Info
- Director: Eli Craig
- Starring: Tyler Labine, Alan Tudyk, Katrina Bowden. Jesse Moss
- Year: 2010
- Runtime: 88 Minutes
- Company: Magnet Releasing
- Format: Blu-ray
- Discs: 1
- Video: 2.35:1 - 16:9 - 1080p - MPEG4 AVC
- Audio: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
- Region: A
- Released: 11/29/2011
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Film
Like any typical slasher, we begin with an airhead group of college students heading up to the mountains to spend their time away from school by doing what they do best. Drink, smoke, skinny dip and have copious amounts of pre martial sex. It's a recipe for the perfect vacation until they cross paths with two hillbillies named Tucker & Dale. Like most materialistic kids these days, they wrongfully perceive the redneck buddies as cannibal backwoods murderers when their friend Allison is seen taken by the duo. In actuality Tucker and Dale are just two long time best friends who wouldn't hurt a fly, looking to fix their newly bought cabin in the woods up. When Allison takes a nasty spill into the river after Dale accidentally scares her which leads to them saving her life but is seen by the judgmental college group as an abduction. Led by Chad, a douchebag with a serious hate for unattractive people, the collegians set out to kill Tucker and Dale to save Allison from their evil grasp that doesn't exist.
Tucker & Dale vs. Evil is a film that could have failed miserably if many components didn't connect right away with the audience. Mainly being the relationship between the titular friends. I can without a doubt say actors Alan Tudyk and Tyler Labine establish a chemistry that's instantly likeable as Tucker & Dale. You can actually believe these guys have been friends since childhood. You also know they are completely harmless, which is what makes the film so damn enjoyable once the moron kids see them as bloodthirsty killers. The film is further elevated to hilarious heights as the group inadvertently begins to accidentally kill themselves as they try to dispatch Tucker and Dale. It's misconstrued gory hilarity at it's finest.
Director Eli Craig perfectly balances the comedy and horror genre together, something that isn't so easy to do. Key scenes that nail the mashing of genres include one of the kids sneakily running to stab Tucker while he throws wood into a woodchipper. The kid narrowly misses Tucker and dives into the wood-chipper sending gallons of blood streaming into Tuckers terrified face as he tries to pull the kid out with his legs. It's an incredible gag that leads to even more accidental deaths that will honestly have you laughing throughout. It's almost an anti-Final Destination.You know these kids are going to die one way or the other. The catch is it'll be be from their own idiotic actions that result in a blood bath of laughter. What separates Tucker & Dale vs. Evil from the myriad of other brainless genre offerings is simply just having a good ol' heart.
Tucker & Dale has a lot to offer in terms of entertainment for just about any film fan. It's extremely funny and heartwarming for those who love to laugh. Gorehounds have a lot to look forward to as this film showcases some excellent scenes of practical bloodshed without any horrid CGI annoyance. It's sad to hear it took so long for this film to find a distributor since this is easily one of the year's best genre offerings, slaying the mainstream competition. I'm grateful for distributors like Magnet Releasing for giving incredible independent features such as Tucker & Dale vs. Evil releases they deserve. I can't fully recommend this film enough, if you couldn't already guess. It's untypical, original and completely against the expected archetype. A breath of fresh air in a genre full of stinky turds.
Disc
- Video
Tucker & Dale comes to Blu-ray with a mighty damn fine transfer thanks to Magnet. For being a film with a meager low budget you'd have no idea based on the cinematography. It's a rich, detail filled film that HD showcases wonderfully. Colors are nicely boosted with an extremely well balanced use of contrast between the films various locale settings. Black levels are fine tuned and dark as night with zero digital hiccups. An excellent example of the power of Blu-ray when mastered correctly.
- Audio
A sole English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix is included and it's quite rambunctious. Every speaker is used efficiently throughout, more-so when it involves chainsaws, guns and meat grinding wood chippers. Each speaker channel gets a chance to shine thanks to the films great gags and sound effects. Turn it up and enjoy.
Bonus Features
- Audio Commentary - Director Eli Craig, Actors Tyler Labine & Alan Tudyk
Director Eli Craig and Tucker & Dale themselves Alan Tudyk and Tyler Labine deliver a damn entertaining track filled with tons of laughs and behind the scenes anecdotes. Recommended listening if you're a fan of the film.
- Featurette - "Making Of Tucker & Dale vs. Evil"
This short but sweet Making Of isn't as informative as I was expecting but is serviceable. Everyone involved gets a chance to talk about the films origins, how they got involved and on set experience.
- Featurette - "Tucker & Dale ARE Evil: The College Kids' Point of View"
This is essentially a shortened 16 minute version of the main feature of the college kids point of view where some editing makes Tucker & Dale actually look like psychotic hillbillies. It's worth a look if you loved the films gory kill scenes since it's comprised of all of it.
- Outtakes
A look at some behind the scenes goofiness from all the actors involved.
- Storyboards
- Featurette - "HDNet: A Look at Tucker & Dale vs. Evil"
A quick promo EPK piece that aired on HDNet to get people jazzed about the film.
- Theatrical Trailers
Included are trailers for Tucker & Dale, Point Blank & The Last Circus. Also included is a BD Live feature that lets you watch other trailers for upcoming films from Magnet/Magnolia.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
