Everyone has their idea of what could make a bad movie better or even a great movie one of the best that the world has ever seen. That’s really part of why Underland Online was started in the first place, though also to warn against some of the most horrific releases seen and praise those that were more than worthy. Having seen the trailers for Be Kind Rewind, the same idea was reflected and it seemed as though it was to be an actual memorable comedy in a sea filled with half-witted humor and pathetic parodies that people just keep flocking to see.

If you’re too young to remember, Be Kind Rewind was actually put on virtually every video tape you ever rented because there was nothing more annoying than getting a movie home, popping it into the VCR only to see the ending credits. Then along came DVD to save the day and then BluRay. In this case, Be Kind Rewind is also the name of a video store and thrift shop, at least as far as the movie is concerned, owned by Mr. Fletcher (Danny Glover) who claims that his business is the birthplace of Jazz legend Fats Waller. Even so, his building is to be demolished and turned into condos, all for progress, and he has very little time to bring the building up to code.

Fletcher soon leaves the shop, though temporarily, for a Fats Weller commemorative celebration and leaves Mike (Mos Def) in charge of the store with a strict message to not allow his friend Jerry (Jack Black) into the store. It’s not the Jerry is a bad guy, but trouble seems to follow him, and that ends up being the case when his plan of sabotaging a power planet and soon finds himself magnetized. He isn’t aware of this fact, not at first, but when every VHS tape in the store is erased, Mike and Jerry must come up with a plan to appease the customers looking to rent films in the store and their solution is to just recreate their own versions of the movies. The low-budget treatments soon gain a loyal following and business is picking up, but it might not be enough when they find themselves in danger of copyright infringement.

Be Kind Rewind is unfortunately one of those comedy films that there seem to be a multitude of where the more humorous bits are seen in the trailers. That’s actually too bad as I really expected quite a bit from this movie, especially with its promise to lampoon some classic Hollywood cinema, and not in a bad way like seen in things like Epic Movie and Meet the Spartans. Ghostbusters, Driving Miss Daisy, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Rush Hour 2, Carrie and even Last Tango in Paris are all among the movies that the pair remake.

They start as a pair, but they soon find the need to add others, and despite her acting ability (in the context of the character) they soon add Alma (Melonie Diaz) into their ranks, and she actually seems to be the only one of the three who has a bit of business sense. She’s the one who ultimately starts turning business around with new rules and polices as the boys begin making their new versions of the movies, something that Jerry has come to call Sweding, and they have a growing list of titles on the list.

In some ways, the idea behind Be Kind Rewind reminds me of another “remake,” and that would be an adaptation of Raiders of the Lost Ark done by three young friends back in the 80’s which has recently surfaced and been shown in theaters across the United States, and I’m sure internationally as well. In essence, Be Kind Rewind is a good idea, and it is a film that in many ways acknowledges the ingenuity that some directors can come up with. With no budget, Mike and Jerry have to be innovative in the process of filmmaking and there are some parts that do have some chuckles, like their rendition of Rush Hour 2, but unfortunately it’s not really enough to make this a movie that’s hilarious. There are also parts of the film that definitely feel as though they are a nod to the low budget filmmaking of decades ago, those drive-in classics and films that were a part of the midnight movie craze, a moment in cinema history that will never again be repeated. There have always been stories though with directors coming up with ways to film something that no one had thought of, such as the primitive but creative shaky-cam that Sam Raimi used in Evil Dead or even Peter Jackson’s very inventive method of making “old” film when he put together Forgotten Silver.

Even more disappointing is that Be Kind Rewind does in fact come from a talented director, Michel Gondry, a name that some might remember from Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. He unfortunately isn’t able to capture the same magic here, and it’s really not the fault of the cast. Be Kind Rewind does have some ideal casting, but it’s the script in my opinion that really doesn’t work for the movie. There are some laughs, definitely, but not enough, and the film also suffers the fate of trying to go from being a comedy to having a more serious tone towards the ending. On that note, even the way the movie manages to bring itself to a close is left very ambiguous in my opinion, leaving us wondering what the ultimate fate the store and Mr. Fletcher’s business are, but then again, it could just be to leave things open for a potential sequel, but let’s hope not. This isn’t a movie that really needs to have any kind of follow up, though I would almost bet there is one some 20 years down the road that can be put on the pile on unnecessarily sequels that grows each and every week.

There is a bit of irony in the fact that a film about low tech movie making gets a high definition treatment, though you might be thrown off at first by the main menu. It’s done in a drab looking standard definition format that will make you appreciate the look of the film. The thing is that Be Kind Rewind isn’t a movie that’s focused on big budget special effects, so don’t expect eye popping effects or anything of that nature. The good thing though is that the movies that Mike and Jerry make still look primitive and very bad, and that’s actually exactly the way they should, so there’s actually a nice contrast here in styles. This could be a nice piece to use to show the differences to some extent between the world of high definition and that of standard, something that many still claim they see on difference between. New Lie has also included, as they have with many of their BluRay releases, a 7.1 audio track, though I’m still in the process of tracking down a 7.1 system for use.

The extra material found on Be Kind Rewind are actually left in standard definition, which normally I’d be a bit upset about, but again considering the idea behind the movie, I think it’s actually a bit more fitting. The movie is set in the real town of Passaic, New Jersey, and Passaic Mosaic will give you a look at the town as well as those who call it their home and participated in the movie. Booker T & the Michel Gondry looks are more Blues and Jazz legends didn’t make their way into the movie unfortunately. You also have the essential making of feature which is the longest of the extra features at over 30-minutes. A Conversation with Jack Black & Michel Gondry is a short piece what will give you the dirt on what “Sweding” is all about. In the movie, you’ll see Mike and Jerry making a biography on Fat Weller, Fats Was Born HERE, and their finished short is also included in the extras. Jack Black & Mos Def Improvise Songs is just the two having fun with theme songs and finally, Mos Def, Michel Gondry & Jean-Michel Bernard LIVE! - Tribute to Fats Waller is a song filmed in Paris in honor of the legend.

If you’re looking for comedy, Be Kind Rewind might have something to offer those who are easily amused, but I’m not a part of that category. Again, I really did want to like the film, so it’s not that I went in thinking that it was going to be horrible, this just isn’t my style of comedy. It is good though that the movie is paying tribute, not just to some famous movies, but also a Jazz legend that some may not have heard of, but may find themselves compelled to learn more about after seeing this. Even though Be Kind Rewind might want to have something of an “old school” feel, it just doesn’t manage to capture it as well as it could.

-mike-