The Longest Yard

From its Smokey and the Bandits kick-off to its hackneyed final showdown, there isn't much in this The Mighty Ducks meets Bruford effort that hasn't been done before and better. Burt Reynolds stars as an on-the-skids former pro footballer who's looking at some harder time unless he agrees to throw an inmates vs. guards game. Its cast of caricatures notwithstanding, Reynolds has undeniable charm in the lead, and the final game has its moments of madcap hilarity, but be forewarned, filmmaking doesn't get much broader than this 1974 crowd-pleaser. An optional purchase. (S. C. Sickles)[DVD Review--May 17, 2005--Paramount, 121 min., R, $14.99--Making its second appearance on DVD, 1974's The Longest Yard: Lockdown Edition sports a nice transfer considering the age of the film. DVD extras include audio commentary by Burt Reynolds and writer Albert S. Ruddy, two behind-the-scenes featurettes (23 min. total), a free movie pass for and exclusive look at the 2005 version of The Longest Yard (starring Adam Sandler and Chris Rock), and trailers. Bottom line: a fine extras package for a so-so comedy.]