A review by Mike Shea Movie Rating: ( * * * * · ) DVD Rating: ( * * * * * )
I am a big time Kevin Smith fan. Clerks was the definition of a perfect independent movie, Chasing Amy was a realistic love story for the times, and Mallrats is indeed the "Smart Porkeys" it was supposed to be (Smiths words, not mine). While the acting sometimes is pretty painful, the story is funny and the dialog is funny as hell. The attention to detail (like Ben "Buttman" Afflick patting every girl on the ass he sees) and the use of all the rogue material (Jay quoting "Superman 2" when he beams the rent-a-cop with a bat). The pace moves quite nicely except for the painful game show ending. To me this is what really put Jason Lee on the map as the perfect Gen-X lunatic who has been oppressed his whole life and can only now lash out like he wants ("What! Just because a guy reads some comic books you think he cant start some shit?!") The DVD really deserves an award. Lately I have been surprised at the quality films coming out, but this one really takes me aback. The picture is a perfect 16x9 enhanced transfer, the sound is full 5.1 Dolby Digital. There are a TON of extras. Almost one and a half hours of deleted scenes, a documentary that is very entertaining (Kevin Smith is just as entertaining off the camera as he is on and behind), a directors and cast commentary with about five guys who have a ball with the film. I was laughing my ass off just listening to them rag on Ben Afflick who thought he was going to be known as "Buttman" the rest of his career. The commentary even lets you switch to different camera views during the film. There is a music montage done by Kevin Smith which is also very amusing. By the way, Kevin Smith has lifted his original statements about DVD that he so rashly stated at the beginning of the Chasing Amy Criterion Laserdisc. Obviously this disc is just loaded and he was just as happy to see it come out so well as his fans were. Seeing a movie like this, that isnt well known or made a million dollars, but really has a cult following come out in such a perfect collectors edition really makes me think there is hope for movies in this age. If you are a fan of the movie or the director, you should seek this disk out with all the energy you can. It is perfect.