Stars:
Ryan Reynolds, Tara Reid, Tim Matheson, and Paul Gleason
Writers:
Brent Goldberg and David T. Wagner
Director:
Walt Becker
Feature
length: 93 minutes
Extras:
Trailers
Languages:
English Stereo
Subtitles:
N/A
Packaging:
Keep Case
Chapter
Stops: N/A
Sound:
Stereo
Year
of Theatrical Release: 2002/DVD Release: 2002
Theatrical
Distributor: Artisan Entertainment
Home
Video Distributor: Artisan Home Entertainment
MPAA
Rating: R
Reviewer:
Mark A. Rivera
Before
I begin I want to stress that this is a preview of a DVD screener sent out for
viewing purposes, but is not the final product that will appear in store on
August 20, 2002.
Ryan
Reynolds is Van Wilder, a seven-year undergraduate who has perfected the art of
being a student to a science. He is handsome, bright, and very likeable, but he
has been unfocused as to what exactly he wants to do after he graduates so he
has purposely found ways to stay in school. However his wealthy father, played
by “National Lampoon’s Animal House” alumni Tim Matheson, has had enough
of his son’s procrastination in school and has decided to no longer flip the
bill for his tuition, leaving Wilder to use his skills at throwing radical
parties and overall charisma to earn the money to finish out the semester.
However Wilder’s life takes an unexpected turn when he meets an aspiring
journalism student (Tara Reid) out to write the definitive newspaper article on
the campus legend. She is hip to his charms and sees tenderness within him that
he hides behind his smart-alecky attitude. As an attraction develops between
them, events cause Wilder to reconsider the direction of his life.
I
wish I had a friend like Van Wilder when I went to college. The film is likely
to be compared to the granddaddy of all campus comedies “National Lampoon’s
Animal House,” but really that is an unfair comparison because the films are
very different though the humor is basically on the same sophomoric level.
However when compared to most campus comedies that have followed, “National
Lampoon’s Van Wilder” is vastly superior mostly because of the charismatic
performance Ryan Reynolds brings to his portrayal of the signature character.
Wilder never uses his popularity to hurt other people and in fact I’d say he
does a heck of a good job at elevating their self-esteem.
Tara
Reid looks great in this film and does a great job holding her own on screen
with Ryan while the supporting characters get a lot of laughs. One of the best
lines in the film comes from Paul Gleason (The Breakfast Club) toward the end of
the film. I would go into more detail, but it’s better you hear it yourself.
The bloopers and outtakes shown as the credits roll are also hilarious. Overall
“National Lampoon’s Van Wilder” is great fun.
Artisan
Home Entertainment is putting even more focus on their DVD products, which is
great, but as a result the DVD screener I received was more in line with a
poorly planned VHS screener. They have done everything short of bleeping out the
soundtrack to make the film unwatchable on DVD. Among the foolishness is that
they present the film in a (1.33:1) aspect ratio with an inferior print that
looks like it was pirated from a movie theater. Several times the picture
actually changes from color to black and white and back to color again. At times
the sound is out of synch with the picture and then to add insult to injury they
have the words “Property Of Artisan Home Entertainment” burned in to the
screen for at least 30% of the film and it appears so intrusively that it covers
the faces of the actors many times.
Not
even VHS screeners are ever so poorly planned. So that is why I have decided not
to call this a DVD review and merely state the obvious, which is if any studio
or independent wants to develop anticipation with pre-release reviews of their
DVD products they are going to have to have faith that their reviewers will be
professional enough to be discreet with their advanced media copies. As it is
the only reason why I watched the film as it was presented was because the film
is very funny, but I cannot base any review on a pre-release screener like this.
It is unfair to the consumers and the studios and independent distributors alike
to do so. Quite honestly I know that there are some critics out there who
wouldn’t give this the time of day. So let me close by stating I’d love to
write a DVD review of “National Lampoon’s Van Wilder” and given the choice
I’d rather review the Unrated Version, but without final product I can’t
judge the disc so thank you for the sneak peak and I hope the DVD is a lot
better than the screener preview.
©
Copyright 2002 By Mark A. Rivera
All Rights Reserved.