Meet The Fockers (HD-DVD)

 

Picture: B     Sound: B     Extras: C-     Film: C-

 

 

If I was no fan of Jay Roach’s Meet The Parents, I disliked the hit sequel Meet The Fockers even more, despite the addition of Barbra Streisand (who I like) and Dustin Hoffman.  However, sometimes all you have to do is follow the formula and you get another big hit, which is what Universal landed up with here.  My thoughts on the first film can be found in my HD-DVD review at this link:

 

http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/4770/Meet+The+Parents+(HD-DVD)

 

 

The twist here is that Hoffman and Streisand are the liberal parents and drive De Niro’s uptight character in particular nuts.  However, everything else is the same, safe and tired.  I am glad to see Hoffman and Streisand in a blockbuster again, something Streisand used to have at her peak all the time.  All in all, this is for fans only, if that.

 

Also almost the same, very similar and predictable is the performance of this disc.  The 1080p 1.85 X 1 digital High Definition image is not bad and better than DVD, but not stunning in any way, barely looking better than the first film.  The Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 mix is also above what you would get from standard Dolby, though the surrounds favor the score once again by Randy Newman.  Extras include yet another full length audio commentary by director Jay Roach & editor Jon Poll, 20 never-before-seen outtakes, 20 deleted scenes and five featurettes, repeating that of the widescreen DVD.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo