Restless Natives (1985/Teen Comedy)
Picture: C+ Sound: C+ Extras: D Film: C+
Two young
Scottish kids (Vincent Friell and Joe Mullaney) decide to start robbing people
in the Scottish Highlands. At first,
Will and Ronnie become cause celebres and people find it a throwback hoot, but
the cops led by one particularly angry one (Ned Beatty) want it to end and
Michael Hoffman’s Restless Natives
(1985) becomes an amusing chase film.
This is
not a great film, but a decently entertaining one and if you are from the 1980s
or love its music, you will get a kick out of the music score by the band Big
Country, whose self-named international hit In
A Big Country is one of 1983’s iconic Pop/Rock/New Wave classics. All their songs have interesting use of bagpipes
and some pieces include vocals by lead singer Stuart Adamson. The music is a plus, but even without it,
this is a comedy with intelligence and though it never takes off beyond what it
does, it is worth a look and is fun to watch.
The
anamorphically enhanced 1.78 X 1 image is not great, but not and not plastered
with digital effects or manipulations and holds up good for its age. The result is a pleasant viewing that is even
nostalgic. The Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono is
not bad, though you’d think the Big Country score was recorded in stereo. There are no extras.
- Nicholas Sheffo
