"Fanboys" is a disappointing love letter to "Star Wars" fans. It’s occasionally quite good, but often a misfire.
Fanboys (2008, Blu-ray)
Directors: Kyle Newman
Producers: Various
Writers: Ernest Cline (screenplay) and Adam F. Goldberg (screenplay) Ernest Cline (story) and Dan Pulick (story)
Features: * Intro * Commentary * Featurettes * Webisodes * Deleted Scenes * Galleries
Characters:
Sam Huntington ... Eric
Chris Marquette ... Linus
Dan Fogler ... Hutch
Jay Baruchel ... Windows
Kristen Bell ... Zoe
Seth Rogen ... Admiral Seasholtz / Alien / Roach
Genre: Comedy
Review:
Available on Blu-ray 7/27!
THE FILM:
When I drafted my "Killshot" review, I talked about the Weinstein Company and their recent string of box office snafus. I mostly discussed the misguided failure of "Crossing Over" and "Killshot" but totally forgot to mention "Fanboys" -- yet another surefire hit that the Weinstein Company totally botched for reasons unknown.
Like the other films, "Fanboys" tested poorly, was cut to pieces, saw intense reshoots, tested even worse than before and was basically delegated to the DTV market (after a not-so-surprisingly successful, but intensely limited theatrical run). The problem here was a subplot about cancer. One of the characters is dying of cancer, and won’t live to see the release of "Star Wars: Episode One." His friends concoct an idea to travel to director/producer George Lucas’ home in San Francisco and steal the film.
While the core narrative remained, the cancer element was removed from one version of the film, causing quite a stir among fans who liked the plot device. After the cancer-free version tested poorly, most (but not all) of the cancer subplot was restored. The result is a crass, PG-13 amalgamation of the two cuts (other scenes were allegedly added by another director) that unfortunately barely works.
Like "Crossing Over" and "Killshot," it’s impossible to know if the "Director’s Cut" was honestly any better -- after all, the film’s worst gags seem to remain intact. Sadly, audiences are not given a chance to judge for themselves with this release.
"Fanboys" was basically designed to be a love letter to "Star Wars" fans. It’s loaded with a great cast of up-and-coming stars including comedian Dan Fogler, the ever-adorable Kristen Bell, the always capable Sam Huntington, the always geeky Jay Barauchel and cult star Christopher Marquette. The script, from Ernet Cline and Adam F. Goldberg, is riddled with in-jokes, movie references and other clever (and not-so-clever) gags.
Disappointingly, the film basically plays like a cheap variant of a "Scary Movie"-type picture, with most of the humor falling flat (and this is coming from a "Star Wars" fan). The film is oddly crass too, loaded with cheap PG-13 potty humor and gags that don’t meld well with the geeky characters (the peyote scene is a major bore).
The cast does their best to give the film steam, and a double dose of Seth Rogen (playing twins, one who loves "Star Trek" and one who loves "Star Wars") is amusing. The picture is also packed with clever cameos (Bill Shatner chimes in during one token scene) and a moderate helping of funny in-jokes. It’s just everything in-between that’s muddled. The story feels hacked to pieces and the characters are given cliché subplots and virtually no time for development, particularly Christopher Marquette, whose character is the one allegedly dying of cancer (though he shows few visible signs of sickness).
"Fanboys" is a messy affair, but it has its moments. Somehow, a genuinely great ode to all things geeky and sci-fi was lost in the shuffle. With popular hits like "The Big Bang Theory" and the remake of "Star Trek," this film could have been a mainstream success had it been properly timed and released. But the picture got hacked up, reshot and toyed with, and all that remains is a picture that will tragically only appeal to a certain demographic of "Star Wars" fans. "Fanboys" deserved better, and so do its fans.
Film Report Card:
Entertainment Value: B
Film Value: C
Original Final Grade: C+
Second Chance
I've watched "Fanboys" a few times since my first viewing, and honestly, the film gets better with each viewing (as is often the case with many of today's comedies). Remove the controversy surrounding it's release, and a few of the flaws in the narrative, and it's an enjoyable comedy with a few solid, always-funny gags. Does it miss the mark? Yes, but the cast does their best with what they have. And often, they deliver the goods, even when the film doesn't.
New Final Grade:
B
Enjoy the trailer for the film:
THE BLU-RAY:
Video:
Click on the image above to see a full-res 1920x1080 screengrab of Fanboys!
"Fanboys" is presented in 1.85:1 widescreen using the AVC codec on a single-layered BD25 disc. The film consumes 17.1 gigs of disc space. This was a pretty low-budget effort, so don’t go into the picture expecting greatness from the transfer, and you’ll likely be pleased with what the Weinstein Company provides. The transfer is a little oversaturated at times with orange fleshtones and overly vibrant visuals, but crisp and mostly clean, free of dust, dirt and other debris. There is a pretty heavy hint of noise throughout the film, but low light settings and budget constraints probably forced these flaws. Regardless, this transfer is a fair boost over the original DVD.
Audio:
Audio choices are English DTS-HD 5.1 and French Dolby Digital 5.1 with English subtitles and English captions for the hearing impaired. This dialogue-heavy film does get a decent boost here in high-res, with moderately active surrounds and a few bass elements peeking through. The mix wasn’t designed to ‘wow’ but it gets the job done, and done well.
Extras and Packaging:
The Blu-ray copy of the film, provided from Vivendi Entertainment, came packed in a blue elite single-disc BD case featuring the film's theatrical artwork. It's nice to see that "Fanboys" is suped with added goodies, but still, the original "Director’s Cut" of the film remains to be seen. Don’t expect the deleted scenes to elaborate on what’s missing, either. In this regard, the release is a touch disappointing.
• Commentary by the Cast and Crew -- Featuring director Kyle Newman, writers Ernest Cline and Adam Goldberg and stars Dan Fogler, Kristin Bell and Sam Huntington this is a lively, entertaining party track well worth a listen. I wish the rest of the cast were here, but the Fogler, Bell and Huntington provide enough insight, and laughs, to make up for the missing elements. This track is almost better than the movie itself.
• Deleted Scenes (8 minutes, SD) -- A pretty worthless collection of scenes (six total) that add nothing to the picture. Where are the scenes cut from the "Director’s Edition" of the film?
• Featurettes: The Truth About Fanboys, Star Wars Parallel, 4 Fanboys & 1 Fangirl, The Choreography, Disturbances in the Force Webisodes (6/5/9/4/12 minutes, SD) -- A pretty mundane but occasionally amusing collection of EPK featurettes. Even the webisodes are fairly uninspired. Give them a whirl, but don’t expect much.
BD-Exclusive Content:
Surprisingly, this disc boasts quite a few added goodies that were not found on the previous DVD. While none take advantage of Blu-ray's capabilities (where's a pop-up trivia track!?), it's nice to see a few new added goodies. If only Vivendi had delivered a Digital Copy to go along with this release. This is the sort of film that screams "Digital Copy." But I digress. Exclusives include:
• Into with director Kyle Newman and producer Matthrew Perniciaro (40 seconds, HD) -- Just a quick intro from the folks behind the lens.
• Fanboys Goes Global (6 minutes, SD) -- A bit misleading, this feature is actually a quick discussion with director Kyle Newman and producer Matthrew Perniciaro about how they got involved in the project and it's impact.
• Fanboys: The Comic Book (HD) -- An interactive feature that allows fans to read the prequel comic book.
• Fanboys: The Gallery (3 minutes, HD) -- The usual collection of stills, artwork, posters and more.
Final Thoughts:
"Fanboys" is a disappointing love letter to "Star Wars" fans. It’s occasionally quite good, but often a misfire. That said, it's already got a bit of a cult following, and it gets better with repeat viewings. Fans will inevitably rejoice that the film is finally on Blu, and with a few new goodies.
Blu-ray Report Card:
Video: B
Audio: B+
Extras: B-
HD Content: C
Packaging: A
Recommendation: Well worth a look. Fans should buy this disc.
***
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----R. L. Shaffer