Blu-Ray Review: ‘TUCKER & DALE VS. EVIL’

November 29th finally brings home Tucker & Dale vs. Evil courtesy of Magnet Releasing/Magnolia Home Entertainment on DVD & Blu-Ray. Below, we review the Blu-Ray release of the film. Tucker & Dale vs. Evil has had a rough road since it premiered at Sundance 2010. It would later show at other film festivals in hopes of gaining some sort of distribution. By the end of 2010, the film didn’t find any distribution. When fans began asking around where the film went and if they were ever going to see it, a workprint started to make its rounds on the internet. Regardless, Magnet Releasing took notice and would release the film in a Video On Demand and limited theatrical release in September/October 2011.

The Movie

Tucker (Alan Tudyk) and Dale (Tyler Labine) venture to their vacation home, a cabin in the woods, loaded with cans of beer and the intent of a relaxing weekend of fishing. That is, until some obnoxious college students come into their vacation spot and mistake them for murderous hillbilies after one of their friends, Allison (Katrina Bowden), is “captured” by them. The troubled teens set to rescue Allison and kill Tucker and Dale.

Tucker & Dale vs. Evil is directed by first time filmmaker Eli Craig. Much of the film shouldn’t be discussed to hold some of the element of surprise for your first viewing. Suffice it to say that this is more of a comedy than a horror film. What Craig does with the story, which he co-wrote with Morgan Jurgenson, is pretty damn clever and humorous. By using the already familiar formula of teens going out to the woods the writers basically addresses something that might be more interesting than the end product which is: What if the kids being terrorized is a big misunderstanding?

The joke is pretty funny for the first half of the film and we see these kids get killed in pretty gruesome ways. One of the funniest lines of the film is from Tucker with “There we were minding our own business, just doing chores around the house, when kids started killing themselves all over my property.” It is a hilarious situation for horror fans to watch these two guys try to prevent these bad things from happening. However, the fates for these kids already seems determined and there is no way to get around it. Sadly, the joke runs thin within the last half and the fact that we really don’t get familiar with the college students is kind of a negative. It is a lot to juggle because part of you wants it to play out like a normal horror/slasher film yet the angle they are trying to execute makes the audience familiarize themselves with Tucker & Dale.

The Presentation

Magnet Releasing/Magnolia Home Entertainment deliver the film on Blu-Ray with a excellent transfer. The film was shot digitally on Red Cameras so the transfer is pretty well done. With the transfer being, more than likely, a digital source to digital transfer, the film is near flawless. However, I have seen better more clear transfers from other films shot with the Red cameras, namely The Social Network, but the clarity is very present and I don’t believe that this is a questionable transfer as many elements could have been done, or not been done, to make me believe that this is only a near flawless transfer instead of a flawless one. The audio soundtrack delivers in a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 Sound Mix that really only utilizes the subwoofer and the back speakers when there is any chase and/or kill sequences, which is proper.

Special Features

While most Magnet/Magnolia releases usually get just some HDNet features and a Theatrical Trailer (excluding the amazing Hobo With A Shotgun) however they put some extra stuff on this release. There is a feature called Tucker & Dale are Evil that actually reedits the movie to what we can assume is the point of view from the college kids in a 17 minute version. Also included is a humorous commentary with Tudyk, Craig and Labine as well as a Making of.

Overall

Tucker & Dale vs. Evil is a lot of fun but can wear out it’s humor to some after the first half. Still, it’s a recommended watch and the Blu-Ray is the best representation of the film.