Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		1.0
Overall		3.5

Phone Booth Blu-ray Movie Review

This low budget thriller delivers big excitement on Blu-ray

Reviewed by Martin Liebman January 16, 2008

If you hang up, I will kill you.

Joel Schumacher was a giant amongst boys in the 1980s and early 1990s. The director helmed credible hits like The Lost Boys, Flatliners, and Falling Down, all personal favorites of mine. Then came his turn behind the camera for two disastrous Batman movies, but the roller coaster ride that is Schumacher's career seems to once again be on the upswing. His Tigerland is a vastly underrated little film, and his 2002 hit Phone Booth proved to be quite the clever little movie. Shot in less than two weeks on a small budget, the film eventually tripled its budget in theaters and has become somewhat of a sleeper hit on home video. I vividly recall watching this movie for the first time upon its initial release on DVD several years back and the disappointment I felt with the movie after the credits rolled. I'm happy to report that after screening the film once again on Blu-ray, I've discovered an appeal I somehow missed before.

Who knew a phone booth could be so deadly?

Stu Shepard (Colin Farrell, S.W.A.T.) is a busy, nonstop publicist in New York City. He's deep in the world of entertainment with more connections than a jigsaw puzzle, access to the stars, pull with restaurant owners, and his clients are among the elite in show business. He's also a liar and a cheater. Every day, Stu removes his wedding ring, enters a telephone booth, one of the last vestiges of privacy in New York City, and meets with his mistress over the telephone. His routine is so precise, so exact, that he's invited an unwelcome guest into his affairs. After speaking with his mistress, the phone rings. On the other end is a voice (Kiefer Sutherland, The Sentinel) who knows everything about him. This mystery caller knows Stu's name, his job, his wife, and the details about the life he leads. He also has a high powered rifle aimed at Stu's head. As Stu and the caller square off, it's obvious who has the upper hand. A fatal shooting of a man outside the phone booth appears to leave Stu caught in the act of murder, but when the police arrive, Captain Ed Ramey (Forest Whitaker, Species) begins to suspect that there may be more at play than a man in a phone booth. The only questions is, can Stu stay alive long enough for Ramey to piece together the mystery?

As I mentioned earlier, I wasn't too fond of this movie when I first saw it. I'm not exactly sure why because, as I see the movie now, there isn't a whole lot to dislike about this film. It's fascinating from both a technical standpoint and an entertainment standpoint. Movies often take months to film, and finishing this one in less than two weeks time is a minor miracle for a movie of this scope. Granted, the action is centralized with only one primary location that takes up no more than half a city block. That the film managed to come together so quickly with the cooperation of all parties involved--the cast, crew, and the city--is astonishing. As a film, Phone Booth grabs your attention from the get go and doesn't let up. The film is very short, running at only 81 minutes, including credits, but those may very well be the fastest 81 minutes of your life. While I could list dozens of films that I found more engaging and more intense, none of them pack quite the punch in such a short time span and in such a small setting as this one. The story may not be a wholly believable one, but few movies, even those based on reality, can claim that distinction. As pure entertainment, Phone Booth delivers a generous portion of excitement and tension that should satiate the thirst for adrenaline most viewers nowadays crave.

Phone Booth Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Phone Booth, presented in 1080p and in its original 2.35:1 aspect ratio, looks marvelous on Blu-ray. The image has super clarity and detail despite a somewhat muted color palette. The image manages to retain a superior and oftentimes stunning three dimensional quality to it that ranks very high amongst every other Blu-ray I have reviewed and screened to date. Despite the less vibrant use of color, there is still a certain "pop" that gives the image a nice, pleasing, and lifelike look to it. Flesh tones appear to be reproduced accurately, and black levels are on the right side of very good. The only fault I found was with the print itself. Signs of wear and a few scratches and pops were visible throughout, but nothing to overly distract from the enjoyment of the image.

Phone Booth Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

When it comes to lossless audio, 20th Century Fox delivers. While they use DTS-HD MA, the encode most Blu-ray fans don't have access to, they nevertheless provide the option unlike some other studios that have only recently begun pressing discs with high definition sound. The lossless track on Phone Booth is very good but ultimately a bit underwhelming. This dialogue driven film doesn't have much use for dynamic and powerful sound, but we do get some instances of nice, heavy bass and powerful musical cues. Since dialogue is the primary plot device that drives the movie, it's fitting that the track makes it the centerpiece of the listening experience, and listeners will not be disappointed. As far as dialogue reproduction goes, this track is second to none. I must admit that I found the placement of all telephone dialogue on the other end of Stu's lines gimmicky, but as that was a conscious decision by the filmmakers, I won't knock the audio score for it. For what the track needs to do, it does very well. Like the movie itself, most viewers could come up with a list of more engaging soundtracks, but the fact of the matter is that this one is just fine as is.

Phone Booth Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Sadly, the only extra pertaining to this movie is a commentary by director Joel Schumacher. This commentary track ranks among the dullest tracks I've listened to. Schumacher discusses the action on screen with regularity, the basics behind the making of the movie, and various issues of little interest. He speaks in a monotone, but sounds much younger than he really is. If you are a fan of Schumacher or just need to know more about Phone Booth, you might like this track. Otherwise, I'd find a better way to kill 81 minutes. One thing that this disc offers is a plethora of trailers. On this disc, you'll find 1080p trailers for Phone Booth, Planet of the Apes, The Transporter, Transporter 2, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Behind Enemy Lines, Kiss of the Dragon, and Speed.

Phone Booth Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Phone Booth is good, quick, fun that certainly doesn't outwear its welcome. In fact, I wish it could have hung around a bit longer than it did. Fortunately, fans of the movie now have the opportunity to view this one at their leisure on a fine Blu-ray disc. Although the disc lacks in the extras department, those wanting to see Phone Booth in the best presentation possible should be excited about adding this disc to their collection. I'm hesitant to completely recommend this one as the movie may not be to everyone's liking, so I would suggesting renting it before buying if you haven't seen it before. For the fans out there, however, adding this disc to your Blu-ray collection is a no brainer.