6 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
A goofy Korean finds his life hopelessly complicated with people continually confusing him with Bruce Lee.
Starring: Johnny Yune, Margaux Hemingway, Martin Azarow, Tony Brande, Bill CapizziMartial arts | 100% |
Comedy | Insignificant |
Action | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 (48kHz, 24-bit)
BDInfo
None
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 2.5 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 3.0 | |
Extras | 1.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
“They Call Me Bruce?” is a difficult film to understand, and perhaps it helps to be reminded that the production is from 1982, where stereotype-based humor was in its waning years, finding audiences growing tired of jokes that reinforced ugly ideas about race and foreign cultures. The screenplay strives to get in a few final hits before the window of opportunity closes, with director Elliot Hung seemingly have a ball staging this action comedy, which emerges as a purely cartoon understanding of East meets West clichés, striving to add a serious dollop of Looney Tunes to an already manic creation. “They Call Me Bruce?” isn’t a movie that’s ideal for a casual viewing, demanding an understanding of the time and place in which it was created, but for those capable of leaping over the effort’s questionable taste in jokes, perhaps there’s a wily creation in here somewhere that supplies sufficient entertainment value.
While packaging boasts a "Brand new 2017 HD master," "They Call Me Bruce?" isn't a pretty picture to begin with. The AVC encoded image (1.78:1 aspect ratio) presentation favors softness, initially to help with flashback material, but sharpness isn't the production's goal, delivering a periodically hazy viewing experience. Clarity isn't completely removed, as certain sequences look better than others, and close-ups retain some texture. Set decoration is also available for inspection. Colors are adequate, never explosive, at their best with period costuming and bar interiors, which highlight glowing hues. Skintones are satisfactory. Delineation is decent. Source has its share of wear and tear, with the occasional splice marks and lines of damage, and speckling is present.
Also dealing with low-budget filmmaking standards is the sound, with the 2.0 DTS-HD MA mix coming through slightly muffled, challenging the clarity of dialogue exchanges as they're filtered through a multitude of accents and comedic timing. Nothing is completely lost, with one-liners defined enough to pass, but vocal sharpness is never achieved. Scoring is also dulled, but supportive with the wacky antics, seldom overpowering the performances. Sound effects are blunt and loud. Hiss carries throughout the listening event.
There are a few bright spots in the picture, with Huntington confident and bruising as Anita, while Hemingway also showcases some surprising toughness in action sequences, tossing around her co-stars. And Yune does what he can with the starring role, enjoying a chance to play as silly as possible with ancient one-liners, turning Bruce into a Borscht Belt comic who periodically has to fight his way out of a jam. Hong also handles the film's stunt work well, keeping things lively during car chases and brawls. "They Call Me Bruce?" is dated and should be viewed as a relic of the era, but even with an appropriate headspace, it's just not all that funny, cranking up dismal humor to such a degree, it tuckers out long before it's over.
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2020
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1991
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