Dwayne Johnson Before the Brand Took Over

Read Time:5 Minute, 40 Second

MOVIE REVIEW
Walking Tall (4KUHD)
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Genre: Action, Crime, Thriller
Year Released: 2004, Kino Lorber 4K 2025
Runtime: 1h 26m
Director(s): Kevin Bray
Writer(s): Mort Briskin, David Klass, Channing Gibson
Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Johnny Knoxville, Neal McDonough, Ashley Scott, Kristen Wilson
Where to Watch: available now here: www.kinolorber.com or www.amazon.com

RAVING REVIEW: WALKING TALL was a unique experience for its time, and even today it’s still something special, although dated at times. It was a film with a message, and it knew exactly what it wanted to say. It is direct and refreshingly unpretentious; a mid-budget studio action film that understands the value of momentum over mythmaking. It moved with a confidence that many longer action films fail to maintain, trusting its star power and simple premise to carry the weight. I don’t know for sure why, but for some reason, this and FALLING DOWN feel like an ultimate double feature of redemption.

This version of WALKING TALL is not interested in recreating the harsher, more exploitative roots of the original story. Instead, it reframes the narrative as a more accessible package that leans heavily on Dwayne Johnson's physical credibility. At this point in his career, Johnson still feels hungry, not yet smoothed into the hyper-controlled persona that would later define his brand. There is an edge here that feels earned rather than manufactured, and it makes a noticeable difference.

Johnson’s Chris Vaughn is defined less by dialogue than by presence. He doesn't dominate scenes through speeches or moral grandstanding; he dominates through restraint. The character’s sense of justice is uncomplicated, almost stubbornly so, and the film wisely avoids over-explaining his motivations. The audience understands him: he is a man returning home to find something broken, and he refuses to look away. That clarity keeps the film focused even when the story leans into some familiar territory.

Kevin Bray’s direction emphasizes physicality over spectacle. The action sequences are grounded and intentionally unflashy. Vaughn’s signature weapon, a two-by-four, becomes less of a gimmick and more of a statement. This is violence stripped of style, framed as a force rather than indulgence. The film is careful not to glamorize the damage too much, even as it delivers satisfying confrontations. Bruises linger; consequences are visible; and Vaughn himself is not immune to getting hit repeatedly.

Johnny Knoxville’s role as Ray Templeton adds a counterbalance. He is not used as comic relief in the traditional sense, but as a pressure release. Knoxville plays Ray with surprising restraint, keeping his energy dialed back just enough to fit the film’s grounded approach. His presence prevents the movie from becoming self-serious without turning it into parody. It is one of the more effective uses of Knoxville in a scripted role, allowing his natural unpredictability to exist within the film's structure.

Neal McDonough’s antagonist is one-dimensional but effective. He represents corruption as entitlement rather than intelligence; a man who believes power is permanent simply because it has gone unchallenged for too long. The film doesn’t waste time complicating his psychology, and it does not need to. WALKING TALL understands that this isn't a character study, but is a morality play, and its villains function best as obstacles rather than enigmas.

Where the film stumbles slightly is in its attempt to soften the harsher implications of its premise. By choosing a PG-13 rating, WALKING TALL occasionally pulls its punches emotionally. Some of the more troubling undercurrents of small-town corruption are hinted at rather than explored, and the film avoids lingering in moral gray areas. This restraint limits its impact. There is a version of this story that could have dug deeper without losing momentum.

Revisiting WALKING TALL now, even years after I first saw it, it plays like a snapshot of an action star in transition. Johnson is still proving himself, still leaning into physical storytelling rather than his scripted persona. The film benefits from that authenticity. It doesn’t feel like it was designed by committee, even when it follows a formula. It feels like a movie made by people who understood their limitations and built around them.

WALKING TALL succeeds because it never pretends to be anything it's not. It’s a straightforward action film with a clear moral compass, solid performances, and a runtime that respects the material. While it may lack the rawness of its inspiration, it compensates with focus, energy, and a lead performance that anchors the entire experience. It stands tall not as a reinvention, but as a reminder that simplicity, when executed well, can still hit hard.

Product Extras:
DISC 1 (4KUHD):
Brand New HDR/Dolby Vision Master – From a 4K Scan of the 35mm Original Camera Negative
NEW Audio Commentary by Film Journalist Brandon Streussnig
Audio Commentary by Star Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson
Audio Commentary by Director Kevin Bray, DP Glen MacPherson, and Editor Robert Ivison
5.1 Surround and Lossless 2.0 Audio
Triple-Layered UHD100 Disc
Optional English Subtitles

DISC 2 (BLU-RAY):
Brand New HD Master – From a 4K Scan of the 35mm Original Camera Negative
NEW Audio Commentary by Film Journalist Brandon Streussnig
Audio Commentary by Star Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson
Audio Commentary by Director Kevin Bray, DP Glen MacPherson, and Editor Robert Ivison
Fight the Good Fight: Featurette (8:22)
Deleted Scenes
Alternate Ending
Gag Reel
Theatrical Trailer
5.1 Surround and Lossless 2.0 Audio
Dual-Layered BD50 Disc
Optional English Subtitles

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[photo courtesy of KINO LORBER]

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