Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.0
Overall		3.5

Barbershop Blu-ray Movie Review

Styling for Peace

Reviewed by Michael Reuben July 27, 2016

Barbershop: The Next Cut (or "B:TNC") is the third entry in the Ice Cube-produced series (or the fourth, if one counts the 2005 spinoff, Beauty Shop), but matters have taken a noticeably dark turn in the intervening years. The deleted scenes in the Blu-ray extras reveal some of the comedy beats that had to be sacrificed in service of a story that tries to address urgent contemporary issues (and, within the limits of the franchise, succeeds).

Once again, Calvin Palmer, Jr. (Ice Cube) must decide whether to keep the doors open at the family-owned barbershop that is a beloved institution on Chicago's South Side. This time, it's the growing violence on the city's streets that has Calvin considering a new location to the north, a concern made more urgent by the pull of gang life on his teenage son, Jalen (Michael Rainey, Jr.). In an effort to stem the violence, Calvin and his co-workers negotiate a 48-hour cease-fire between rival gang leaders, during which they will offer free cuts to all comers, with a Twitter campaign designed to draw the world's attention to the neighborhood's problems.

Like it predecessors, B:TNC is rife with overlapping subplots of romantic intrigue, marital and family strife and money-making schemes both legitimate and illegal. Key players new to this entry include Draya (Nicky Minaj), a brassy stylist with a lascivious mouth and a roving eye, and Rashad (Common), a boyhood friend of Eddie's and now a co-worker married to Terri (Eve), a series regular. Resident know-it-all, Eddie (Cedric the Entertainer), continues to spout politically incorrect nonsense, while routinely puffing up his own importance (he claims to have been Barack Obama's barber back in the day). In this third installment, however, the Barbershop series' familiar comic élan is tempered by the ever-present danger in the streets outside. Good times may still be had by all, but they're routinely interrupted by gunshots and ducking for cover.

The shop's community outreach is ultimately deemed a success, as celebrities like NBA star Anthony Davis show up in solidarity and the city council takes note. Calvin's devotion to the neighborhood eventually triumphs over his desire to leave. A party atmosphere prevails as the credits role over one of the film's most farcical set pieces. But the gangs are still out there, and one character has died in the street.

Barbershop Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Shot digitally on the Sony F55 by Greg Gardiner (Men in Black II), Barbershop: The Next Cut is presented by a Warner on a solid 1080p, AVC-encoded Blu-ray that continues the series' bright, cheerful, almost-sitcom look. Blacks are solid, detail is excellent and colors are bright without oversaturation. In a departure from the usual practice of the new-release group (and hopefully an indication of future trends), B:TNC has been mastered at a high average bitrate of 34.98 Mbps.

Barbershop Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

B:TNC's 5.1 soundtrack is presented in lossless DTS-HD MA, and it keeps the dialogue clear and centered while devoting the remainder of the speaker array to Stanley Clarke's (The Transporter) score and the extensive dance and hip-hop selections heard on the soundtrack. A few notable effects are well-placed in the surrounds.

Barbershop Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• The Next Cut: Barbershop Bootcamp (1080p; 1.78:1; 4:34).



• Deleted Scenes with [Director] Malcolm D. Lee (1080p; 1.78:1; 12:34).



• Gag Reel (1080p; 1.85:1; 2:24).

Barbershop Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

B:TNC does an effective job of reviving a once-popular franchise, while at the same time acknowledging how times have changed. Fans of the series should enjoy the proficient Blu-presentation, and newcomers may be prompted to discover earlier entries. Recommended.