Bad Ass Blu-ray Review

The Blu-ray release of "Bad Ass" delivers a surprisingly robust 1080p/AVC encode, considering its low-budget origins and generally lackluster plot. Presented in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio, the film demonstrates impressive clarity and sharpness throughout. Every wrinkle and pore on Danny Trejo's iconic face is crisply resolved, offering a detailed visual experience. The color palette, while not spectacular, maintains consistency and contrast stability, sacrificing some shadow detail for a deliberately punchy aesthetic. There's an artificial grain applied in post-production that enhances the grindhouse effect, contributing to a slightly noisy image that seems intentional rather than detrimental.

Despite a few minor setbacks, such as mediocre slow-motion sequences with noticeable ghosting artifacts and stutter—likely due to post-production interpolation—the overall video quality achieves excellent clarity and resolution. Strong black levels and good shadow delineation contribute to the transfer's dimensionality, giving it a nice visual pop even if nighttime scenes are less impressive. With no significant distractions like edge enhancement or detail-smearing DNR, the video presentation of "Bad Ass" is reliably solid and serves the movie well, making this Blu-ray a pleasing watch despite its digital HD camera origins.

The Blu-ray of "Bad Ass" features a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track that delivers a capable, yet standard, audio experience. The soundtrack excels during intense fight scenes, where body blows are accentuated with deep LFE-enhanced thumps resonating through the rear channels. However, the mix falls short of creating a truly immersive environment, although it does manage to bring ample ambience and presence to the low-budget material. Todd Haberman's score is consistently clear and moderately engaging, while the film’s theme song, "I'mA Bad Ass" by Kid Frost & Big Tank, stands out for its upfront, albeit somewhat abrasive, nature.

Despite the generally front-heavy presentation, moments where music envelopes the soundstage are noteworthy. The sound selection broadens the field with a well-defined mid-range and a satisfying low-end that infuses the room with rich, deep bass. Vocals are distinctly prioritized and maintain clarity and separation across the channels, contributing to the mix's overall welcoming presence. The rear channels provide minimal engagement apart from occasional minor bleed-throughs of the score, insufficient to extend or deeply immerse the listener but still delivering an enjoyable high-resolution experience. Additionally, dialogue is consistently clean and understandable throughout, with optional English SDH, Spanish, and French subtitles available for those who need them.

The extras on the Blu-ray of "Bad Ass" provide a modest but informative behind-the-scenes look into the film's creation. The Audio Commentary Featuring Craig Moss delivers an enthusiastic overview of the development process from YouTube concept to feature-length film. Craig Moss, the film's writer and director, provides insights into the plot origins, casting experiences, filming locations, and production challenges, offering an easy listen for committed fans. Meanwhile, the Birth of a Bad Ass promo featurette offers concise interviews with Moss and lead actor Danny Trejo. This segment focuses on the original YouTube video that inspired the movie, adding context for viewers. Although brief, these extras offer enough substance to be noteworthy.

Extras included in this disc:

• Audio Commentary Featuring Craig Moss: The film's writer and director enthusiastically discusses stretching the YouTube video into a feature film.
• Birth of a Bad Ass: A short promo featuring interviews with Moss and Danny Trejo.

"Bad Ass," inspired by the viral video of Vietnam veteran Thomas Bruso, adapts the internet phenomenon into a contemporary exploitation film starring Danny Trejo. Directed by Craig Moss, the movie is a mixed bag of clichés and drawn-out plot points. Moss recycles the essence of Bruso's moment of fame, transforming it into a narrative that blends moments of vigilante justice with a fictional dramatization. Trejo portrays Frank Vega, a Hispanic Vietnam vet thrust into the limelight after defending an elderly black man from skinhead attackers. The plot thickens with a formulaic twist as Vega's friend Klondike is murdered, prompting Vega to seek justice in a city rife with corruption.

Technically, the film struggles to find its footing, toggling between half-baked drama and underwhelming action sequences. Despite an attempt to channel classic grindhouse energy, "Bad Ass" falls short on excitement and narrative coherence. The introduction of antagonists, notably Charles S. Dutton’s Panther and Ron Perlman's crooked mayor, fails to generate significant tension or engagement. The film employs numerous plot devices seen frequently in the genre, such as Vega's vigilante quest which involves interrogating locals and uncovering a conspiracy centered around a sought-after flash drive. The inclusion of a bus vs bus chase scene, blatantly lifted from Schwarzenegger's "Red Heat," highlights the movie’s reliance on past cinematic tropes rather than originality.

While "Bad Ass" aims to capture the spirit of vintage action thrillers, its uneven tone and unremarkable direction diminish its potential. By occasionally injecting humor and self-aware quips, it tries to break up the monotony but ultimately delivers an experience that feels flat. Despite Danny Trejo’s familiar tough-guy persona, the movie is a middling tribute to its internet origins, appealing primarily to die-hard fans of low-budget action flicks rather than casual viewers seeking substantial entertainment.

"Bad Ass" is a film inspired by a captivating YouTube video where a senior citizen earns viral acclaim by standing up to troublemakers on a bus. Starring Danny Trejo and Charles S. Dutton, the storyline centers around Trejo's character seeking justice for his best friend's murder. The film merges elements of classic revenge/vigilante action with contemporary urban settings, driving it forward with a mix of old-school style and humor. However, it struggles to find a cohesive tone, vacillating between farcical and serious. As a result, it misses opportunities to either fully embrace an over-the-top exploitation film vibe or delve deeply into the socio-cultural implications of its premise.

The Blu-ray presentation of "Bad Ass" is technically solid, offering very good audio and video quality. The high-definition transfer captures the gritty aesthetic effectively, while the soundtrack provides clear dialogue alongside dynamic action sequences. However, the disc falls short in the realm of extra features, providing only a limited set of supplements that does little to expand on the film's production or thematic concerns. Fans of low-budget action flicks might still find value in the basic entertainment offered by the main feature, even if the overall package lacks extensive behind-the-scenes content.

In conclusion, "Bad Ass" gets its tone all wrong. It fails to decide whether to push its narrative into absurdity or tackle its story with more depth and realism. While the Blu-ray offers a competent technical presentation, the sparse bonus content makes it less appealing for those seeking more than just the main feature. Those looking for an engrossing action film may want to consider other options, as this release doesn't fully deliver either as a substantive drama or an over-the-top action-comedy. Ultimately, "Bad Ass" is more likely to leave viewers disappointed than entertained.