Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		0.5
Overall		3.0

Midnight Sun Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman June 16, 2018

Here’s a rare-bird young adult melodramatic romance that’s actually not based on a YA book but rather an honest-to-goodness original work for the screen (another recent example being The Space Between Us), based on a 2006 Japanese film of the same name. While the story could have most certainly been a bestseller to upper middle and high school students at the annual book fair, the work has been composed to tell its tale at 24 frames per second instead, and why not? It works. The film hits most of the highlight cliché elements -- a deadly disease, a burgeoning romance, life directions forever rerouted by love -- but it's so tender, sincere, warm, and lovable that rarely has a movie so easily overcome its triteness by sheer force of heart alone. Director Scott Speer (Step Up Revolution) has crafted a tender, moving, and lovable film that overcomes predictability thanks to the sincerity the actors bring to the parts, and while Speer works to manipulate the film and the audience towards a certain response, the film rises above that push with a heart that's as genuine as they come.

Katie Price (Bella Thorne) lives her life in the shadows. And she has no choice but to do so. She suffers from a rare skin disorder known as "xeroderma pigmentosum," or XP, which essentially means that direct exposure to sunlight could kill her. She's lived most of her life inside the house, guarded by protective windows and a loving father (Rob Riggle) who lives to give his daughter the best life he can offer her. Katie dreams of leaving the house, of playing her music for the world, of experiencing life as it is for everyone else. From her bedroom window, she has spent years watching a boy skate by her house, and he has become a central part of her fantasy world. One night, leaving the house after "graduating" her homeschool high school, she bumps into the boy, whose name is Charlie (Patrick Schwarzenegger). The two instantly hit it off and fall genuinely in love with one another. But Katie fears that telling Charlie the truth about her condition will break off the budding romance, even as it becomes clear that nothing could tear them apart.

Midnight Sun tells its story in a classic three-act structure that introduces the characters, builds the romance, and works towards, and through, a fairly predictable, but nevertheless moving, final act. While the film never deviates from standard structure components and works with countless cliché elements, which would normally be a death sentence for a movie of this sort, it instead finds great success at its raw emotional center thanks to committed, involved, and believable performances carrying it on through. While the film is written in a way to elicit a response, there's no mistaking the sweetness within, the tenderness of its characters and the joys they find with one another. This is a movie about lights in the darkness, a story in which love overcomes limitations, and even as the film takes the only, and predictable, route towards the end, the sincerity of its emotions and the likability of its characters see it rise well above type and the tropes that define it, ultimately building the movie through heart, not rote content and empty words.

The film finds a stride early and never deviates from its linear forward momentum. Even as the journey takes viewers through the predictable stumbling blocks and the expected turns in the third act, it maintains a level of honesty and heart throughout, thanks in large part to the grounded, believable, emotionally balanced performances of its lead characters. Both Schwarzenegger and Riggle are superb as the men in Katie's life, and it is in their relationship that the film mote sharply deviates from course. They quickly realize they share the same goal in their love for Katie, one offering fatherly love and the other romantic love, and their quick bond and friendship and the rapport the actors share in their scenes together is a critical component in shaping the movie as it builds towards its tender and, yes, tearjerking finale. Both men share an equally strong chemistry with Bella Thorne. While her relationships with both men barely deviate from the path and suffer from only minor bumps, the genuine affection shared amongst them is sincere and heartfelt. Truly, it's words like "tenderness" and "genuine" that best describe the movie: the story, the characters, the actors. It flows very well, with only mild interruption through the second act during which there is maybe one too many scenes and a couple of briefly overextended moments as the film depicts the burgeoning relationship between Charlie and Katie, but it's otherwise a very warm, agreeable romance that genre fans are going to love.

Midnight Sun Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Midnight Sun's 1080p transfer offers a well-balanced image, even as parts of it are confined to lower light interiors or spaces in which light must filter through specialty window dressings. Details are very strong, and the 1080p transfer masters much of what the digital photography has on tap. Facial textures are crisp, clothes appear firm, environments are always sharp. Colors are well defined, particularly scenes with enough light to allow. Essential tones deliver with nicely saturated intensity, while subtle nuances are handled with care, too. Black crush is a little problematic at times, though one could reasonably believe that such added depth is intentional to emphasize Katie's necessary draw into darkness. Mild low light noise creeps into darker scenes, which are frequent. There is some significant banding during a critical scene in chapter 11, but other source/encode issues are nonexistent.

Midnight Sun Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Midnight Sun features the Universal-basic DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack. The track is just fine, featuring a solid all-around performance that finds well balanced delivery amongst all high level elements. Music is enjoyably lively, full bodied and spreading with impressive length and some width. Clarity is maintained for the duration. Environmental support din is enjoyably robust and authentic, such as a beachside party early in the film. Lighter, general atmospherics like background insect are nicely integrated into the track, too. Dialogue carries much of the film, though, and delivery is fine, presenting well in all areas of concern.

Midnight Sun Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Midnight Sun contains one supplement. 'Midnight Sun:' An Inside Look (1080p, 2:21) recaps the plot and briefly explores the characters and Katie's music. A DVD copy of the film and a Movies Anywhere digital copy code are included with purchase.

Midnight Sun Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Midnight Sun will not compete in the arena of originality, but it dominates the arena of sincerity. This is one of the more genuine, honest, and tender young adult romances one is going to find. The acting is very good, the chemistry amongst the three leads is a strength, and the movie is well paced. It's just an agreeable little movie, simple on its merits but absorbingly deep within its characters. It's a great little movie. Universal's Blu-ray could stand to house a few more extras, but video and audio qualities are just fine. Highly recommended.