Armed and Dangerous Blu-ray Review

Image Entertainment’s release of "Armed and Dangerous" on Blu-ray showcases a consistent, natural quality characteristic of the distributor's catalog titles, emphasizing an unaltered, clean presentation that retains the original film grain. The 1080p/AVC-encoded transfer does justice to this '80s comedy, maintaining a visual authenticity with only minimal signs of chroma noise, which may only be noticeable on larger screens or upon closer viewing. The absence of noise reduction and edge enhancement contributes to a transfer that respects the source material's integrity, even if it won't astonish viewers with its clarity. While the overall image might come across as soft due to the grainy film stock, preventing ultra-fine textures from emerging, close-up shots provide a decent level of detail surpassing that of standard DVD quality. Colors are well-balanced, avoiding over-saturation, and contrast levels are commendable, making this transfer a solid upgrade without veering into restoration territory.

The Blu-ray’s visual reproducibility shines in its accurate and healthy flesh tones and notably improved color palette, enhancing the film’s comedic and vibrant atmosphere without tipping into artificiality. The enhancement of bold colors and primaries adds a delightful visual appeal, with fine object details and textures becoming more discernible, lending a surprising degree of depth considering the film's age and genre. Night scenes and backgrounds benefit from a subtle grain presence, enhancing visibility without detracting from the overall quality. Remarkably accurate contrast and brightness levels ensure crisp whites and deep blacks, contributing to an image depth and dimensionality that bolsters the viewing experience. This blend of modest yet appreciable technical improvements renders the "Armed and Dangerous" high-definition transfer satisfactorily enjoyable for both fans and newcomers to this lighthearted John Candy vehicle.

Image Entertainment's Blu-ray release of "Armed and Dangerous" presents the film with an uncompressed Linear PCM 2.0 stereo soundtrack that, while not groundbreaking, adequately serves its purpose. Despite the absence of a lush 5.1 surround makeover—a process that would demand more resources than is typically allocated for a comedy of this era—the audio offers a straightforward experience. The action sequences, including shoot-outs and car chases, appear somewhat restrained in their auditory impact. The dynamic range tends toward the flat side, with a noticeable lack of deep bass contribution, leaving the explosions feeling less than thunderous. Nevertheless, the soundtrack retains a charming '80s essence, replete with distinctive synth and bass elements, ensuring the dialogue remains crisp and without auditory imperfections such as hiss or muffling. Subtitle options include English SDH and Spanish for accessibility.

The stereo mix, largely centered around the dialogue, manages to be clear and well-prioritized, ensuring every word of the comedic banter is intelligible. Attempts to broaden the audio landscape through ambient effects offer a modicum of spatial enhancement, achieving decent separation that adds to the viewing enjoyment without distracting. Although the soundscape does not deliver a deeply immersive experience due to the limited use of low bass frequencies, it incorporates sufficient depth during action scenes to maintain engagement. The mid-range performance stands out for its stability and clarity, particularly in moments where subtle sound details come to the forefront.

In summary, while "Armed and Dangerous" on Blu-ray won't dazzle audiophiles seeking a sonic spectacle, its PCM stereo track provides an acceptable auditory counterpart to the visual content. The focus on clear dialogue and period-specific musical stylings, coupled with modest efforts to introduce ambient depth, results in a sound presentation that supports the film's comedic endeavors without overshadowing them. The overall audio experience is competent, ensuring that the film's humor and action are conveyed effectively to its audience.

The "Armed and Dangerous" Blu-ray release has arrived, but it presents a stark landscape for those seeking the rich, added value that typically comes with extras. This edition is notably threadbare, offering none of the behind-the-scenes looks, director's commentaries, deleted scenes, or even the basic inclusion of trailers that aficionados of physical media have come to expect. It's a straightforward, film-only affair, which may disappoint collectors and fans looking for a deeper dive into the creation and context of the film. The lack of supplementary material is a missed opportunity to enrich the viewing experience and provide insights into the movie's production, cast, and crew.

Extras included in this disc:

• None available: This release comes without any bonus features.

"Armed and Dangerous," starring the late, great John Candy alongside SCTV alumnus Eugene Levy, delves into the realm of buddy cop comedies with a unique blend of humor, albeit with mixed results. Directed by Mark L. Lester, known for his early ventures into action cinema, this film marks an interesting, though not entirely successful, detour into comedy during the mid-80s. Candy's portrayal of Frank Dooley, an amiable but clumsy ex-LAPD officer, alongside Levy's depiction of the skittish lawyer Norman Kane, provides for an engaging enough duo, albeit within a narrative that struggles to fully utilize their comedic talents. The inclusion of Meg Ryan in a supporting yet underdeveloped role does little to elevate the proceedings, reflecting a script that, while laced with potential comedy gold, often fails to mine it to its fullest.

The film's humor largely derives from a series of slapstick and situational comedy set pieces, such as accidental encounters in a courtroom and misadventures at a toxic waste dump, which showcase the chemistry between Candy and Levy. However, the action-comedy fails to maintain a consistent pace, with some jokes feeling forced and the overarching crime mystery lacking engagement. Despite these critiques, "Armed and Dangerous" stands out for its nostalgic charm and a handful of memorable moments that capitalize on the leads' comedic strengths. The screenplay, credited to a team including Brian Grazer and Harold Ramis, offers glimpses of cleverness but ultimately leaves Candy and Levy wandering through a plot that underutilizes their potential.

Visually, the Blu-ray presentation brings Lester's vision to life with satisfactory quality, though it is clear that "Armed and Dangerous" does not represent the pinnacle of anyone's career involved. It is positioned awkwardly between Candy's more iconic roles and Lester's earlier, more critically acclaimed action efforts. Nevertheless, for fans of 80s comedies and those with an appreciation for John Candy's irreplaceable charm, the film delivers enough laughs to warrant a watch. Despite its shortcomings, the movie revels in its campiness and provides a light-hearted viewing experience that captures a moment in the careers of its stars and director.

Armed and Dangerous, despite being a less-remembered chapter in John Candy's illustrious comedic career, finds itself in a modest Blu-ray revival that could attract Candy aficionados. The film, directed by Mark L. Lester and co-starring Eugene Levy, Meg Ryan, and Robert Loggia, delivers an 80s action comedy that is mildly amusing with a few scattered laughs. While the movie itself may not be considered among Candy's finest, it offers enough charm to serve as a casual watch during a lackluster afternoon. The Blu-ray edition features a solid if understated audio and video upgrade, making it appealing for those looking to relive the film in better quality, albeit with a caveat that the release is fairly minimal in terms of additional content.

The technical aspects of the Blu-ray, while not groundbreaking, present a strong case for those interested in the visual and auditory experience of revisiting an 80s classic. The video and audio enhancements breathe new life into the film, ensuring that long-time fans and possibly new viewers will appreciate the improvements over previous formats. However, the bare-bones nature of the release might leave some wanting more in terms of special features or in-depth retrospectives on the film's production and legacy.

In conclusion, the Blu-ray release of Armed and Dangerous stands as a cautious recommendation primarily aimed at John Candy's loyal fanbase or those with a soft spot for 80s action comedies. While it boasts commendable video and audio improvements, the overall package may not justify a purchase for the casual viewer given its sparse additional content. It functions best as a nostalgic trip down memory lane or an easy-going entertainment option when the pickings are slim.