Pitch Perfect 3 Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.0

Pitch Perfect 3 Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman March 7, 2018

With a tagline like "Last Call, Pitches," it's not difficult to decipher the sort of tone Pitch Perfect 3 is aiming for and that has been pre-established in the franchise's previous two entries. These movies are the song-and-dance genre's equivalent to the Action movie world's big-and-dumb flicks. There's no meat on the bones; the series, and this third entry in particular, is all about the externalities, the competitions and the performances. Everything else, no matter how hard the writers may try, is ancillary. Sure there are enough threads running through the series and exclusive to this film that fans will enjoy watching various maturations, pitfalls, and recoveries -- particularly as they deal with the three main focal characters in Beca, Fat Amy, and Chloe -- but beyond exactly how and why things happen, the film leaves little to the imagination. It's structurally stale and safe, injecting various trials that test the Bellas both collectively and, for the leads, individually. Will it all work out in the end? Well, duh, but the joy comes in getting there, in enjoying the movie's infectious beats, and standing up to dance and cheer in a fitting final performance that, on Blu-ray, is also a sonic work of art and the perfect way to send the girls off into he proverbial sunset.

The Bellas have graduated from college and are trying to independently make it in the real world away from their music and away from one another. But it's just not working out. A frustrated Beca (Anna Kendrick) has quit her job, as have the others, each feeling enslaved to a world of which they want no part. Aubrey (Anna Camp) pitches a perfect idea: the group can reunite and perform for the troops with the USO, but there's a catch: a competition is underway at the USO, and the winning group will open for DJ Khaled. The Bellas find themselves in fierce competition with several very good and very worthy acts. Along the way to proving themselves to DJ Khaled, outside interference, internal strife, and individual opportunities all threaten to derail their chances.

There's not much to chew on with this new movie. Various contrived splashes of drama knit together a framework for the battles and the big production number at the end. And only in the film's most sincere moments -- generally the clashes between Fat Amy and her father Fergus, portrayed by a scene-stealing John Lithgow -- do Screenwriters Kay Cannon and Mike White ease off the music and humor accelerator. The film certainly has a wry sense of humor, and the cast delivers a universally pleasing combination of physical and verbal work that captures the movie's essence whether on stage or in those moments when the girls, collectively or individually, work through the curves life throws at them, be those curves of their own making or obstacles others have placed on the tracks. But the drama just never feels substantial, even as that drama ultimately manifests as a large-scale and comically bent action sequence. But truth be told it's not supposed to feel substantial, lest it take away from the focal point song and dance. Fans hoping for a more complex finale to the franchise won't find it. Sincere, yes. Complex, no. The film ends on a beautiful little note, a very well crafted final performance that's nice to look at and a work of sound engineering art, and even without a more significant last word -- because there's been so little of significance anyway -- it's a fitting finale for a fan-favorite franchise.

Pitch Perfect 3 Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Pitch Perfect 3's 1080p transfer delivers a solid viewing experience. Colors are bountiful and nicely defined, boasting impressive saturation and pop across a number of diversely toned clothes, while support environments and small but critical details like eye and lip colors in close-up appear accurate and full-bodied. Detailing is fine. The film was digitally photographed, and essentials like facial definition and clothing lines are clean and revealing. Close-ups are particularly impressive, with very fine skin and fabric (even small bits of dust and lint) details easy to see in all their complex (or makeup-enhanced) glory. Of course neither detail nor color are as stout as they are in the companion UHD release, but Blu-ray only fans should find this a perfectly viable alternative (though one look at the UHD and the Blu-ray will be spoiled). Black levels offer impressive depth and shadow detail while skin tones appear natural and healthy. Source noise is a fairly constant companion, even in well-lit scenes, and some heavy artifacts on a pair of large-area reds seen from the 24:35-24:40 mark reveal intense blockiness (not visible on the UHD), but the image is otherwise a very good one.

Pitch Perfect 3 Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Pitch Perfect 3 features the same DTS:X Master Audio soundtrack that can be found on the companion UHD release; kudos to Universal for continuing to support both formats with the best audio experience. The presentation doesn't disappoint. The opening a cappella take on the Universal theme music is sonically interesting and enjoyably rich, presenting with plenty of discrete effects all over the stage and featuring fluid, effortlessly clear and highly detailed notes. The resultant unique listening experience is only the first of several sonic highlights in the film. Various musical performances follow suit, all with some degree of seamless and precise stage location and easy, well defined movements resulting in total and accurate surround integration. The culmination arrives in the film's (and the series') finale. A large, enveloping performance, beginning with Beca and eventually including all of the girls, offers fine-tuned instrumental clarity and, yes, pitch perfect lyrical definition. It's a sensational sonic moment. The sense of total integration; the fine-point, sweet and smooth sound transitions; and the effortlessly integrated overhead support make for one of the most enjoyably fluid and perfectly immersive moments one if going to find. Add in a low end that hits, and remains in, a sweet spot of authoritative yet complimentary refinement that melts into the experience rather than dominating it, and it's easily a reference sonic moment that DTS should be promoting as one of its best. Various support elements -- whether background din at a military base or an overpowering jet engine that comically drowns out dialogue -- offer exceptional performance. There's some wonderful microphone reverb and a sense of large, cavernous space during some concert scenes throughout the movie's middle stretch, and the top end enjoys more discrete prominence at the 64-minute mark when metallic sounds roll around the stage. Dialogue is clear and precise and perfectly positioned throughout. This is a fantastic sound presentation from DTS and Universal.

Pitch Perfect 3 Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Pitch Perfect 3 contains ample supplements, including a pair of audio commentary tracks. A DVD copy of the film and a Movies Anywhere digital copy code are included with purchase.

• New Musical Performances (1080p): Additional music not seen in the film. Included are Fat Amy & Fergus Casino Duet (2:38) and The Bellas: "See You Smile" Lullaby (1:45).
• Extended Musical Performances (1080p): Included are Evermoist: "How A Heart Unbreaks" (3:55), Young Sparrow/DJ Dragon Nuts: "You Got It" (1:56), and Saddle Up: "Ex's and Ohs" (2:59).
• Deleted Scene (1080p, 1:01): Aubrey at Amy's Hotel Door.
• Gag Reel (1080p, 3:22).
• Competition Crescendo (1080p, 6:37): A discussion of the movie's "Riff-Off" and how the competition is different in this film as well as a closer look at the new bands that appear in the film.
• A Cappella Action (1080p, 3:15): A discussion of the "campy" Bond-inspired music piece titled "Toxic." It also explores the film's yacht set piece.
• The Women of Pitch Perfect 3 (1080p, 4:21): A look at how the series empowers women and the female talent that makes the movies happen.
• Don't Mess with Rebel (1080p, 4:27): A humorous piece that looks at the film's action scenes and Rebel Wilson's work therein.
• The Headliner: DJ Khaled (1080p, 3:01): A look at the real-world superstar's appearance in the film.
• The Final Note: John and Gail (1080p, 2:22): A short peek at the film's silly documentarian characters.
• Just Because He's a Bad Guy... (1080p, 1:54): John Lithgow's character and work in the film are explored.
• The Final Performance (1080p, 4:30): Making the movie's final musical number.
• Official Music Video (1080p, 2:36): "Freedom! '90 X Cups."
• Hollywood of the South (1080p, 2:28): Shooting in Atlanta.
• Audio Commentary: Director Trish Sie delivers a fine track that covers the film's structure and tone, technical tidbits and filmmaking anecdotes, character arcs, plot details, performances, shooting locations, music, and much more. Fans will find this an agreeable audio companion to the film.
• Audio Commentary: Producers Paul Brooks and Max Handelman offer a fine supporting commentary that's a little less fluid and engaging than the previous but one still filled with an nice array of basic insight.

Pitch Perfect 3 Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

In Pitch Perfect 3, most of the Bellas fade into the background. One has a baby and the others express their wishes for when their career together ultimately comes to an end, but the movie doesn't really strive to offer any significant final word for them, at least off the stage. It ends on a perfectly executed number that's an aesthetic joy and, really, the best possible ending considering the relative dearth of anything else of real significance in a franchise that doesn't push too many boundaries, either dramatically or considering over-the-top crude humor. This film, and the two before it, are merely pleasant escapes, which seems to be the case with so many movies these days. Pitch Perfect 3 does its thing very well. The actors are fine in the roles, the dance and song routines are enjoyable, and there's enough of an essential framework narrative construct to keep things moving in between numbers. In essence, Pitch Perfect 3 is the perfect send-off, never straying from the formula but rather fine-tuning it as it moves towards a heartfelt and highly enjoyable final routine. Universal's Blu-ray is excellent, stuffed with extra content and boasting strong 1080p video and reference DTS:X Master Audio sound. Recommended, and don't forget that the first two films have received UHD upgrades.