Big Picture Big Sound

The Film

Terry and Dean are back! Back from what? Very few people know. If you were one of the 12 people that saw FUBAR, you may know the answer to that question. You may also be interested in FUBAR: Balls to the Wall.

FUBAR II (its original title) is the type of film that spawns drinking games. It's Borat meets Wayne's World meets Jackass -- with a total emphasis on the word "jackass."

Filmed in a mockumentary style, we see wacky Canadians Terry (David Lawrence) and Dean (Paul Spence) get evicted (of course) and head to Fort McMurray for better jobs, love and a whole lot of partying. Like a live-action Beavis and Butt-head, the film is sheer moronic madness, and that's what makes it so awesome. As far as the plot, well... you just heard it. Did you need more? Then FUBAR: Balls to the Wall probably isn't for you.

The Picture

Considering how low budget this film is (and it's pretty low), the 1.78:1 transfer looks pretty good. The film doesn't have a whole lot of detail going on, so don't expect to see the ripple of Dean's bare chest or whether or not these guys use conditioner on those long locks. However, the colors are pretty good. It just doesn't have that sharp, polished look you'd get from a sharp, polished movie.

The Sound

This is a movie wrapped in a metal video, so expect the Dolby TrueHD soundtrack to rock you like a hurricane. The film also has plenty of chainsaws, shattered glass, and club chatter competing for attention at various times in the surrounds. The one portion that's hit-or-miss is the dialogue. In the beginning of the movie, we found ourselves cranking up the volume to figure out what was going on -- and it wasn't just the opening drunken rage that had us confused. The volume on that dialogue is noticeably low. Just beware when you crank it up: That metal music comes loud and often and could blow you into next week in a matter of minutes. About a third of the way through the film, things seemed to even themselves out and we didn't find ourselves reaching for the remote as much.

The Extras

Holy crap. If you thought the movie was funny, you might want to give it another go with the commentary on. David Lawrence and Paul Spence ramble on like they are explaining the movie to you over a trunkload of Pilsner at a party. It's pretty relentless and also sort of awesome. Other than that, there's about 18 minutes of deleted scenes.

Final Thoughts

FUBAR is an acronym for "f-ed up beyond all repair." That pretty much sums up FUBAR: Balls to the Wall. We can't imagine that the movie looks any better in high-def. However, forking over that extra cash could mean that Terry and Dean have more (and more awesome) adventures in the future.

Product Details

• Actors: David Lawrence, Paul J. Spence, Terra Hazelton, Andy Sparacino
• Director: Michael Dowse
• Audio/Languages: Dolby TrueHD 5.1 (English), Stereo 2.0 (English)
• Subtitles: English
• Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
• Region: A
• Number of Discs: 1
• Rating: R
• Studio: Screen Media Films
• Blu-ray Disc Release Date: April 19, 2011
• Run Time: 85 minutes
• List Price: $29.98
• Extras:
  • Commentary
  • Deleted Scenes