Blu Tuesday is a weekly column where we review the newest Blu-ray and 4K releases, along with a brief rundown of the included bonus material, to determine whether they’re worth buying, renting or skipping.
Pick of the Week: “Weapons”
Hype is a dangerous thing, as it can often take on a life of its own and become impossible to live up to. But in the case of Zach Cregger’s sophomore effort, “Weapons,” it’s completely warranted — not because of some crazy twist, but because it’s the type of bold, original storytelling that we simply don’t see enough of these days. The film uses a non-linear, chapter-based narrative structure to tell its story, and although the multiple perspectives don’t appear to add much initially, each successive chapter reveals new details about the central mystery (and how the various characters connect) in ways that continually subvert your expectations. The movie is constantly evolving and reinventing itself through its various tonal shifts and genre-hopping, which in turn keeps the audience on its toes. The ending is a bit abrupt and perhaps not as conclusive as some might want (or expect), but “Weapons” is a captivating and expertly crafted piece of genre filmmaking that is every bit deserving of its praise.
Extras include a behind-the-scenes look at making the movie. FINAL VERDICT: BUY
Also Out This Week:
“The Fantastic Four: First Steps” — The arrival of Marvel’s First Family into the MCU has taken a lot longer than fans expected, but it couldn’t have come at a better time. With Marvel’s cinematic universe in the midst of a mini refresh, “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” carries the weight of an MCU centerpiece while still operating as a standalone story that doesn’t require an encyclopedic knowledge of every film, TV series and tie-in from the past 20 years. Much like James Gunn’s “Superman,” “First Steps” avoids the typical origin story by jumping right into the action, and it does a good job of catching the audience up to speed and making you feel like you’ve known these characters for years. All four leads are well cast and have great chemistry with one another, while the retro-futuristic setting allows for some refreshingly unique costume and production design. Though it remains to be seen exactly how this version of the Fantastic Four will be integrated into the larger Marvel universe, their MCU debut is a fun and tonally distinct superhero movie that cares more about its characters than delivering big, comic book action. Extras include an audio commentary by director Matt Shakman and production designer Kasra Farahani, as well as some behind-the-scenes featurettes, deleted scenes and a gag reel. FINAL VERDICT: BUY
“Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning” — Christopher McQuarrie has really transformed the “Mission: Impossible” franchise since taking control of the series with 2015’s “Rogue Nation,” but he may have bitten off more than he could chew with the two-part “Dead Reckoning.” Though the studio has tried to distance the second film from the disappointment of its predecessor by renaming it “The Final Reckoning,” the intrinsic connection between the two installments remains evident, resulting in similar problems across both films. Every bit as bloated and convoluted as Part One, “The Final Reckoning” lacks the magic and charm of McQuarrie’s previous installments. It also completely wastes its supporting cast, which has long been a highlight of the franchise. Though the “Mission: Impossible” movies have always been the Tom Cruise Show to a certain extent, even series stalwarts like Ving Rhames and Simon Pegg have very little to do this time around. The film still has its moments — particularly some callbacks to the 1994 original that bring the story full circle — but if this truly is Cruise’s “Mission: Impossible” swan song, it’s hard to view it as anything other than a massive letdown. Extras include a pair of audio commentaries (one by McQuarrie and Cruise, and the other by McQuarrie, editor Eddie Hamilton and first AD Mary Boulding), as well as a collection of behind-the-scenes featurettes, deleted scenes and more. FINAL VERDICT: RENT
Disclosure: Bullz-Eye was provided a copy of the above titles for review purposes.
