Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		2.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.0

Twins Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf November 10, 2020

“Twins” is a 1988 endeavor from director Ivan Reitman, and it’s the king of high concept comedies. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito play twin brothers. Boom, done. One doesn’t need much more than that to sell the picture to the masses, but the screenplay (credited to four writers) is certainly in the mood to provide a full buffet of tones and gags to help support the display of sheer star power. What initially appears to be a gentle offering of brotherly love somehow turns into semi-violent study of crime, blended with something of a love story and frosted with parental concern. “Twins” is all over the place, but it remains a charming offering from Reitman, who understands that all he really needs is time with Schwarzenegger and DeVito, with their natural screen presence and different thespian skills making a little magic for the helmer.

Created from a special genetic experiment and raised on a South Pacific island, Julius (Arnold Schwarzenegger) has just learned he has a twin brother living in Los Angeles, soon setting out to meet his sibling and solve the mystery of his lost mother. What Julius finds is Vincent (Danny DeVito), a small-time crook in deep with mobsters, looking for a major payday to clear his debts. At first baffled by Julius’s story, Vincent soon realizes the truth, but temptation is too much, eventually involved in the theft of a car with a special device in its trunk. As hitman Webster (Marshall Bell) sets out to retrieve the stolen vehicle, Vincent sets out to sell the mystery machine for a fortune, taking Julius, girlfriend Linda (Chloe Webb), and her sister Marnie (Kelly Preston) along for the ride, hoping to find some family closure on the way to Houston.

Pairing Schwarzenegger and DeVito offers Reitman a chance to play with obvious differences in size and demeanor, with “Twins” the first real comedy offering from the bulky action star, taking a chance to change his image a bit as Julius. The picture doesn’t miss a chance to remind viewers of the shared DNA absurdity, but the writing tries to reach beyond big and small jokes, creating a few subplots for the director to juggle while keeping his camera on the stars for as long as possible. The hunt for mom proves to be the most compelling source of motivation, following the brothers as they get to know each other, learning about similarities and personal history, with both men needing to understand where they came from after being denied the truth for so long. There’s softness here that’s appealing, and the actors are clearly having a ball playing up the twins angle, with DeVito wiggly and aggressive as Vincent, while Schwarzenegger is offered a chance to play an innocent, with Julius highly educated, but new to the L.A. lifestyle. The twosome is utterly perfect here, making the central relationship credible and selling select moments of goofy humor like pros.

Criminal entanglements strain “Twins,” with the stolen car subplot largely unnecessary, positioned in the story to add suspense and action, keeping up with industry trends. Bell makes a fine heavy, but one side of the feature is all brotherly love, virginal discoveries for Julius, and mom, while the other highlights gunplay, flashes of graphic violence, and dead bodies. “Twins” doesn’t need the heaviness, doing fine with reunion time and the quest for identity, which provides the material with the emotionality it’s looking for. Reitman and Schwarzenegger would attempt to replicate the sweet-and-sour formula for 1990’s “Kindergarten Cop,” having better luck with that enjoyably bizarre effort.

Twins Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

"Twins" was the highest grossing release from Universal Pictures in 1988, ending up the fifth highest grossing movie of the film year (sandwiched between "Big," and "Crocodile Dundee II"). Despite such success and enduring fanbase, the feature is only now making its debut on Region A Blu-ray, with Universal weirdly denying the selling potential of the hit picture. Shout Factory tries their best to do something with "Twins," but a fresh scan wasn't provided for a 2020 release, forcing the company to work with a master that looks like it was created during the Clinton Administration. The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) is old and flat, though efforts are made to give it some appeal. Detail isn't there for an already softly shot endeavor, and while waxiness isn't an issue, screen textures aren't alive and grain is zombified, looking unnatural. Dimension doesn't come through, and facial surfaces aren't defined to satisfaction. Colors offer mild period hues, with pinks and reds passable, but the overall palette is aged. Delineation is prone to moments of solidification, and some clipping is detected. Again, Shout Factory tries to smack the source into something appealing, but they can't shake age-related issues.

Twins Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix secures dialogue exchanges with comfortable clarity, offering crisp performances that highlight active behavior and Schwarzenegger's thick accent. Musical efforts deliver enjoyable volume and clear instrumentation, and soundtrack cuts supply clean beats and sharp guitars, along with defined vocals. Atmospherics aren't powerful, but street activity is understood, and outdoor expanse is communicated.

Twins Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• "Delivering 'Twins'" (15:41, HD) is a video conference interview with director Ivan Reitman, who shares the initial idea for the film, developing the script after spending time with stars Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito. Reitman goes deeper into the casting of Schwarzenegger, who was interested in working with the "'Ghostbusters' guy," but needed some help to adjust to a looser style of shooting, with the helmer aiming for a semi-improvisational style DeVito mastered long ago. The interviewee explores his push to find acting styles and chemistry with the leads, along with co-stars Chloe Webb and Kelly Preston, who passed away mere days before this conversation. Reitman reflects on "Twins" after rewatching the feature for the interview, offering memories of the time and his quest to capture the heart of the story. He also mentions the moment he first realized the whole concept was going to work. Road movie challenges are detailed, and sustained interest in a sequel is highlighted, with Reitman sounding like he's still interested in pursuing the long-rumored "Triplets."

• "Conceiving 'Twins'" (8:29, HD) is an interview with co-writer Herschel Weingrod, who was initially hired by Ivan Reitman to fix the original script for "Twins" in a hurry before DeVito and Schwarzenegger lost interest. Tasked with adding something new, the quest for Julius and Vincent's mother was included, bringing heart to the material. Weingrod recalls his research into twins and their habits, and his drive to learn more about Schwarzenegger's voice, playing to his strengths as an actor. DeVito as well. The interviewee's working relationship with Reitman is recalled, along with memories of the experience. Most interesting is a bit of candor from Weingrod, who admits to feeling left out of "Triplets" development, never asked to collaborate on the screenplay.

• Still Gallery (7:24) collects film stills, publicity shots, and BTS snaps.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (1:23, SD) is included.

Twins Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Twins" is best served with softness and shenanigans between the brothers, giving the stars room to play, which they do with enthusiasm. Reitman sets the pace early on, and gets the story where it needs to go, fumbling a few ideas along the way, but he never tanks the movie. It's a showcase for Schwarzenegger and DeVito, and that's all "Twins" really has to be. Attempts to butch the film up with hostile encounters only inspires a wish for more one-on-one time with two of the oddest siblings in Hollywood history.