5.8 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Devoted lifeguard Mitch Buchanan butts heads with a brash new recruit. Together, they uncover a local criminal plot that threatens the future of the Bay.
Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Zac Efron, Priyanka Chopra, Alexandra Daddario, Jon BassAction | 100% |
Comedy | 49% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: Dolby Atmos
English: Dolby TrueHD 7.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
French (Canada): Dolby Digital 5.1
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1
Portuguese: Dolby Digital 5.1
English, English SDH, French, Portuguese, Spanish
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (1 BD, 1 DVD)
UV digital copy
DVD copy
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 2.0 | |
Video | 5.0 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 2.0 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
It seems like an impossible task, and probably a fool's errand, to try and make a movie based on a '90s TV show that was all about big muscles and ample bosoms crammed into tight one piece swimsuits. One would think the best-case scenario would be a hot, glossy, vibrant movie akin to Pain & Gain, where flash overtakes substance, though with enough substance to compliment the flash. That's not the case here. Baywatch deals in tired plot mechanics and generic comic relief. Lifeguarding is little more than a backdrop and the movie loses the simple charms of its television predecessor. Were it made a bit more slickly and its contrast pushed up to "scorched," one might have indeed mistaken it for a Michael Bay movie; it's essentially Pain & Gain meets Bad Boys. One could easily see Will Smith and Martin Lawrence replacing Dwayne Johnson and Zach Efron, and a morgue scene midway through feels ripped right out of Bad Boys II.
If Baywatch delivers anything of value, it's the gorgeous 1080p transfer. This is about the zenith of what the Blu-ray format can achieve. The digitally photographed movie is squeaky clean but never flat or failing to find detail. The image is clear, rich, and robust, showcasing skin -- pores, tattoos, ripped muscles and vascularity, chest hair, and bouncing breasts -- with impeccable definition. Sandy beaches, lifeguard attire and equipment, anything and everything pushes the format's abilities. It's a seamless marriage of textural intensity and digital clarity and cleanliness. Colors are likewise superb, with reds unsurprisingly the highlight. The franchise's trademark red swimsuits reveal impressive punch and saturation, deep and detailed but never overpowering any other color in the film, whether some sporadically appearing natural greens or additional clothing colors. Bright blue skies and waters are additional ever-present supports that shine. Black levels, particularly during nighttime exterior shots, are perfectly deep and inky. Flesh tones are a touch warm (as is the entire palette) but complimentary to the movie's style and setting. No more than a sprinkling trace of noise is ever evident and no other source or encode issues appear. They don't come any better than this.
Baywatch features a Dolby Atmos soundtrack that delivers the movie's rush of music with verve and authority. Clarity is excellent no matter the style, whether sharp Rock riffs or Hip-Hop beats. Detail is impeccable, aggression is unmistakable, width and immersion are obvious and balanced, and the low end belts out prodigious notes. Listeners will often feel completely enveloped by music. It can be overbearing at times, narratively, anyway, but even in excess there's no mistaking the excellence of delivery and the track's want to push systems harder than most. Action effects, such as exploding fireworks, watercraft engines, or raging flames on and around an engulfed yacht deliver supreme potency and detail through the aggressiveness. The top layer doesn't engage frequently, often used for support, but some of those action scenes, and the fireworks during the climax in particular, offer a pleasantly tangible top-side presence, particularly as they shoot towards the sky. Counter to the track's nearly constant intensity are pleasantly light ambient effects, like seagulls and gently rolling waves, which can be heard during calmer dialogue scenes. The spoken word presents firmly and effortlessly from the center. Prioritization could stand to tighten up a bit during the most intensive scenes where effects and music can compete rather hard with verbal exchanges.
Baywatch contains three featurettes and a collection of deleted and extended scenes. A DVD copy of the film and a UV/iTunes digital copy code
are included with purchase. This release also includes two cuts of the film: Theatrical (1:56:27) and Extended (2:01:22).
Baywatch is hardly the biggest dud of all time, but it is one of the most unnecessary and unoriginal films ever made, and that's not simply because it comes based on preexisting content. The plot finds not even a smidgen of creativity between its character construction and action-intrigue details, and Heaven help the future of cinema if characters like Ronnie are here to stay, though with a clone of him in just about every Comedy of the 21st century, it seems a safe bet. The movie has its moments, particularly when Johnson and Efron get on the same page, which is most every scene they share. Otherwise, this one's a sad Michael Bay clone with no redeeming value, either dramatic or entertainment. Paramount's Blu-ray does boast exceptional video and wonderful Atmos audio. A few supplements are included. Fans can certainly buy with confidence given the high-end tech presentation, but those who have yet to see the film should think twice before paying to see a movie they've seen countless times before.
Extended Cut
2017
with Instawatch, and Pain & Gain VUDU Digital Copy
2017
Bonus Disc
2017
Limited Edition
2017
2017
2012
2014
2018
2016
2016
2017
2011
2014
2018
2007-2012
2019
IMAX Enhanced
2020
Mastered in 4K
2003
Limited Edition
2015
2013
35th Anniversary Edition
1987
2021
2019
2018