Synopsis
Nick Cannon plays Devon Miles, brilliant drummer with attitude to burn, who arrives at acampus with one of the most prestigious marching bands in the US. What follows is essentially atraining film, the kind of thing you see in To the Shores of Tripoli and GI Jane, only this timemusic, rather than war, is the goal. The usual ups and downs and character conflicts are present(you can set your watch by the predictability of the script), but the performances are engaging,and the…drumline sequences are astonishing. Good fun.
Audio
This is a movie that lives and dies by its sound, and fortunately, the sound is superb. Thesound effects are great, with a full environment created, but the standout is the music, whichbooms and blasts with satisfying power.
Video
The ratio is 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen, which is so important, as some of the mostimpressive scenes in the film involve the elaborate choreography of hundreds of dancers andmusicians. I can’t imagine what cropping would do to Drumline. The colours are great — verywarm and rich. The image is sharp and grain-free, and even the layer transition is carefully timedwith a blackout. A couple of the dark scenes are so-so contrast-wise, but this is essentially a verygood transfer.
Special Features
Director Charles Stone III provides the commentary track, which is full of information onhow sets were created, shots were done, and so on. Stone also comments on the 10 deletedscenes. The other extras are promotional: two music videos, a standard “Making-of” feature(yawn), and ads for the soundtrack and Antwone Fisher. Curiously, no trailer for Drumline itself.The menu has a scored and animated main page with accompanying intro and transition to thefilm. The other pages are still and silent.
Closing Thoughts
I’ll confess, I snorted derisively when I first saw the trailers for this in the theatres. But thefilm itself won me over with its spectacularly energetic set pieces.
Special Features List
- Director’s Commentary
- 30-Minute “Making of” Featurette
- 10 Deleted Scenes with Optional Commentary
- 2 Music Videos
