Dom Robinson reviews

Distributed by

Columbia TriStar

Cat.no: CDR 96100

Cert: 12

Running time: 97 minutes

Year: 1997

Pressing: 1999

Region(s): 2, PAL

Chapters: 36 plus extras

Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1, Dolby Surround

Languages: English, German

Subtitles: 14 different languages available

Widescreen: 1.85:1

16:9-Enhanced: Yes

Macrovision: Yes

Disc Format: DVD 5

Price: £19.99

Extras : Scene index, Theatrical trailer, Filmographies

Director:

Marco Brambilla (Demolition Man)

Producers:

Bill Borden and Carolyn Kessler

Screenplay:

Max D. Adams, Dick Clement & Ian La Frenais

John Lurie

Cast:

Emily T. Hope: Alicia Silverstone (The Babysitter, Batman and Robin, Clueless, The Crush, Hideaway, Le Nouveau Monde, True Crime (1995))
Vincent Roche: Benicio Del Toro (Basquiat, The Fan, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Fearless, Licence To Kill, Swimming with Sharks, The Usual Suspects)
Raymond Perkins: Christopher Walken (Annie Hall, Antz, Batman Returns, Biloxi Blues, The Deer Hunter, Last Man Standing, Pulp Fiction, Things To Do In Denver..., Touch, True Romance, A View To A Kill, Wayne's World 2)
Greg Kistler: Harry Connick, Jr. (Copycat, Hope Floats, Independence Day, Little Man Tate, Memphis Belle)

Excess Baggage headlines Alicia Silverstone, who must be one of the youngest actresses to start her own production company, as Emily T. Hope, a spoilt rich girl who attempts to get some recognition from her father by faking her own kidnapping and locking herself inside a car boot, settings things up so that it won't be long before she's rescued and her mission is accomplished. Things don't go to plan and the car is inadvertently stolen by Benecio Del Toro, soon followed by Emily's sinister ex-CIA 'uncle' Christopher Walken who is sent to track her down. Crooner Harry Connick Jr. also puts in an appearance as Del Toro's partner-in-crime.

The trailer makes this appear to be a laugh-a-minute comedy and from that it's disappointing as it has a few comic moments but spends most of its time plodding along from one scene to another. Plus the concept of a romance occuring between a kidnapper and his 'victim' is a well-worn one and one that came off a lot better in 1994's The Chase starring Charlie Sheen and Kirsty Swanson. Del Toro gives his usual trademark mumbles throughout the film and even Walken, one of the best performers in his class, gives a performance he could've phoned in.

Things don't improve later either as predictable double-cross follows predictable double-cross, culminating in an ending that's predictable. I hope I'm not being predictable by using the word predictable again...

The picture quality is almost spot-on with only minor artifacts occasionally on view but which won't be noticeable from the usual viewing distance. The film is presented in its original theatrical ratio of 1.85:1 and the average bitrate is5.10 Mb/s, occasionally going over 7Mb/s. The print is also enhanced for 16:9 widescreen televisions - thus allowing for 33% higher resolution.

The sound is fine and available in both Dolby Digital 5.1 and Dolby Surround, but nothing major happens on the soundtrack and there's only a trace of typical American AOR in this, the sort of film expected to be chock-full of them. However, it does include the superb One Headlight by The Wallflowers, possibly one of the best "road movie"-style songs of all time.

Extras :

Chapters/Theatrical Trailers :

Languages/Subtitles :

Filmographies :

Menu :

Upon selecting the "Start Movie" option, you'll first see a "Sony Pictures DVD Center" logo, followed by the Dolby Digital helicopter trailer, the copyright logo and then the film itself.

Overall, if you like this film and you're not bothered about extras then it's worth a look. Auf Wiedersehen Pet's creators Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais have been uncredited script-doctors on a few occasions in the Hollywood movie industry including high-octane thrillers such as The Rock, bringing much more comedy into a film than there normally is, but they were certainly having an off-day when they were employed for this film. It's also disappointing is that this film has a lot less going for it than another film by the same director, Marco Brambilla, one of my favourite action-comedies of the 90's, Demolition Man.

FILM	 		: *
PICTURE QUALITY		: ****½
SOUND QUALITY		: ***
EXTRAS			: **
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OVERALL			: **½

Review copyright © Dominic Robinson, 1999.