Special (2008/MagNet DVD)

 

Picture: C     Sound: C+     Extras: C-     Film: C

 

 

In a step backwards for storytelling, there has been a quiet cycle of films that use mental illness and medication that is supposed to help as a punchline and joke, trivializing both treatment and mental illness.  Hal Haberman and Jeremy Passmore have come up with this idea in Special (2008), which also tries to mix in Heroes and Unbreakable with Michael Rapaport as the patient who becomes an unlikely superhero of sorts.

 

However, the powers bring nothing but trouble, including men in black outfits connected to the manufacturer of the product who are none too happy, but it is among the many things not done so well here and Kafka has little to worry about.  I guess two directors was a mistake, trivializing the more serious side of everything that happens is another and what little does work is everything we have seen before.  If not for Rapaport, this would be a real bomb.

 

The anamorphically enhanced 1.85 X 1 image is weak, faint and often color-gutted throughout, with a lack of detail that is not impressive one bit.  The Dolby Digital 5.1 mix is more dialogue-based that expected and though the Dolby 2.0 Stereo is weaker, they are almost even.  Extras include outtakes and an HDNet program plugging the film.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo