Chris Farley stars as an orphan who was raised from infancy by the head of a ninja institute. Farley grows into an overweight young klutz who manages to become a ninja, albeit and inept one. His first assignment is not to screw up a murder investigation in Beverly Hills.

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Video Quality

Beverly Hills Ninja debuts on Blu-Ray in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio from a master that looks surprisingly strong. We suspect that Sony gave this a fresh master in recent years based on the level of consistency. The natural film grain resolves faithfully without turning to noise or getting splotchy while providing incredible detail in every frame. Every location on the reservation comes through with tremendous clarity, especially in the texture of the earth, the clothing, and the production design.

The look of the film is not too ambitious given its humble origins as a studio comedy, but the aesthetic is much more pleasing than many modern comedies. This disc executes the nuances with an effortless grace. There are rich splashes of color within the costumes and sunny locale that dazzle with the hues accurately saturating the frame. Black levels are mostly deep without any notable blocking or compression artifacts. Some shadowy scenes lean more toward the milky side, but most will not be disappointed. Highlights are handled well without veering into blooming. Facial features are on full display with nuances attributed to different performers. This upgrade is a nice treat for fans and has been handled with care by Sony.

Audio Quality

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment brings forth a Blu-Ray with a DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track that is surprisingly robust given the genre. Dialogue comes through crisp and clear without being drowned out by the obvious score from George S. Clinton or any environmental effects. The featured music maintains a persistent fidelity that shows few signs of strain. The sounds of elements such as running water are deftly defined and given a significant rendering in the speakers. The sounds of explosions and other kinetic moments give the track a nice boost. Sony has done a lovely job with this one. Optional English, French, and Spanish subtitles are provided.

Special Features

Audio Commentary: Director Dennis Dugan provides a great commentary track that is very informative in which he discusses the development of the film, working with Chris Farley, how he performed many of his own stunts, the creative limitations of the budget, the shooting locations, and more.

Theatrical Trailer: The nearly two-and-a-half-minute trailer is provided.

Final Thoughts

Beverly Hills Ninja is a prime example of a dumb high-concept comedy, but that does not mean it is not funny. Chris Farley is deep into “fat man falls down” territory here, but his completely committed performance eliminates a bit of the juvenile nature of the material. Plus, there is some clever dialogue to pair with the supreme physical humor at play. You are not coming to this film to engage your brain, but if you love Chris Farley doing what he does best, you should find this to be passable entertainment. Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has released a Blu-Ray with a great A/V presentation and a nifty commentary track. If you have been waiting for this to hit disc, you should be pleased. Recommended

Beverly Hills Ninja can be purchased directly through MovieZyng or various other online retailers.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.