The Film
It sounded like a comedy dream team. Danny McBride would take the lead and re-team with his Pineapple Express costar and "it" actor James Franco for yet another stoner comedy. Oscar winner Natalie Portman and indie cutie Zooey Deschanel would play love interests. What could go wrong?
Try everything possible. Your Highness is a serious buzz kill. Franco is the good prince and McBride is his f-ed up brother. Deschanel is the singing (of course) damsel in distress. Seriously, she can't even use a fork. Portman plays a badass, who wisely, stays away for the first half of the movie.
There's more of a plot in there somewhere, as well as special effects, a few mythical creatures, and a fair share of nudity (including Portman's stunt ass). It doesn't really matter, though. In the extras, Deschanel describes the film as "kind of a dirty Princess Bride." It's also an unfunny Princess Bride. Someone must have been seriously high to think there was anything redeeming in this movie. Your Highness is a royal mess.
Want to know more about the movie -- seriously? Then check out Beth McCabe's theatrical review for Your Highness.
The Picture
For a bunch of stoners, this 2.40:1 transfer is anything but hazy. In between the dick jokes, f-bombs and odes to '80s films such as Conan the Barbarian, there's actually a very good looking film here. Overall, the movie has a very warm color palette, and outside shots feature a lot of picturesque backdrops and lush greens. Black levels are very good, and offer a nice level of depth to the image. The detail is where this film is especially impressive. The outfits, in particular, give the viewer a ton to look at. This includes cloaks, chain mail and corsets. It's not exactly demo material, but it is spot-on with what you'd expect from a newer release with an A-list cast and a $50 million budget.
The Sound
Despite the mellow stoner undertones, Your Highness is certainly ready to do battle with your sound system. The DTS-HD Master Audio track has special effects shooting out from just about every speaker. Obviously, it's a comedy, and the dialogue never seems to get lost in all of the action. Thankfully, though, the action is a main focus here. There are battle scenes, magic spells, galloping horses, and at least one raging mythical beast, which all brings in a wallop of bass. The directionality is extremely impressive, making this a surprisingly immersive experience.
The Extras
Goofs, gags and deleted scenes comprise most of the special features for Your Highness. If you're looking for something a little meatier, there is a 30-minute making-of featurette, which includes most of the cast and director David Gordon Green waxing poetic about the inspiration behind the film. The commentary is really the gem here though, with Danny McBride, James Franco and Justin Theroux sitting down with Green for a comprehensive look at the film. It's actually way more entertaining than the film itself.
Final Thoughts
It's insanely upsetting that Danny McBride would spend one second of his time on Your Highness instead of putting together another season of HBO's Eastbound and Down. That said, the film is so bad, it's destined to be a cult classic. And when you find yourself strapping on chain mail and wearing a giant schlong around your neck for a midnight showing at someone's house, at least you can be comforted by the fact that the audio and video are really good. Does all of that make Your Highness worth a peek? It depends on how high you really are.
Product Details
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