Max
(2015/Warner Blu-ray w/DVD)
Picture:
A/B Sound: A/B Extras: C- Film: C+
Boaz
Yakin's Max (2015) is a touching story about a young boy,
Justin Wincott (Josh Wiggins), and how his brother's dog, best
friend, and partner (all the same) in the army comes home and helps
Justin (Wiggins) feel reconnected with Kyle Wincott (Robbie Amell),
the brother, he lost.
The
movie is rated PG, which means they are catering it for younger kids,
but it still is kind of intense to start out with. However, if you
think your kid cannot handle bombs exploding and people being shot
and shot at then perhaps skip ahead a few minutes. The war violence
does not last very long and does not show all the gore/harsh
realities as much as they could, but again, it is rated PG.
Max
runs for approximately for 111 minutes and 45 minutes in you find
yourself wondering how long is it going to take this dog and boy to
finally bond. Then when you start to see them getting along and
understanding one another you find yourself in another sense of
wonderment on if the relationship between the boy, Justin (Wiggins)
and dog, Max, is the only story we are following, because it seemed
to be marketed as Max, who is suffering from PTSD (Post Traumatic
Stress Disorder) and was a hero in the army is now a hero back home.
It just feels like it drags slightly on.
Another
thing that feels off is the acting by Lauren Graham, who plays Pamela
Wincott. Graham uses an accent that just does not seem authentic and
I prepare myself for it every time I see her on camera. The
cinematography for Max also just on par and pretty on the
nose. Not many stylistic choices were made for a story they hyped up
so much, but that does not mean it should be overlooked.
Max
is presented in both Blu-ray high definition and standard definition
DVD. The Blu-ray is 1080p widescreen 2.4:1 presentation that looks
pretty good when there are explosions or the nice fireworks display
the do in the film when Justin (Wiggins) senses something is wrong
and rushes to Max. It also has a lossless DTS-HD MA (Master Audio)
5.1 mix, which sounds great during those explosions and other scenes
throughout the movie. The DVD presentation with its anamorphically
enhanced image and lossy Dolby Digital 5.1 mix is not bad either.
The
bonus features include: Working With Max (where you meet the
dogs that play Max and see inside tricks) and Hero Dogs: A Journey
(a behind-the-scenes look at K9s trained in the military. It also
includes a digital copy to watch on the go.
-
Jordan Whiteko
