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I first heard about the librarian adventure series starring Noah Wyle, which reminds me of Indiana Jones. For some reason I always avoided this show. I have been generally apathetic toward television feature films. This is especially true for those looking to bank on ‘Hollywood’ style thrills and chills. The music was unimaginative, the effects were beneath everything I would ever gently tolerate, and the actors were simply cashing in.
Noah Wyle (who also works as an executive producer) does these films for pleasure. So does Jonathan Frakes (Star Trek: First Contact). So far he has directed two of the franchise’s pictures. Wyle’s expense comedic cast is populated by heavyweights like Bob Newhart, Jane Curtin, and character actors like Olympia Dukakis and Bruce Davison. Many of the stories contain a premise with at least a bit of educational history while also having a good amount of ridiculous science fiction or fantasy. In many films, Wyle is accompanied by beautiful Stana Katic who frequently plays his love interest character and ends up saving him instead of the other way round.
This goofball comedy-adventure series is about a handsome oafish librarian named Flynn Carsen who retrieves ancient artifacts for the New York Library, only to constantly find himself in danger and there is a lot to love about it. His character is lots of fun, providing a silly charm that perfectly matches the plethora of villains and monsters Wyle ends up battling.
Flynn’s latest adventure includes fighting fierce ancient vampires to retrieve the golden chalice, all while courting a beautiful girl who might actually be a bloodsucker. Curse of the Judas Chalice has great characters and oh so much fun and adventurous story, but Marine on Location New Orleans gives the film fascinating history. Here, it is difficult to find a performer who looks exhausted. Everyone is bursting with energy and gives it their all.
As usual with every movie project, some budget restrictions limit the overall look of the movie, so people not able to suspend disbelief during certain dull parts of the film’s sequences might feel disappointed. However, the film does excellently when it comes to deeply engaging the audience with exciting genuine action, sharp comic moments, and putting its best foot forward to entertain.
Wyle does provide the balance between the unfolding action and comedy, though there are times he does fall short. To say the least, he incredibly disappoints at all attempts to deliver dramatic, bone-chilling material and there is a specific scene towards the end which he completely messes up.
A word of caution, The Librarian Curse of the Judas Chalice is riddled with faults, but if you are looking for an action-packed and entertaining adventurous movie filled with laughs and exaggerated fun, this is most likely going to be your cup of tea. Anything on the lines of Indiana Jones, goes.
For the hearing-impaired viewers, there is English Dolby Digital 5.1 audio available. In truth, this blend is nothing out of the ordinary. Dialogue is set at a fairly low volume and at times, can be tricky to listen to due to certain production constraints, which are overshadowed by some rather unnatural surround elements. On the other hand, some scenes, particularly the one that has echo effects, sound pretty good. Bass generally sits in the back seat, but there are times where it is prominent, such as when the film’s score is active. It is much more subdued during the action sequences. This mix is serviceable for the content, but like the trick, I could not shake the notion that this film would have been much more engaging and invigorating with a better presentation. This single disc release comes in standard black plastic case with the film’s 30s venture serial-inspired but photoshopped cover art. There are not many extra features.
Nonetheless, these add-ons are inconsequential. The first three clips depict events that are insignificant to the movie, not adding any character or plot development. These additional sequences are merely mindless antics. Nevertheless, any fan worth his salt will want to check them out.
The section dealing with the “Visual Effects Deconstruction” os also rather minimal. There are a few scenes from the film which have been analyzed so that we can observe the various stage setups and their final visual composites. Finally, there is a slightly more interesting home movie that captures Jonathan Frakes on the set while shooting the Monastery scene.
The Librarian series is an enjoyable Indiana Jones kit and doesn’t get worse than that. It’s not good, but it’s nowhere near awful. This DVD is not as appealing as the movie. It is acceptable, given its nature, but the transfer and the surround mix could have produced much better results. Special features are also a bit too thin, offering only a scant view into this massive television production. However, I would recommend this disc to anyone who enjoys an awesome comic style adventure.
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