The Film
Paul finds British uber-nerds Graeme Willy (Simon Pegg) and Clive Gollings (Nick Frost) on the ultimate dream vacation. After getting their geek on at Comic-Con, the two load up into an RV in search of Area 51. Instead, they end up picking up Paul, an escaped space alien with the personality of a Knocked Up-era Seth Rogen (who also supplies Paul's voice). During their wild ride, they encounter a slew of cops and other characters, played by Jane Lynch, Jason Bateman, Sigourney Weaver, Bill Hader, and Blythe Danner.
We've already established that Pegg and Frost have a killer chemistry -- sometimes literally, at least in the case of both Shawn of the Dead and Hot Fuzz. This third pairing, however, has the two teamed up as a writing duo, and they've penned quite a love letter to sci-fi, with Stephen Spielberg getting a few extra warm fuzzies.
The two work well as a writing duo, as you can tell from Paul. It may have worked better with Shawn/Hot Fuzz director Edgar Wright, who probably would have created a sci-fi-flavored orgasm for the eyeballs.
However, the film is just fine under the steady hand of Greg Mottola (Superbad), who leans on the comedy side of sci-fi. Mottola uses some special effects, but it's mainly about the jokes, which can get a little racy. If cracks at religion and a lot of random profanity make you uncomfortable, then Paul will be about as comfortable as an anal probe. Of course, probing is funny, and so is Paul.
Don't travel to another galaxy for a second opinion on the film. Check out Karen Dahlstrom's theatrical review of Paul.
The Picture
The character of Paul may not be much of a looker, but this 2.35:1 transfer is a real beauty. Detail is very impressive in Paul, even in its most hectic, unnatural moments. Take Paul, for instance. Despite being a CG creature, the detail makes him appear incredibly lifelike -- or as lifelike as possible, considering the fact that he isn't real. The wrinkles, the veins, and the eyes, in particular, offer a lot to look at. The human side also gets more than its fair share of detail. For instance, check out those freckles on a straight-faced Jason Bateman. Colors are plentiful and completely spot-on, whether it's in the desert backdrop, inside a dank bar, or in explosions. Skintones are also very impressive, given the many famous faces spread throughout the film's 104-minute runtime.
The Sound
Paul is far from the typical comedy, when it comes to audio. The DTS-HD Master Audio track sends out sound from every angle, which adds to the action and the film's comedic element. The film has plenty of both scenarios, so expect to be completely immersed in the Paul experience. The soundfield is pretty active throughout the entire film, and there are plenty of car crashes, chases, and explosions to send the subwoofer into overdrive. Even with all of the action, however, Paul is really about dialogue. Remember the comedy thing? This track never seems to forget, delivering every word clearly, and especially in the case of the character Paul, with a nice comedic punch.
The Extras
Universal has put together an extraordinary package of supplements for Paul. Besides the almost 11 minutes of bloopers, the storyboards, photos, and 80 seconds of Simon Pegg making faces, there is an insane amount of behind-the-scenes footage. Naturally, the package has its share of throwaway extras. However, most of what's here is pretty meaty, starting with the commentary. This features director Greg Mottola and producer Nira Park, with actors Simon Pegg, Nick Frost and Bill Hader. It's a funny track, but also filled with a lot of great tidbits about the movie.
If you don't want to sit through a commentary, there's certainly no lack of information about the production. "Between the Lightning Strikes" is a 2-part, 40-minute (total) look at almost every aspect of the Paul process. Besides featuring a lot of info about the film, most of the cast and crew are featured here. If you have the time, the BTS featurettes and "The Evolution of Paul" are equally as entertaining, and offer up just as much good info for the shorter-attention span.
Final Thoughts
Paul is the third time we've seen Simon Pegg and Nick Frost paired up on the big screen. It's probably their third best pairing, but Paul is extremely entertaining nonetheless. Also, it's the perfect reason for sci-fi geeks and AV geeks to unite. Paul is a feast for the eyes and ears, and delivers a nice nod to one of our favorite film genres.
Product Details
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