Another 48 Hrs. Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		1.5
Overall		3.0

Another 48 Hrs. Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman July 5, 2021

Walter Hill's 48 Hrs. played well because its lead actors played well against one another. The chemistry may not have met that magical threshold from Lethal Weapon but there was enough spark and energy between Nick Nolte and Eddie Murphy to make an effort to rekindle that magic a worthwhile endeavor. Another 48 Hrs., released eight years later, captures the essence of that relationship but the film is too bogged down in a choppy narrative and poor editing to make any screen chemistry and character compatibility enough to overcome outside flaws. The pairing worked in the first movie in spite of a story that wasn't particularly interesting, and here the story is too much of a cliché riddled burden for even a talented top billed cast to overcome.

Jack Cates (Nick Nolte) has pushed the edge time and again but this time he may have pushed too far. In his relentless pursuit of a criminal known as "Iceman," he shoots and kills a man in the middle of a money exchange. Jack says the man shot at him first, but when an investigation turns up no supporting evidence, he faces a manslaughter charge and is given precious little time to clear his name. When Jack learns that Iceman wants Reggie Hammond (Eddie Murphy) dead and has hired a band of bikers to do the deed, he's forced to pair up with his old "partner" for one more ride with more on the line than ever before: Reggie's life and Jack's freedom and career.

Another 48 Hrs. manages to fumble a tried-and-true cliché formula by ignoring things like essential narrative development and character growth, hoping to simply wrench in grit and humor into an otherwise vapid story. The plot is merely window dressing for shootouts and stabs at rekindling the same fire that burned so hot under the original. Here, though, the movie falters and fumbles without an identifiable purpose beyond reuniting its leads. The film was reportedly chopped down from an original runtime of 140 minutes to its current 90-some-minute finished product, and the loose edits and garbled story that result certainly do the film no favors. Another 48 Hrs. is perfectly capable entertainment in isolation, a film with enough raw energy to satisfy anyone looking for some procedural buddy-cop type of action (and there is no shortage of body count here) but forget anything resembling a worthwhile story, because it's simply not here.

Nolte and Murphy effort to rekindle what they can from a wayward script with minimal story and even less cohesion. The pair is expressive and the screen chemistry holds though here more by sheer force of will and less by the natural ebbs and flows of authentic pairing and partnership. They are at their best when in motion, when the action demands they focus on the externals rather than the internals. There's little growth here and little challenge beyond the physical demands which are at least an area of strength for the film and, at this length, the film's main focus. A few fun asides dot the movie but these are fleeting and largely forgettable moments within the larger sphere where action talks and everything else walks (or was unceremoniously trimmed from the film).

Another 48 Hrs. Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Paramount brings Another 48 Hrs. to Blu-ray with a high yield 1080p transfer, similar to that prepared and presented for the remastered 48 Hrs.. This, too, per the studio's press materials, has been remastered from a 4K film transfer and the picture yields a well capable and very enjoyable picture that is texturally confident and colorfully correct. The image holds to its natural grain pattern, which is generally light and flattering and even in density. There's no significant loss or spiking here. Details are steady and crisp. The Blu-ray reveals fine facial features with impressive clarity and screen command. This extends to clothes and environments as well; the picture is always texturally alive and highly satisfying across all elements. Colors are a highlight, too. The image produces plenty of vividness and vitality when a gas pump explodes at the 9-minute mark; it's bright and intense, a beautiful bold orange that punctuates a key scene in the film. Additional color output is very good. There's nothing quite so vivid as this but the tones are well grounded with natural contrast and steady accuracy to black levels and skin tones. The picture is free of obvious print wear and there are no major compression issues to note, either. This is another classy catalogue Blu-ray release from Paramount.

Another 48 Hrs. Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Like its predecessor, Another 48 Hrs. arrives on Blu-ray with a Dolby TrueHD 5.1 lossless soundtrack. The presentation is commendable in every way. Clarity is steady throughout, detail is fine, aggression is balanced, surround implementation comes regularly, and balance is terrific. James Horner's unforgettable score is a highlight for both clarity and stage engagement. It's a saturating presentation, holding to a dominant front side placement but offering balanced surround cues to amplify the immersion and intensity. Environmental cues are likewise superb, with every key locale springing to life with incredible sonic vividness, including the famous bar brawl sequence. Gunfire hits hard, explosions rock hard, and action din is well rounded for placement and detail. Dialogue is clear and center positioned for the duration.

Another 48 Hrs. Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Another 48 Hrs. includes a new director retrospective and a trailer. This release is the 20th in the "Paramount Presents" line and includes the slipcover with fold-open poster artwork. A digital copy code is included with purchase.

• Filmmaker Focus: Director Walter Hill on Another 48 Hrs. (1080p, 14:35): Director Walter Hill explores the film landscape beyond the original 48 Hrs., Eddie Murphy's desire to make a sequel, the time crunch shooting window, film structure, audience expectations, criticism, favorite scenes, cast and performances, the film's worldwide success, and more.
• Theatrical Trailer (480i, 1:31).

Another 48 Hrs. Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Another 48 Hrs. is a casually entertaining film with a gritty edge. It has little value beyond its superficialities, which are admittedly well done and enjoyable, whether considering the action or the Nolte/Murphy interplay. When the original released, Murphy was then a star in the making but here, going on a decade removed from 48 Hrs., he was suddenly the biggest star in the world. With that comes expectations not attached to the original and, combined with a let-down script, the movie is difficult to place on the same genre-defining pedestal as the original. This is capable, serviceable entertainment but also a missed opportunity for something special. Paramount's Blu-ray is very good, though, delivering high yield video and audio presentations. The main extra of note is a decent retrospective with Director Walter Hill. Recommended for fans.