Fired Up! (2009/Sony Blu-ray)

 

Picture: B     Sound: B     Extras: C-     Film: C- (unrated)/D (rated)

 

 

Teen comedies are a dime a dozen, with few hitting the mark and except for the occasional one that works (Superbad, Saved, Adventureland), they have not been the hits they always should have been, encouraging more bad films.  It is worse when there is a potentially good idea that collapses, which is exactly what happens with the ultimately lite Will Gluck entry Fired Up! (2009), whose amusing teaser had two giant varsity letters as initials for the title.  If only the film had been that bold.

 

Eric Christian Olsen and Nicholas D’Agosto are Nick and Shawn, best friends who decide they could do a better job meeting women and making high school less boring by skipping sports (football in this case) and join the cheerleading squad.  Despite some homophobia that could be connected to that, they are too busy girl watching and more, but the Freedom Jones script is lame, has few good points and is not even good as a dumb leave-your-brain-at-the-door affair despite believable chemistry from the male leads.

 

The cut version is PG-13, while the uncut version is on the R side and when you see a film turn out this bad, you wonder if censorship killed it.  Unfortunately, sheer inexperience did and uncut is the version anyone should consider, if that.  I liked the idea that they would suddenly be considered the great guys on the campus by hanging with the gals like this (helped by casting some of the prettiest young ladies we have seen parading in a film for a while), but this implodes early on and never recovers.  Even Philip Baker Hall can’t save it, so you know things went badly.

 

The 1080p 2.35 X 1 digital High Definition image is at least decent, if not great, with some motion blur and detail issues, but flesh tones are usually accurate (with plenty of scenes to show it) and it is better that some other films of its kind.  The Dolby TrueHD 5.1 mix is a little harsh and edgy throughout, hurting its performances, though dialogue is not badly recorded.  The combination is disappointing versus what it too could have been, but it could have been worse.

 

Extras include a Digital Copy DVD-ROM for PC and PC portable devices, BD Live interactive functions, unrated gag reel, three making of featurettes and feature length audio commentary by the director and male leads.  They seem to have tried, but forget it.  Maybe next time.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo