“It’s high noon at the edge of the Universe!”
If this tagline from Metalstorm, the film within a film does not make you cringe, then The Fall Guy might be your film of the Summer for 2024.
Released: 03 May 2024
Rated: PG-13
Runtime: 126 min
Director: David Leitch
Genre: Action, Comedy, Drama
Cast: Ryan Gosling, Emily Blunt, Aaron Taylor-Johnson
Writer(s): Glen A. Larson, Drew Pearce
Plot: A down-and-out stuntman must find the missing star of his ex-girlfriend's blockbuster film.
IMDB rating: 7.3
MetaScore: N/A
Studio: Universal
Distributed By: N/A
Video Resolution: 2160p HEVC w/HDR
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Audio: Dolby Atmos, Spanish 7.1 DD+:Spanish 7.1 DD+, French 7.1 DD+:French 7.1 DD+
Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish, French
Rating: PG-13
Run Time: 2 Hrs. 6 Min.
Package Includes: UHD, Blu-ray, Digital Copy
Release Date: 07/23/2024
MSRP: $39.98
The Production: 4/5
It’s high noon at the edge of the Universe!
This is the catchphrase for Metalstorm, the movie within the movie version of The Fall Guy. Ryan Gosling(Barbie) is Colt Seavers, the eponymous fall guy, a stuntman in the film industry. Colt was in a fling with camera operator Jody Moreno, played by Emily Blunt(A Quiet Place), when he was injured on the job and the lovers fell out of contact with each other.
Jody moves on with her life and becomes a director of Metalstorm filming in Australia when Gail the producer(Hannah Waddingham) asks Colt to come out of retirement to work as a stuntperson on the film. Colt sees this as an opportunity to rekindle his romance with Jody, but she is not so easily persuaded. Things take a turn when the star of the film, Tom Ryder(Aaron Taylor-Johnson), disappears, and the producer tasks Colt with finding their wayward star before the film is forced to cease production.
The Fall Guy is based on the TV series of the same name created by Glen A. Larson that aired on the ABC Television Network from 1981 through 1986. Lee Majors(The Six Million Dollar Man) originated the role of Colt Seavers, a stunt man who was also a bounty hunter, in this TV show that may have borrowed a few ideas from The Stunt Man(1980). If you have seen the trailers for The Fall Guy, you have a pretty good idea about the tone and content of the film. This might be a good thing or a bad thing depending on your cinematic predilections. Director David Leitch(Atomic Blonde, Hobbs & Shaw) fills the film with fantastic stunts,amazing fight choreography, and multiple set pieces. This is a popcorn flick in which you know the good guys will never die and good will triumph over evil. Screenwriter Drew Pearce(Iron Man 3, Hobbs & Shaw) gives the plot enough connective tissue between the set pieces to create a fun and moderately entertaining action flick.
The 4K Extended Cut of The Fall Guy includes the theatrical version on 4K disc with bonus features, and a second 4K disc that includes only the extended edition. The extended edition is approximately 20 minutes longer than the theatrical version. The shorter version seems to come in at about the right length for me, although some viewers have commented that even the shorter version is too long. I would recommend the theatrical version for initial viewing. If The Fall Guy is very enjoyable for you to the point of repeat viewings, then the Extended Version is recommended to vary the experience. I confess that I enjoyed The Fall Guy, call it a guilty pleasure if you like. I am one of those people who will spin the Extended Version when I decide to watch The Fall Guy again. The Fall Guy is about as realistic as Barbie(2023), another Ryan Gosling film but just as much fun, in my opinion. The world in which we live demands some escapism, and The Fall Guy fits the bill. You have been warned: You will know from seeing the theatrical trailer if this is your kind of film, since the feature delivers exactly what is hinted at in the promotional materials. If you enjoy this, make sure to stick around through the credits for some fun cameos.
Video: 5/5
3D Rating: NA
The Fall Guy appears on 4K disc in its original 2.39:1 screen aspect ratio via the HEVC codec. The video presentation is resplendent with exquisite fine detail and HDR that seems to include most of the colors of the visual spectrum. Blacks are solid with great shadow detail. This is a beautiful visual transfer all around.
Audio: 5/5
The Fall Guy plays Atmos audio by default for the English audio track on 4K and blu-ray. The immersive qualities of the multidirectional sounds are impressive. This action film is not heavy on dialogue, but what is there is usually audible in the sound mix. The soundtrack includes a varied selection of hits from AC/DC and KISS through Phil Collins and Taylor Swift. Blake Shelton is even on hand with a rendition of the original theme song, “The Unknown Stuntman“, which was performed in the original TV series by star Lee Majors. The original score by Dominic Lewis(Bullet Train) resonates with the melodic strains of “I Was Made For Lovin’ You” by KISS.
Special Features: 4.5/5
Special features on the theatrical 4K UHD disc but not on the extended length 4K UHD include all of the following:
Gag reel(4:36): Actors’ flubs cut out of the film.
Alternate Takes(5:52): This includes some of the spontaneous performances that were cut out of the film.
Stunts on Stunts: Breaking Down The Action(18:58): This featurette goes behind the scenes of some of the action set pieces of The Fall Guy. This includes 5 chapters titled “City Truck Jump/Sidewinder”, “Garbage Bin”, “Boat Chase”, “Car Jump”, and “High Fall”. These chapters may be selected individually or with a “Play All” selection.
Making A Meta Masterpiece(16:03): A behind the scenes featurette about the movie about making a movie.
How To Break A World Record(6:04): This featurette highlights the cannon roll crash in the film that made the Guiness Book of World Records.
Nightclub Mayhem(3:30): This features the choreography of the bottle shard battle by the stunt team for The Fall Guy.
The Art of Doubling(4:22): Stunt double Ben Jenkin is highlighted in this featurette.
Making Metalstorm(4:31): It turns out that Metalstorm is an actual Intellectual Property owned by Universal which was used for this film about the making of a film. If this whets your appetite, check out Metalstorm which is available on 3D Blu-ray. (Seriously!)
Falling for The Fall Guy With Bob Reese(4:24): Professional influencer recreates stunts from The Fall Guy.
Feature length commentary: Director/producer David Leitch and producer Kelly McCormick provide a feature length commentary available on both the standard and extended versions of The Fall Guy on 4K disc.
Also included is a blu-ray disc with the theatrical version and a paper insert with validation code for digital copy of the film via the Movies Anywhere app. The Extended Cut also comes with a slipcover where available.
Overall: 4/5
The Fall Guy is a fun film that does not take itself too seriously nor does it pretend to be something it is not(other than being a film within a film). The video and audio presentation are excellent on 4K disc, and there is a wealth of special features. If you are looking for a multi-layered film that speaks profoundly about the human condition, The Fall Guy is not that film. (The Fall Guy is, after all, a reimagining of a fluffy TV show that took its inspiration from a theatrical feature.) If you are looking for a fun action film that never takes itself too seriously, then The Fall Guy is a great film in which to escape for a few hours. I might just escape into The Fall Guy again with the Extended Cut before 2024 is over.
Timothy has worked background in theatrical features and television, just for the fun of it, in films directed by Peter Segal and Christopher Nolan. His favorite film star is Bugs Bunny, and Timothy has discovered that most of the problems in life can be solved successfully (strangely enough) by asking “What would Bugs Bunny do?” Timothy has been involved with the Home Theater Forum since 2007 and has reported from Comic Con, interviewed Bruce Campbell and Danny Trejo, and reviewed classic animation and new theatrical releases on disc.
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