DVD Reviews

Big Jake (Blu-Ray)

As soon as the rated PG-13 For Western Violence rating came up before the start of the film, I immediately had images of cowboys getting shot and holding their stomachs as they fell through the banister on the second storey of a building. Or a guy getting thrown through a window after a bar fight that started after someone was caught cheating during a game of poker. Boy was I wrong. The opening scenario of the film has a group of the meanest cowpokes around riding into a family ranch and killing everyone in a bloody massacre. Old and young, women and children, anyone moving seemed to be a target for the sheer brutality that was portrayed early on in this film. My thoughts about westerns growing up and their hokey like stories were way off the mark when it comes to Big Jake. 

John Wayne plays Big Jack McCandles, a husband who hasn’t seen his wife in over 9 years. But he returns home after his grandson is kidnapped by a vicious outlaw gang. While the law gives chase in rickety automobiles, Jake saddles up with an Indian scout and a box of money – even though paying a ransom isn’t how Jake plans to exact good old frontier justice. Spiced with humour and first-class gunfights, this is a vivid depiction of the last days of the wild frontier.

The audio is presented in DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 but doesn’t really need it. While the dialogue is nice and clean, clear and always audible and understandable, short of the score, the surrounds aren’t used much. And where is the bottom end? Considering the amount of action in this film, the lows aren’t really given the workout they deserve. But considering the age of the, I’d say you’re probably better off watching the film in 2.0 stereo film since it’s very likely that the film would have been in stereo originally (or mono). Luckily, there is a stereo track included with the release. While I do recommend watching with the stereo track, I’ll admit that the 5.1 track is a bit roomier in field and scope but only slightly. The track feels restrained and cramped compared to most 5.1 tracks. There are also mono tracks in Spanish, Castilian, German, French and Portuguese but I didn’t listen to them. There are subtitles in English SDH, French, Castilian, German, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Norwegian, Swedish, Portuguese and Spanish for those that need them.

While the audio doesn’t fare as well as it should, the video is better than expected. Presented in 2.35:1 the 1080p VC-1 transfer is almost flawless. The saturation may seem over the top but this is standard fare for westerns during this time period. The image is crisp and clean for the most part and I only managed to catch a few scenes where the video had a hazy look to them above and beyond the regular amount of grain. The only major problem I had with this transfer is that it looks so good, the blood (red paint) looks extremely unrealistic as a result.

There aren’t any extras at all on this release. Not even trailers for other releases.

Big Jake may have changed the way I view old thyme westerns. While I may not seek them out, I won’t avoid them like I normally do. This action adventure film surrounding a family drama is entertaining in a way I never expected. Sure, things look a little plastic and surreal but once you get past the surface and notice the complexities of the story, the characters and let yourself get swept up in the gunfights, Big Jake is truly a fun watch. As for this release, I am only disappointed with the lack of extras. Had there been trailers for some other John Wayne films or perhaps some history behind the film even if only in text, I’d say the release would be near perfect for the film. As it is, short of there being some big John Wayne collector’s box set with special edition releases of his films, this is the best you’re going to get when it comes to Big Jake. Worth adding to your library if you are a fan.

Review By Rob Harding