Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back is a 2001 comedy starring Kevin Smith, Jason Mewes, Shannon Elizabeth, Jennifer Schwalbach, Eliza Dushku, and Ali Larter. It is basically a running inside joke referencing and calling back to the prior movies Smith made in which Jay and Silent Bob were featured but not the focus (Clerks, Mallrats, Chasing Amy, and Dogma). This features many of the same actors that appeared in those films (such as Jason Lee, Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Chris Rock, Joey Lauren Adams, Alanis Morissette, and Shannen Doherty) have cameo roles, with the focus of the story (to the extent that there is one) being that Jay and Silent Bob are trying to get from NJ to CA to stop the filming of the Bluntman and Chronic movie, which Banksy (Jason Lee) sold the rights to after the events of Chasing Amy. It is basically riffing on the other movies, and paying homage to movies that Smith is a fan of (such as Star Wars). All with his juvenile and vulgar sense of humor. The first few minutes of the movie see Jeff Anderson and Brian O'Halloran "working" in the convenience store from Clerks and shows how Jay and Silent Bob met as toddlers. The film also features Will Ferrell, Judd Nelson, George Carlin, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Jon Stewart, Tracy Morgan, Diedrich Bader, Wes Craven, and Jason Biggs (among others).
The Blu-Ray is very bare bones. The only extra is a commentary track a commentary track that features Smith, Mewes, and producer Scott Mosier. There is nothing much to the story itself. The whole movie is set around two characters who are funny in small doses but can get to be a bit much in large doses. However, it does not try to take itself too seriously or go on for longer than necessary. It is not a movie that anyone other than fans of Smith's other movies (up to that point, at least) will likely be entertained by. But even now, 18 years or so on, those who are fans can still find it amusing. And, you get a few minutes of awesomeness from George Carlin and Carrie Fisher, as well as Shannon Elizabeth, Eliza Dushku, and Ali Larter (along with Smith's wife) in skin-tight outfits as they steal diamonds in a nod to the Catherine Zeta-Jones scene in Entrapment.
Overall it is good, but definitely not a great movie. It is not on par with Clerks, Chasing Amy, or Dogma, which I thought were excellent. I don't even think it is as good as Mallrats, which was, in my opinion, the weakest of the movies that served as source material for this one. But if you don't expect it to be more than it is, it is enjoyable.
The Blu-Ray is very bare bones. The only extra is a commentary track a commentary track that features Smith, Mewes, and producer Scott Mosier. There is nothing much to the story itself. The whole movie is set around two characters who are funny in small doses but can get to be a bit much in large doses. However, it does not try to take itself too seriously or go on for longer than necessary. It is not a movie that anyone other than fans of Smith's other movies (up to that point, at least) will likely be entertained by. But even now, 18 years or so on, those who are fans can still find it amusing. And, you get a few minutes of awesomeness from George Carlin and Carrie Fisher, as well as Shannon Elizabeth, Eliza Dushku, and Ali Larter (along with Smith's wife) in skin-tight outfits as they steal diamonds in a nod to the Catherine Zeta-Jones scene in Entrapment.
Overall it is good, but definitely not a great movie. It is not on par with Clerks, Chasing Amy, or Dogma, which I thought were excellent. I don't even think it is as good as Mallrats, which was, in my opinion, the weakest of the movies that served as source material for this one. But if you don't expect it to be more than it is, it is enjoyable.
