The Film
Meet the Parents was a pretty funny movie with a funny premise. However, when something blows up, it often gets an unnecessary sequel. It's gets, to coin a term, Fockerized.
Meet the Fockers is certainly a logical step in the franchise. We met the parents. Now, we get to meet the other parents. Of course, that title isn't funny enough and neither is this movie. It relies on a lot of the same problems and the same jokes. It also worries me for Little Fockers, the franchise's upcoming third installment.
This time, Gaylord "Greg" Focker (Ben Stiller) is back to being the whipping boy, getting terrorized (again) for his name, his nursing profession, and the loss of his virginity. Of course, all of this is under the watchful eye of future father-in-law Jack (Robert De Niro). It doesn't exactly help matters when the family actually meets the Fockers, a loud, rambling couple played by Dustin Hoffman and Barbra Streisand.
Meet the Fockers packs in so much starpower, it's amazing that they could squeeze everyone onto one poster. That all-star cast is the film's one saving grace. That said, meeting one set of parents was enough. Everything in this sequel is more outlandish and a lot less entertaining than what we got from its predecessor.
The Picture
This movie features Dustin Hoffman as the tannest man ever. Like, George Hamilton thinks this guy needs sunscreen. That said, the 1.85:1 transfer delivers that baked-on glow very well, with other contrasting skintones looking quite nice. Hoffman's red shirt is a major standout in color and taste, even against his glow. The lush Florida scenery around the Focker compound is the star of the film's image, which is plagued by a few problems. Like Meet the Parents, this release features its share of soft scenes, artifacts and grain. At times, however, it can be just a little too much. At the Focker dinner table, in particular, it looked like different scenes spliced together. It's not horrible, but disappointing for a big-budget movie of recent memory.
The Sound
Like its predecessor, Meet the Fockers is very focused on soundtrack and dialogue, both of which the DTS-HD Master Audio does well. This one has a few extra ambient sounds, which stands out on the road and inside the nightclub. It's nothing ear-shattering, but it works for the material here.
The Extras
Meet the Parents had a surprising collection of extras. This selection falls a little flat, with brief promo clips from the movie and cast interviews. If anything, secondary items like the cat and the kid seem to get top billing over Barbra and Dustin. How exactly does that happen? Overall, there is just too little about this film's massive cast list, and too much about the fake boob (singular) that is a running (and weak) joke in the movie.
Like Meet the Parents, this release also includes a sneak peek at Little Fockers, through the disc's BD Live menu.
Final Thoughts
If you've met them once, you really don't need to meet them again. Despite being the natural link in the chain, Meet the Fockers is an unnecessary sequel. The saving grace is the all-star cast, but the film relies too much on shtick and not enough on actually being funny. The Blu-ray transfer is serviceable, but is disappointing overall -- a lot like the movie.
Product Details
Where to Buy:
| Overall | |
|---|---|
| Video | |
| Audio | |
| Movie | |
| Extras |
