This 1991 film, starring Keanu Reeves and Patrick Swayze, finally makes it to the Blu-ray format. For those individuals that were either too young or not born tat the time that Point Break came out, the basic premise is as follows. Johnny Utah (played here by Reeves is a former football player and current FBI agent that has been entrusted with the duty of trying to find out the identities of the Ex-Presidents, a group of bank robbers that have been hitting up a string of banks over the last few months. Working on a hunch, Utah feels that there may be some information to be had in the surfing communities. Hooking up with Lori Petty’s character Tyler to learn the ins and outs of surfing, Utah’s skill rapidly gains the attention of Bodhi (Swayze).
Bodhi is a revered figure in the local surfing community, and a period of acclimation brings Utah closer to finding out who the Ex-Presidents are, why exactly they are committing these crimes, and the philosophy that the group espouses. The special features do a great job in giving viewers a reason to further care about this moving, especially with the presence of the original trailers that touted this movie. However, it may be the deleted scenes that will give viewers the most bank for their buck. While some individuals may say that the weaker footage was dropped from the original versions of the film, I feel that the film was deemed too long at the director’s cut, and the re-included scenes – describing the Ex-President’s philosophy, along with a scene in which Tyler saves Utah – further explain the complex interactions that each of the main characters of Point Break have with each other.
Finally, “On Location: Malibu†showcases Malibu from nearly twenty years ago, providing a nice snapshot for a period that, while similar in look, is very different from the current period. If you were a fan of the movie when it came out, or are one of the many followers that came late to the party, make sure to pick up a copy of Point Break. If Point Break Indo ever gets made, having Point Break in one’s collection will further increase the appreciation that viewers will have in the new film. Make sure to pick up this classic flick and show Fox that they should release more in the way of older films in the format.
Rating: 7.6/10
Point Break (Blu-Ray) / 2008 Fox / 122 Minutes / http://www.fox.com /