Extract
(2009/Miramax Blu-ray)
Picture:
C+ Sound: C+ Extras: C Film: C+
After
pulling off the underrated (and possibly censored) Idiocracy back in 2006, I wondered if Mike Judge (Beavis & Butt-Head) may be on the
upswing as a director with something to say.
Instead, he goes back to Office
Space territory with mixed results in Extract
(2009), a tale of young executive Joel (Jason Bateman) caught in the wicked
crossfire of politics and opportunism when he is about to sell his flavor
extract company to a big multi-national corporation. Everyone sees change and opportunity in this
and none of it is going to help Joel one bit.
The
problem is that the humor is too obvious, the script by Judge too predictable
and the characters not developed enough for this to have any lasting
impact. Mila Kunis (Family Guy) is great live action as a con artist and is a plus
here, while Ben Affleck returns in a role that does nothing to help his career
and even Clifton Collins Jr. (Boondock
Saints II), J.K. Simmons, Beth Grant, Gene Simmons (of KISS) and Kristen (Saturday Night Live) Wiig can only do
so much to make it better.
The film
wants to be a sort of flipside to Office
Space, a film I was not as big a fan of as many others were, so fans should
see this film no matter what they read or hear.
However, this film simply got away from Judge and the rest is for you to
discover.
The 1080p
1.85 X 1 digital High Definition image was shot in what looks like digital
High-Def video and is very soft throughout with motion blur and detail issues
throughout. Director of Photography Tim
Suhrstedt, A.S.C., also lensed Idiocracy and Office Space, so the change has to
do with the technology used. If this is
filmed, this is a horrible Digital Internegative. The DTS-HD Master Audio (MA) 48/24 lossless
5.1 mix is also on the weak side, but only because this is so dialogue/joke
based. The recording is not bad overall,
but don’t expect much in the way of sonics or soundfield. Extras include Mike Judge’s Secret Recipe featurette and two Blu-ray exclusives in
Deleted Scenes and Extended Scenes.
- Nicholas Sheffo
