Image Courtesy of Amazon.com
Own it on DVD October 3, 2006
Director
Kathryn Bigelow
Cast
Patrick Swayze……….Bodhi
Keanu Reeves……….FBI Agent Johnny Utah
Gary Busey……….FBI Agent Angelo Pappas
Lori Petty……….Tyler Ann Endicott
John C. McGinley……….FBI Agent Ben Harp
James LeGros……….Roach
John Philbin……….Nathanial
The Movie
When one watches action movies since 1991, several moments and scenes are rather repetitive throughout many films. From scenes of mistaken identity involving various undercover law enforcement officials to certain types of stylized action sequences, much of what has evolved in many action films can be traced back to a single source. Much like film-makers aped Quentin Tarantino’s style after Pulp Fiction, many of the “steady-cam” shots and cinematography techniques used in Point Break have been used and abused ever since the film’s release.
Point Break follows the tale of FBI Agent Johnny Utah (Keanu Reeves), young and idealistic in his first year in the famed domestic law enforcement agency, as he infiltrates a band of surfers who may or may not be a group of famed California bank robbers known as the “Ex-Presidents.”
Paired with eccentric FBI Agent Pappas (Gary Busey), Utah infiltrates the inner circle of adrenaline junkie Bodhi (Patrick Swayze) and his eclectic surfing buddies, discovering more about himself spiritually as well as trying to determine whether or not the surfers are actually crooks. It’s an interesting film for all the wrong reasons.
The key to the film is that it precedes the current wave of “so bad they are awful” genre of film by setting the bar quite high. It’s so over the top and ludicrous, from the acting to the script and all points between, that it becomes a great movie despite everything working against. Utah is an FBI agent and a law school graduate to go with being a Heisman-trophy winning quarterback at Ohio State, for starters, and it’s a character that doesn’t seem like it would be suited for Reeves. He makes it work, however, by underplaying everything in the film ala Christopher Reeve in the original Superman films. He plays it serious with a subtle wink and a nod to the audience, as he’s in on the farcical nature of this film too.
While the thematic elements of this film are awful, the audio/visual factors of the film are what it makes it still relevant as a film. The action sequences and camera styles, including the “steady cam” work early on, that were done here have been copied ad nausea by a number of inferior films.
Point Break is a quality film for all the wrong reasons, but it was the film that catapulted Keanu Reeves from moderate success in Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure to the beginnings of his rather unique path up to his current position in the pantheon of action stars.
The Audio
Presented in a Dolby Digital 5.1 format, the film’s sound has had an upgrade from its earlier release. While not much better than before, the sound takes better use of the medium this time around for a fuller, more complete sound.
The Video
Presented in an anamorphic widescreen format with a 2.35:1 aspect ratio, the film has been slightly cleaned up from its bare bones release for this new edition. The color is a bit cleaner, but Point Break looked great in its first release so the improvements are marginally noticeable at best.
The Extras
This is definitely an upgrade from the original release, that’s for sure. There are Eight Deleted Scenes from the film are included and don’t add too much to the proceedings. Presented in a rough cut, as the audio and video are sub-par, the clips are a series of cut scenes with the tracking numbers still on them. They don’t add anything to the film if inserted back in, as they are just extensions and segues that don’t add enough to the film that would warrant their inclusion. Four featurettes are included as well; It’s Make or Break is a retrospective on the making of the film. Having bounced around Hollywood, at one point having Ridley Scott attached to direct, there are plenty of interesting tidbits scattered throughout this feature including how Bigelow fought for Reeves’ inclusion as its star. Including retrospectives from an aged Swayze, Busey, Petty and McGinley, it is definitely interesting to hear stories about the film and its stars from years gone by with the gloves down. One can tell the sort of love for the film they have as it radiates from them. Ride the Wave focuses on the spirituality aspect of the sea, spending six minutes talking about the sport of surfing and its affects on certain members of the cast. Adrenaline Junkies focuses on the stunts of the film, providing a 80s guitar anthem across a perspective about how the film’s characters use adrenaline and how the cast embraced this challenge. On Location: Malibu is a retrospective about the locations they used to shoot various scenes. All three theatrical trailers are included as well.
The Inside Pulse
If the new trend of movies that are developed to be so awful and self-effacing that they become entertaining again holds up, then one could trace their roots back to Point Break quite easily. It’s a film that is worth watching if only to see Patrick Swayze and Keanu Reeves in reverse roles than they are now, as Swayze was at the height of his popularity and Reeves was just beginning to ascend to his current role as one of the top action stars of the last twenty years next to Arnold and Stallone.
