Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.5
Overall		3.5

Black Nativity Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman December 8, 2014

It might seem to be a bit more disparaging than is intended, but in many ways Black Nativity really should have been Tyler Perry’s Black Nativity. The film, while ostensibly culled from Langston Hughes’ play, has many Perry trademarks, including a troubled African American family, a lot of very elegant black actors, and (just for good measure) some rousing musical performances, including a finale that delivers the expected happy ending within a “lump in the throat” context of reconciliation and redemption. Black Nativity’s ambitions were a bit higher than a typical Perry film, however, and that may be one reason why it perhaps seemed to fall a bit short of whatever mark it was aiming for. The film still has a lot of moving elements, but it’s on the contrived side (another thing linking it to Perry’s ever expanding filmography).

For my thoughts on the original release of this film, please see Black Nativity Blu-ray review . This new "Extended Musical Edition" adds a couple of songs and prolongs a couple more. The music is arguably one of the strongest elements of Black Nativity, and for those who didn't pick up the first release, this is a natural go-to purchase, since it offers both the original theatrical version as well as the longer version.

Black Nativity Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

For an assessment of the video quality of this release, please see our Black Nativity Blu-ray review.

Black Nativity Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

For an assessment of the audio quality of this release, please see our Black Nativity Blu-ray review.

Black Nativity Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

All of the Supplements discussed in our For an assessment of the video quality of this release, please see our Black Nativity Blu-ray review are included on this release.

Additionally, this release offers the Extended Musical Edition (1:46:33) as well as the Theatrical Version (1:32:53) of the film.

Black Nativity Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Is Black Nativity manipulative? Oh, yeah! Or perhaps a hearty "Amen!" might be a better response, for the film is just as undeniably moving. While some of the plot mechanics are hackneyed, the music is largely stellar, and that makes this new Extended Musical Edition more of a tempting "double dip" for some consumers than it might otherwise be. For those curious about the film, this is certainly the release to get, since it includes everything that was on the original release and is currently selling for less than that release.