5.9 | / 10 |
Users | 3.8 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.2 |
When childhood buddies Dan, a successful but neurotic doctor; Jerry, a business high-flier on the edge of burnout; and Tom, a Harley-riding wild child; reunite in Oregon at their friend Billy's funeral, their reunion kicks off more than a little nostalgia. While reminiscing in their childhood tree house, the trio discovers that Billy had been pursuing their boyhood dreams of finding legendary bank robber D.B. Cooper's $200,000 stash. Now with the map Billy left behind and a cereal box compass, Dan, Jerry and Tom decide to fulfill their friend's dream and go on a canoe trip to find Cooper's cash. But when they find themselves hassled by the sheriff at "the corner of Podunk and "you-got-a-purty-mouth," treed by a huge brown bear who mistakes one of them for her cub, chased by vicious Rottweilers named Lynyrd and Skynyrd, hunted as prey by pot farmers whose crop they accidentally destroy, and battling terrifying rapids down a raging river in a canoe about to plummet over a waterfall, they begin to wonder which of their ideas was worse -- searching in the wilderness for Cooper's cash, or believing it ever existed in the first place.
Starring: Seth Green, Matthew Lillard, Dax Shepard, Ethan Suplee, Abraham BenrubiComedy | 100% |
Adventure | Insignificant |
Mystery | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: Dolby TrueHD 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
French: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
English, English SDH, French, Portuguese, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region free
Movie | 2.5 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 3.0 | |
Extras | 2.5 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
I don't have to outrun the bear, I just have to outrun you.
Moderate-to-low expectations meet movies like Without a Paddle, a 2004 nature Comedy
that offers up a surprisingly watchable story that nicely balances humor, action, and drama.
While by no means a diamond-in-the-rough, Without a Paddle accomplishes what it sets
out to do, and delivers a far more palatable experience than its dreadful sequel, a film that basically
rehashes the plot of its predecessor but loses every last bit of charm and wit in the process.
Without a Paddle works because the humor plays in context of the story; rarely is it
forced into the film for the sake of a cheap laugh. Supported by suitably good performances from
its trio of leads -- Seth Green (Can't Hardly Wait),
Dax Shepard (Employee of the
Month), and Matthew Lillard (In the Name of the King: A
Dungeon Siege Tale) -- Without a Paddle makes for an enjoyable, though not
at all memorable, Comedy experience.
Look, a paddle! I thought we were without.
Without a Paddle navigates onto Blu-ray with a nice-looking 1080p, 2.35:1-framed transfer. Another solid effort from Paramount, the image delivers a clean, crisp, sharp, and colorful viewing experience. Most every scene impresses, with a nice bit of depth and detail in both foreground and background images. Most impressive are the frayed, dirty clothes worn by the drug runners; the grease, tears, and general grime that cover them appears clearly visible and lifelike in close-up shots. Colors impress, too, the many greens of the grass, trees, and foliage appearing bold and natural. There are plenty of random anomalies seen on the print, including a plethora of white speckles, but this one is fairly clear in most every scene, with grain presence minimal at standard viewing distances. Lastly, flesh tones impress with a stable, natural hue, and blacks appear sufficiently deep and true. Without a Paddle continues the tradition of quality releases from Paramount.
Without a Paddle sinks onto Blu-ray with a Dolby TrueHD 5.1 lossless soundtrack. As to the pluses, the track features about what one might reasonably expect of a Comedy on Blu-ray. Primarily dialogue-driven, the spoken word plays crisply and clearly throughout. The track features a slight bit of ambience, primarily heard across the front. The rear speakers, generally, are used sparingly, though a few gunshots and sound effects spill into the back channels. The low end only comes to life once or twice, an explosion heard near the end of the film delivering the goods and serving as one of the more lively moments. Unfortunately, there is a lip synch issue that plagues a small part of the track. First noted around the 19-minute mark, dialogue is clearly a good half-second ahead of mouth movements. The disc was ejected from the player and re-inserted for verification, and the problem remained. A second copy of the film verified the problem. The issue appears much more prominent on a Panasonic BD-30 test machine but was also evident on a PlayStation 3 running the most recent firmware, though to such a lesser extent where it may not have even been noticed had the problem not occurred with the Panasonic. On both machines, the problem does not remain throughout the entirety of the film. Odd audio issue aside, the track delivers a decent listen that supports the film nicely enough.
Without a Paddle surfaces onto Blu-ray with an average selection of extras. First up is a commentary track with Director Steven Brill. The director speaks on the expected array of material, discussing the technical aspects behind the making of the film, behind-the-scenes trivia, the work of his trio of lead actors, the jokes, scenes excised from the film for pacing, the use of firearms in the film, and more. Also included is a video commentary with Brill and Actors Dax Shepard, Seth Green, and Matthew Lillard. Generally irrelevant but a fun listen, the participants thrive on delivering witty banter as they share their experiences in the making of the film. MTV's Making the Movie: 'Without a Paddle' (480p, 18:11) is a basic piece featuring cast and crew recounting the plot and reminiscing on the making of various scenes. Concluding the supplements are 13 deleted scenes (480p, 24:08) with optional director commentary, a collection of six MTV Interstitials (480p, 2:43), and the film's theatrical trailer (480p, 2:32).
Though certainly not the sort of film that will find its way onto all that many "top ten" lists or scheduled for archival with the National Film Preservation Board, Without a Paddle makes for a decent Comedy that satisfies in context, delivering a fun script, zany but not eye-rolling-inducing laughs, and solid acting from its trio of lead characters. Certainly far better than its copycat sequel, Without a Paddle should satisfy most any viewer in search of a completely innocent and lighthearted Comedy that serves no other purpose than to offer a 98-minute reprieve from the difficulties of life. Paramount's Blu-ray release of the film delivers a fine 1080p video transfer and a nice selection of bonus materials, but the audio track features a lip-sync problem that distracts when present but does not hinder the entire movie. Likewise, the severity of the issue seems dependent on the playback device utilized. Otherwise, the track delivers as-expected. Audio issue or not, Without a Paddle comes recommended as a rental only.
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