Reviewed by Johnny McNair

Warner Home Video – 115 minutes – 2008 – Rated R – 1080p – 2.4:1 – Dolby TrueHD 5.1 Audio Mix – Digital Copy

When you watch a Guy Ritchie film, you have to know what you’re getting into, because this dude loves the dark seedy characters of the underbelly so much that if they ever made a Grand Theft Auto movie, he’s got to be on the top of the list to direct it. His latest fable Rock N Rolla hits Blu-ray from Warner Home Video, so send the kids to bed and tell grandma to go play bingo, because the F-bombs are going to be dropping like it’s WWIII.

THE MOVIE

Like most of Ritchie’s crime dramas, Rock N Rolla features an ensemble cast of familiar faces from both America as well as European territory. This time around Gerald Butler is the center of attention as One-Two (Gerald Butler), a low rent thug who gets involved in a shady real estate scam that involves millions in cash. And in a guy Ritchie film wherever there’s cash, there are plenty of low lives around who want a cut of it.

The cast of characters includes the very hot Thandie Newton as a corrupt accountant, Tom Wilkinson as a big time London gangster, Jeremy Piven and Chris ‘Ludacris’ Bridges as two wannabe music moguls and Toby Kebbell as Johnny Quid a rock star who fakes his own death to boost his record sales.

Like most Guy Ritchie films it’s difficult to sum up the plot in a few sentences because a film like Rock N Rolla is more about the wild characters than the story itself. Ritchie is passionate about this world and it is displayed with how all of the characters are laid out like chess piece whom are all trying to stay alive by the end of the game, even though the situation keeps getting dirtier and dirtier.

The main problem with Rock N Rolla is that it’s not as tight as Ritchie’s previous films such as Snatch or Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. In those previous films you actually rooted for the seedy characters to win, but here, even though there are a few standout scenes, overall you’re not as involved. It is rumored that Rock N Rolla is one part of a trilogy that Guy Ritchie is setting up, and if this is true, hopefully the next film will be more stable, because next to Quentin Tarantino, Ritchie is the one director who can pull it off.

VIDEO

Rock N Rolla is presented in full 1080p in a 2.4:1 aspect ratio that seems to be all over the place. Some scenes look good with sharp colors and solid blacks, but then there are instances where everything the image seems muddy. This is mainly because the film was shot on HD video to give it a much grittier look, so just as long as you’re not expecting the image to jump out at you, you should be satisfied.

AUDIO

With a Dolby TrueHD 5.1 sound mix, the audio quality is well done, because this is a heavy dialogue based film and with many characters talking with a heavy accent, you may need to pull up the subtitles at times. Overall, the mix does the job, just don’t expect any bells or whistles.

EXTRAS

There’s not a lot offered in terms of bonus features, but Ritchie does provide and audio commentary and a Digital Copy is available on a second disc.

Guy Ritchie and one of the actors in the film, Mark Strong, toss some tales about the background of the film and on the set adventures.

Blokes, Birds, and Backhanders: Inside Rock N Rolla is a making off that does the basic interviews with the cast and crew.

Guy’s Town is actually one of the most interested features because it shows how Ritchie was inspired to make the film as he shows off the expanding real estate of London.

BOTTOM LINE

If you’re a fan of Guy Ritchie’s work (Obviously not including Swept Away), then you should definitely give Rock N Rolla a look. It’s not his best film, but it still has his signature on it. This Blu-ray offers a decent picture and good sound, but the bonus features leave a lot to be desired. Give this one a rent first, before you decide if it’s shady enough for you.

SCORES: (Out of 5):

The Movie: 3.0

Video: 3.0

Sound: 4.0

Extras: 2.5

Bottom Line: 3.0