DVD Reviews

I might lose your respect for this, but I enjoy The Rock. Even when his material is lacking (which it often is), I find that The Rock rises above it all and makes something solid (pun sadly intended). Gridiron Gang continues to prove my theory, telling a “true story” that manages to combine troubled inner-city kids finding guidance and a football team rising above the odds. It’s a very conventional movie, complete with montages, but Dwayne Johnson makes it tolerable.

The football scenes are the second unsung heroes of the disc, and, presented in their 2.40:1 anamorphic glory, they’re pretty darn tasty. Together, they look like the greatest NFL Films reel ever, which also happens to feature The Rock. The Dolby Digital 5.1 audio provides the necessary grunts and crashing of equipment and flesh, as well as music designed to pump you up in time for the big game.

Features include a bland, back-slapping commentary track with the director and writer, which doesn’t really add much and could have used some contributions from The Solid One. Luckily, there is a documentary of the Rock that helps us out in that department, in addition to some deleted scenes and a profile of the director (who made the U2: Rattle and Hum documentary). There is also a multiangle function for some of the gridiron scenes, but it involves a great amount of difficulty for something that is ultimately pretty disappointing.

This DVD is strictly for fans of The Rock or people who can’t get enough football now that the Super Bowl is over.