Dumb and Dumber To

It’s hard to believe Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels introduced us to the iconic characters Harry Dunn and Lloyd Christmas twenty years ago. I was thirteen at the time and found ‘Dumb and Dumber‘  one of the funniest movies I’d seen up to that point. There were enough jokes for three movies, most of which I didn’t catch on my first or even second viewing. It took multiple viewings to catch every single gag in that now classic comedy.

Even twenty years later, the first film still holds up and is as funny as it was two decades ago. Back then, brother directors Peter and Bobby Farrelly were relatively new on the film scene. They gave us a new and unique type of comedy that launched their careers. Their movies, bad or good, are always made with love and a genuine heartwarming message, no matter how raunchy the jokes can be. Now the year is 2014, twenty years since we last saw Harry and Lloyd miss a big opportunity to oil up some Hawaiian Tropic models, and things seem to be more or less the same.

The two life long friends are still themselves to a tee, delivering some great jokes throughout, if you laugh too long or too loud, you might miss all of them. It was interesting to see Carrey and Daniels, who are both now in their 50s, play these roles again. Of course they give it their all and they are true to the characters completely. Chipped tooth and all. But it was a little surreal to see these over-the-top characters interact in an over-the-top society, where the jokes are bigger and louder. In the first film, Harry and Lloyd talk about a woman named Fraida Felcher, with whom they both supposedly had an intimate relationship.

Now, they finds out that Fraida has a daughter who might just be the spawn of Harry. This sets off a road trip with Harry and Lloyd where they meet up with Felcher (Kathleen Turner), who tells them she hasn’t seen her daughter since she gave her up for adoption when she was born. Harry and Lloyd travel to El Paso, Texas to find Harry’s now grown daughter Penny Pichlow (Rachel Melvin), the daughter of renowned scientist Dr. Pichlow (Steve Tom). And just like the first film, Harry and Lloyd seem to have a front seat to some mastermind's criminal conspiracy, which of course they don’t know they’re a part of with a man named Lippencott (Rob Riggle) and a kinky woman named Adele (Laurie Holden).

Of course, nothing can or will hold a candle to the original ‘Dumb and Dumber‘ film. But this sequel does a great job in re-creating this one-of-a-kind brand of humor with these two amazing characters. Some jokes fall flat. Some strike gold. But one thing is for sure, you’ll walk away laughing and quoting the film, just like you did with the original. There are plenty of cameos and homages, and be sure to stay till the end of the credit sequence for a special clip.

No, I don’t think this is as great or funny as the original, but on the way home, I couldn’t stop talking and laughing at almost every part in the film, and that says something. Harry and Lloyd are alive and well, which is a good thing.

'Dumb and Dumber To' comes with a great 1080p HD transfer presented in 1.85:1 aspect ratio. This is a sleek and rich looking video presentation from start to finish. Twenty years does wonders in the form of technology and video. While the first film may have that older, filmic quality to it, this sequel does not. It's crystal clear and very vivid, however there are no compression issues or digital artifacts to be seen. It's quite a lovely image and fits perfectly with this vulgar comedy. The detail is always razor sharp and reveals each detail.

The background props and sets also look clear, never once looking, leaving this image with some great depth. The colors simply pop of screen at all times as well, whether it be the purples and blues at the trade show or the green trees along the highways. It all looks gorgeous. The skin tones are natural and the black levels are very deep and inky throughout. Again, there were no problems with aliasing or banding, although a few spots of the image went a little soft when the heavier special effects took place, but it only lasts a second and doesn't hinder the viewing experience.

This release comes with a very good lossless DTS-HD 5.1 audio mix and it sounds as good as it can for being a hilarious comedy film with some moments of intense action. This is mostly a dialogue-centric film, but the instances with big sound effects, including a passing train collision, fireworks, and passing cars on a highway all sound very good, but not as realistic or full as a Michael Bay movie would be. But let's be honest, this is the sequel to 'Dumb and Dumber' and not 'Bad Boys'.

That being said, the sound effects and ambient noises are all full and robust consistently with some excellent directionality. Dialogue is always crystal clear and easy to follow, and free of any pops, cracks, shrills, and hiss. The music and score is always fun and lively, while never drowning out the sound effects or dialogue. The LFE is excellent and the dynamic range is very wide, leaving this audio presentation with solid marks.

That's Awesome: The Story of 'Dumb and Dumber To' (HD, 45 Mins.) - This is an excellent in-depth look at the making of the film. Told in five different chapters, this has it all. Interviews with the cast and crew, on set footage, improv, deconstructing famous scenes, paying homage to the original film, and even fans on the street, talking about their love of the original film. Everything you want to know about the film, casting, script, and shooting is here, and it's highly engaging.

'Dumb and Dumber To' is quite a good sequel. While nothing will live up to the original film, the entire cast and crew gave it their all and executed a hilarious sequel that kept some of the same jokes from the first film, but added a new twist. Carrey and Daniels are still on top of their game and are a joy to watch play these roles again. I found myself laughing more and more with each viewing. The video and audio presentations are both great and the extras are funny, engaging, and worth the watch. For those of you who are worried about this sequel, don't be. It's hilarious and highly entertaining. Highly Recommended!