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The Darwin Awards DVD Review
The Darwin Awards DVD Credits:
The Darwin Awards Directed by:
Finn Taylor
The Darwin Awards Written by:
Finn Taylor
The Darwin Awards Cast:
Juliette Lewis, Julianna Margulies, Chris Penn, Wilmer Valderrama, Brad Hunt, Tom Hollander, Emily Mortimer, Alessandro Nivola, Tim Blake Nelson, Jeffrey Tambor, David Arquette, Joseph Fiennes, Winona Ryder
The Darwin Awards Released by:
Not available at this time
Region:
1
The Darwin Awards DVD Release Date:
30th July 2007
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The Darwin Awards Synopsis:

Film refers to the tongue-in-cheek Internet award bestowed upon those who die or maim themselves out of colossal stupidity. The often posthumous honor is designed to recognize catastrophes so egregious that, by the death of those responsible, the gene pool is improved for future generations. Fiennes plays a forensic detective who pairs with an insurance claims investigator (Ryder) on a road trip to create the profile of a potential Darwin Award winner.

The Darwin Awards DVD Review:

There are certainly a number of unique outlets which have inspired films, far beyond the typical comic books, video games, and even theme park rides, but to make a film based around The Darwin Awards is a new stretch. To base a film on an award given to people who die in unique ways from their own stupidity is almost in bad taste, but ends up just bizarrely fascinated with these stupid people. Still, I suppose inspiration can be found in even a soup can, and the film almost seems to be making a point about the fascination with these events in using them as inspiration. The end result is far more satisfying than one might imagine, although the satisfaction sits about as long as meal before quickly discarded and forgotten. There are plenty of great actors involved, if only momentarily, but as good as they all are they have all also been in much better films, quite recently in fact.

Columbo meets Idiocracy in this dark comedy about a detective who can’t stand the sight of blood and is obsessed with the Darwin Awards. Filmed as if it were a thesis project of a young filmmaker, played by Wilmer Valderrama of That 70’s Show, The Darwin Awards follows Detective Michael Burrows (Joseph Fiennes) as he is able to methodically reveal what happened at the scene of any crime. So much so that he even apprehends a suspect in the street because of the shoes he is wearing, but when a blow causes blood he is soon passed out and even the kid with the camera doesn’t help him. When he is fired from his job he decides to use his profiling abilities to work for an insurance company. He works alongside a cynical and jaded claims investigator (Winona Ryder) who is annoyed by Burrow’s careful lifestyle until she inevitably falls for him. At the same time his obsession over the cases soon begins to come between them.

Although many of these twists are predictable, the deaths that they are investigating are often surprising and hilarious. As well as showcasing stupidity that I am certain must be inspired from actual Darwin Awards, each of these investigations also allow for small side-stories that bring cameos into the film. These cameos are also an enjoyable quality of the film with David Arquette, Julianna Margulies, Tim Blake Nelson, Juliette Lewis, Robin Tunney, and even a performance from the recently deceased Chris Penn. The DVD includes a making-of featurette with cast and crew interviews. There is also a photo gallery.



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The Darwin Awards DVD review written by: Ryan Izay

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