A talking dog with a talking monkey as his trainer vying for the heavyweight wrestling championship of the world? In the wacky world of professional wrestling, what’s so strange about that? Robert Vince’s Russell Madness is a kiddie sports comedy of no special distinction made by the folks who brought you the Air Bud franchise. That novelty of talking animals has long since lost its freshness, so this movie has to sink or swim on the merits of its writing and production. Russell Madness is routine in both respects.
Studio: Fox
Distributed By: N/A
Video Resolution and Encode: 1080P/AVC
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
Audio: English 5.1 DTS-HDMA, Spanish 5.1 DD
Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish
Rating: PG
Run Time: 1 Hr. 32 Min.
Package Includes: Blu-ray, DVD, UltraViolet
keep case in a slipcoverDisc Type: BD25 (single layer)
Region: A
Release Date: 03/10/2015
MSRP: $29.99
The Production Rating: 2.5/5
Director Robert Vince along with co-screenwriters Aaron Brooks, Kirsten Hansen, and Anna McRoberts have fashioned a fairly predictable scenario for cute little Russell that blends moments from Rocky (I know, wrong sport) with just about every crooked sports movie ever made. It may surprise children that Russell falls victim to cheating and must later seek redemption or that Nate’s immersion in the wrestling game makes him neglect his family in a mid-movie conflict that works itself out with momentarily tragic results, but adults will have seen it all before. Did we really need another Rocky-inspired workout and training montage (complete with raw egg guzzling and running up triumphantly a large flight of steps) with its own song “Russellmania” that sounds suspiciously like a ripoff of “Gonna Fly Now”? The script treats us to backstories of Hunk (who at one point calls someone a “pansy,” hardly the kind of language that writers in the 21st century ought to still be perpetuating especially in a kid's movie) and the wrestling regime of Nate’s grandfather (James Crescenzo) which recalls nostalgically old-time wrestling cards. But the script also falls back on pee and belch jokes as well as well worn slapstick shenanigans in the ring (expect some groin punches) that only the smallest of fry will likely enjoy. And the special effects for the talking animals especially for Russell seem a bit substandard (Hunk is reasonably more successful in both the talking and the body language).
The actors playing the Ferraro family (David Milchard and Tatiana Gudegast as the parents, Mason Vale Cotton and McKenna Grace as the kids) are to be commended for acting seriously surrounded by these unpredictable animals. They’re all first-rate for what they are needed to accomplish in the movie. John Ratzenberger has been made to resemble somewhat the blustering Vince McMahon of the WWE (Ratzenberger’s organization is the WUF - get the joke?), and he’s at his sleazy best. Will Sasso does a fine job with the voice of Hunk with Sean Giambrone a bit less appealing as Russell, not quite needy or confident enough at his biggest moments. As the sneaky, egotistical wrestling champion The Hammer, John Hennigan (who has wrestled professionally under several different names) is utterly convincing. Fred Willard offers lunk-headed commentary on the wrestling matches much as he commented on the dog show in Best in Show.
Video Rating: 4.5/5 3D Rating: NA
Audio Rating: 3.5/5
Special Features Rating: 2/5
“Five Little Monkeys” Sing-Along (2:06, HD): the tune with sing-along lyrics printed on the screen.
Raising the Woof: Training Russell (5:07, HD): actors Mason Vale Cotton, John Ratzenberger, David Milchard, and McKenna Grace along with director Robert Vince and head trainer Thomas Gunderson talk about what it’s like acting with Russell.
Promo Trailers (HD): Night in the Museum: Secret of the Tomb, Berry Friends Forever, The Penguins of Madagascar.
DVD/Ultraviolet: disc and code sheet enclosed.
Overall Rating: 2.5/5
Reviewed By: Matt Hough
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