BALLS OF FURY
DVD Review by David Blackwell

DETAILS: 91 minutes, deleted scenes and alternate ending, two featurettes
VIDEO: 1.85:1 (Anamorphic Widescreen)
AUDIO: English, French 5.1 Dolby Digital
Subtitles: English SDH, French, Spanish

STUDIO: Universal Pictures/ Rogue Pictures/ Intrepid Pictures/ Spyglass Entertainment
RELEASE DATE: 12-18-2007

BALLS OF FURY is a fantastically funny action comedy. Dan Fogeler plays disgraced table tennis (Ping-Pong) star Randy Daytona. He is recruited by FBI Agent Rodrigues (George Lopez) to go undercover into the underground world of table tennis to enter the big sudden death tournment held by Triad crime boss Feng (Christopher Walken in another show-stealing role). Feng is the same guy responsible for the death of Randys's Father, Marine Sergeant Daytone (Robert Patrick). With the help of a blind table tennis master (James Hong) and his martial arts expert daughter (Maggie Q), Randy is made ready to face everything.

BALLS OF FURY made me laugh hard whether it is the training Randy went through or comparing table tennis to a well-aged prostitute or the male sex slaves at Feng's secret hide-out. Maggie Q steals the spotlight for the action scnes while the film does make fun of DRAGON: THE BRUCE LEE STORY in a few ways by even having actor Jason Scott Lee among the cast. Christopher Walken plays it straight while being in clothes straight out of Elton John's garage sale. You even have a little Def Leopard music in the mix too (wait until you watch the end credits).

SPECIAL FEATURES:
I think an audio commentary would have been fun for this film, but instead the DVD has only two featurettes and deleted scenes.

The deleted scenes are entertaining including a couple with the ghost of Randy's dad and a little more Christoper Walken. The alternate ending may be amusing, but I'm glad they didn't use it.

BALLS OUT: THE MAKING OF BALLS OF FURY is a promotional featurette that features interviews with cast, crew, and even the table tennis advisor. They compare the film to a martial arts film with no martial arts.
THE LIFE OF A BALL WRANGLER is a featurette that definitenally doesn't take itself seriously because most of the ball action is CGI in the film.

FINAL ANLYSIS: BALLS OF FURY was ignored in theaters, but this crazy action comedy will find fans on DVD. The deleted scenes are a great bonus.

this DVD review is (c)12-17-2007 David Blackwell and cannot be reprinted without permission. send all comments to lord_pragmagtic@hotmail.com  


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