The Legend of Awesomest Maximus Blu-ray Review

The video presentation for "The Legend of Awesomest Maximus" on Blu-ray demonstrates both the strengths and weaknesses of the original footage shot with the Red One digital camera by John Darbonne. On a technical front, the clarity, detail, and absence of video noise are commendable, showcasing the virtues of the Red One system. The 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 encode consistently delivers sharp images, revealing fine details like facial textures and object nuances. However, this sharpness inadvertently accentuates the film's low-budget production values, which might not have been the intended effect. The visual sharpness highlights substandard CG effects and sets that seem suited for standard definition TV, making the overall image somewhat of an eyesore.

There are several notable technical challenges within the transfer. The film suffers from banding and noise on multiple occasions, and the excessive use of a generic sepia filter detracts from an otherwise decent color scheme. Black levels are generally deep but occasionally lead to crushing. Despite these shortcomings, the Blu-ray avoids common issues like DNR, edge enhancement, noise, aliasing, and artifacts. The overly indulgent opening credits sequence looks particularly impressive, thanks to its lifelike CG and effective visual depth. However, this high-quality start only serves to make the other CG effects in the movie look worse by comparison. Overall, while the Blu-ray presentation maintains technical fidelity, it unfortunately also highlights the film's low production values.

The audio presentation of "The Legend of Awesomest Maximus" on Blu-ray primarily features a single lossy format: English 5.1 Dolby Digital at a bitrate of 384 kbps. This is particularly notable considering the usual Blu-ray standard is 640 kbps, a specification well established for achieving quality almost indistinguishable from uncompressed audio. This anomaly likely points to budget constraints leading to the reuse of data files from the DVD production. Unsurprisingly, this has resulted in a decidedly lackluster audio experience.

From a technical perspective, the initial moments featuring the grand score and immersive imaging effects create an enticing expectation. This dynamic mix, however, proves to be fleeting. The sound design quickly deteriorates, failing to maintain early promise. The narration by Ludacris is exceptionally clear, benefiting from resonant bass and crispness, yet this starkly contrasts with the much softer dialogue of the characters, creating noticeable inconsistencies in volume levels that distract from immersion.

Moreover, the surround mix is underwhelming and front-heavy, contributing to an overall flat auditory experience. Battlefield effects and environmental sounds are virtually non-existent, with rare instances of ambient sounds like water barely utilizing the surround channels. Additionally, the score by Brian Glasgow makes no lasting impression, blending seamlessly into the mediocre soundscape. The editing severely limits any potential for an enveloping or atmospheric backdrop, leaving the listener unimpressed and disengaged.

The extras on the Blu-ray of "The Legend of Awesomest Maximus" offer a mixed bag of simplistic fun that aligns well with the irreverent nature of the film itself. Presented primarily in HD, the offerings include a theatrical trailer that remains as nonsensically amusing as the movie, and a bonus trailer for "Division III: Football's Finest," which matches the film’s comedic sensibilities. Notably, the trailers are presented in 1080p with a 1.78:1 aspect ratio. While these extras may not provide substantial behind-the-scenes insights, they serve as apropos extensions of the film's humor.

Extras included in this disc:

• Theatrical Trailer: Every bit as dumb as the film.
• Bonus Trailer: Trailer for Division III: Football's Finest, a similarly absurd movie.
• Trailer: An unrated trailer representing the film's tone accurately.

"The Legend of Awesomest Maximus" (AM) strives to emulate parodic greats like Mel Brooks' "Blazing Saddles" and the ZAZ team's "Airplane!", but fails to achieve their level of wit or craftsmanship. The movie attempts a satirical take on epic historical dramas such as "Troy," "300," and "Gladiator" but instead presents a slew of crude jokes and cliched gags. Primary cast members like Will Sasso, Kristanna Loken, and Rip Torn fail to draw any significant laughs as they navigate through a plot filled with blatant vulgarity, overt homosexual jokes, racial slurs, and offensive remarks about disabilities. The screenplay seems to rely heavily on immature humor delivered with no real setup or payoff, resulting in a series of comedic misfires rather than genuinely entertaining moments.

Unlike the well-executed parodies of its predecessors which used contextually intelligent humor, AM is marred by a lack of coherent storytelling and character development. The script shoehorns every possible stereotype and sexual innuendo into an uninspired narrative where the protagonist, Maximus, is an inept general married into Trojan royalty. The film is comprised of loosely connected sequences that force viewers to recall better films in the epic genre but fail to add any innovative satirical twist to them. An array of low-quality CGI effects, weak set designs, and green screen backgrounds further accentuates the film's inadequate production value, making it look like a low-budget sketch extended into a painfully long 91-minute feature.

Ultimately, "The Legend of Awesomest Maximus" does not leverage its potential as either a parody or a comedy. Its reliance on shock value humor becomes stale within the first few minutes. Scenes such as the Elders being portrayed as strip club proprietors and the cringe-worthy depiction of Testiclees exemplify how strained and forced the humor is throughout the film. This is an effort not worthy of the National Lampoon branding or the time investment of any discerning viewer.

"The Legend of Awesomest Maximus" on Blu-ray offers a dichotomy of strong technical aspects marred by inherently flawed content. The Blu-ray presentation excels with impressive video quality that highlights the production's limited budget, making the visuals crisp but also emphasizing the rudimentary set design and costume work. This sharp image quality, while traditionally seen as a virtue, inadvertently accentuates the film's low production values, potentially detracting from the viewing experience.

The audio quality, although clear, matches the expectations typically associated with direct-to-home video releases, offering a serviceable but hardly memorable auditory experience. Surround effects are minimal and the soundtrack lacks depth, further underscoring the film's simplistic approach.

In stark contrast to the technical accolades, the content of "The Legend of Awesomest Maximus" fails to entertain. Critics unanimously regard it as unfunny and ill-conceived, struggling to elicit even a fleeting smile. Described as an inept spoof resembling "Your Highness" on a shoestring budget, the humor falls flat and remains persistently unengaging. Additionally, the Blu-ray release is devoid of any substantial special features, which might have mitigated some of its shortcomings by providing context or creator insights.

I am sure there are viewers who will enjoy this film. If you're one of them, you should be able to judge from the description and screenshots. If so, happy viewing. Otherwise, my work here is done.