War Dogs could’ve been better but as it is, the performances by Jonah Hill and Miles Teller were solid, as was Bradley Cooper’s brief role, yet the story never quite hit its mark for me. At the very least, it is worth a rental.
War Dogs
(2016)
Genre(s): Drama, Comedy, Crime
Warner Bros. | R – 114 min. – $44.95 | November 22, 2016
Date Published: 12/01/2016 | Author: The Movieman
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THE MOVIE — 3.5/5 |
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“They called guys like us war dogs. Bottom feeders who make money off of war without ever stepping foot on the battlefield. It was supposed to be derogatory, but…we kind of liked it.” Plot Synopsis: Two friends — Efraim Diveroli (JONAH HILL) and David Packouz (MILES TELLER) — in their early 20s, living in Miami Beach during the Iraq War, exploit a little-known government initiative that allows small businesses to bid on U.S. military contracts. Starting small, they begin raking in big money and living the high life. But the two get in over their heads when they land a $300-million deal to arm the Afghan military – a deal that puts them in business with some shady people, including the U.S. government.
Quick Hit Review: War Dogs was based on a true story and one I vaguely remember hearing about. As with most of these, I’m not entirely sure how much of this film is based on fact and how much was Hollywood-ized. Either way, it is an incredible story and the film features two fine performances by Jonah Hill and Miles Teller, both playing well off one another while Bradley Cooper does his Hangover director a solid appearing in a credited cameo (he has maybe 5 minutes of screen time in a semi-pivotal role). The movie isn’t great, nor is as good as it could have been, and yet it’s an entertaining story but what makes it enjoyable was the fun chemistry between Jonah Hill who plays larger than life (i.e. right in his wheelhouse) and Mile Teller who in the past has played characters you want to punch, however here, he was actually likeable.
War Dogs was directed by Todd Phillips who previously directed the Hangover Trilogy and while there is plenty of comedy, the subject is far more serious by comparison and, again, it’s not a great film but Phillips, who also co-scripted, made it a worthwhile, if not singular, watch. |
SPECIAL FEATURES — 2.0/5 |
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This release comes with a semi-glossy slip cover. Inside is a redemption code for the Digital HD copy. General Phillips: Boots on the Ground (8:38; HD) is a behind-the-scenes featurette on the origins of the project, based on a Rolling Stone’s article, and filming in a variety of locations and countries. Access Granted (10:08; HD) looks at the real life David Packouz who has a cameo in the movie as a singer at an retirement home. Pentagon Pie (2:49; HD) is an “educational sing-along”. Preview – The Accountant |
4K UHD VIDEO — 4.75/5, BD VIDEO — 4.5/5
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| Warner Brothers launches War Dogs onto 4K UHD presented in its original theatrical 2.40 widescreen aspect ratio and a 2160p ultra high-def transfer (HEVC/H.265 codec). While the subject is comedically dark, the worldwide locales makes for a bright looking picture and with this format, it does look fantastic. Detail also looks great with excellent sharpness throughout and a nearly flawless presentation, free of artifacts, aliasing and other flaws.
The Blu-ray looks basically just as good with a 1080p high-definition transfer (MPEG-4 AVC codec) and shown in its original 2.40 aspect ratio. While the 4K UHD is a bit sharper and colors brighter, this one still looks great all things considered. There’s a nice range from the more natural tones in the Middle East to cooler blues in other shots and then on the warmer spectrum in and around Miami. |
AUDIO — 4.5/5 |
| For whatever reason, both the UHD and BD releases came with the standard DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 tracks. Now, don’t get me wrong, the movie does sound great, dialogue levels were crisp and clear and the LFE channel gets a workout with some transition scenes where the bass would rumble. However, for a new(ish) format, I wish Warner had upgraded to a Dolby Atmos track, but as it is, it’s a nice sounding lossless track, just nothing incredible. |
OVERALL – 3.25/5 |
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Overall, War Dogs could’ve been better but as it is, the performances by Jonah Hill and Miles Teller were solid, as was Bradley Cooper’s brief role, yet the story never quite hit its mark for me. At the very least, it is worth a rental. The 4K UHD is released through Warner Brothers and offers great video and audio transfers but falls far short in the features department. |
Check out some more screen caps by going to page 2. Please note, these do contain spoilers.