This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the movie being covered here wouldn’t exist.
Bert Kreischer rose to fame as a stand-up comedian known as The Machine, and in his signature set he recounts his true experience with Russian mobsters while on a booze-soaked college trip. Now, 23 years later, that trip has come back to haunt him as he and his estranged father (Mark Hamill) are kidnapped back to Russia by the mob to atone for something they say he did. Together, Bert and his father must retrace the steps of his younger self (Jimmy Tatro) in the midst of a war within a sociopathic crime family, all while attempting to find common ground in their often fraught relationship.
For in-depth thoughts on The Machine, please see my colleague Dom Fisher’s review from its original theatrical release here.
Video Quality
The Machine debuts on Blu-Ray with a dazzling 1080p presentation in a 2.39:1 aspect ratio that really makes an impression. The movie itself has a crisp, natural color palette that is very nuanced throughout with an excellent amount of detail and clarity. The movie utilizes deep black levels, yet there is a hint of digital noise at a few points. Highlights never get too hot or unwieldy. Objects hold up favorably in the shadows and retain their shape and depth. Throughout this story, you are taken to different spaces with bold lighting choices that bathe the palette in dynamic hues. There is no damage detectable in this transfer. Sony has treated this one well on disc with a strong encode that should please fans.
Audio Quality
The Blu-Ray arrives with a mighty DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track that executes the sonic intentions with ease. While there is a focus more on the comedy side of the equation, there is a surprising amount of action which kicks things to life when you need it. The low end of the track kicks like a mule when things get kinetic. Dialogue and sound effects are appropriately balanced with the soundtrack where nothing gets lost in the track. Surround channels are used effectively to enhance the environment and create a more three-dimensional space. Sony has taken charge when it comes to this audio presentation. There are optional English, English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles provided.
Special Features
- Bert’s Big Bash: A 16-minute look at the live-stream premiere with Bert Kreischer in which he goes into stand-up mode telling an amusing story of how this story got made.
- Outtakes & Bloopers: A two-and-a-half minute collection of flubbed and forgotten lines, ruined takes, uncontrollable laughter and more.
- Bert, Bruised & Brawlin’: The Action of The Machine: A seven-minute look at the action sequences in the film and Kreischer’s insistence of doing much of his own stunt work complete with training and more.
- The Making of The Machine: An eight-minute featurette which takes a look at the origins of the movie, how closely it skews towards reality, the exploration of “new Russia” and more.
- The Cast of The Machine: A nine-minute look at the ensemble and creative team assembled for the film.
- Deleted Scenes: Four scenes of unused material totaling eight minutes are provided here. There are some amusing moments, but it makes sense why they were cut for time.
- Previews: There are trailers provided for Fatherhood, 65, Insidious: The Red Door and The Man From Toronto.
Final Thoughts
The Machine is a chance for comedian Bert Kreischer to bring his on-stage charisma to the big screen, and a lot of the time it translates. Bert is often co-opted by a certain type of agro dude, but the man himself is oftentimes very sensitive underneath his party guy exterior. He brings some of his evolved sensibilities to this feature to provide a balance to his man-child shenanigans. The result is a pretty funny, occasionally heartfelt story of family and dealing with the fallout from your past. There are jokes that do not land, and the film is a good 20 minutes too long, but overall it provides an outrageous, entertaining time that will appeal more so to his established fans than newcomers. Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has provided a Blu-Ray disc that sports an excellent A/V presentation and a good array of supplements for those who do decide to check it out.
The Machine will be available to purchase on Blu-Ray and DVD on August 15, 2023. The film is currently available on Digital.
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.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.