previews: Additional Sony titles.

The Brothers Grimsby Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The Brothers Grimsby pushes all sorts of boundaries. It actually hits on most but goes too far on a couple. Outside of about five minutes of practically vomit inducing depravity, the movie proves quite funny in its quest to put a different spin on the buddy Action/Comedy genre. The cast is good and the script sharp, again save for a couple of over-the-top scenes. Sony's Blu-ray release of The Brothers Grimsby features top-shelf video and audio. Supplements are about average for a mid grade new release. Cautiously recommended to audiences with an iron constitution and no qualms about watching some of the most out-there scenes ever filmed.