Please Don't Destroy: The Treasure of Foggy Mountain Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		3.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.5

Please Don't Destroy: The Treasure of Foggy Mountain Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf April 17, 2025

Please Don’t Destroy is a comedy troupe best known for their work on “Saturday Night Live,” picking up the weird-short-videos-from-three-friends mantle previously held by The Lonely Island. Members John Higgins, Ben Marshall, and Martin Herlihy have a special approach to comedy, combining intense emotional highs and lows with healthy amounts of absurdity, sold with lightning-fast edits and zoom-happy cinematography. Their bits are often limited to their office space, and the gang uses the art of brevity well. Much like The Lonely Island, Please Don’t Destroy is ready for a cinematic upgrade, with “The Treasure of Foggy Mountain” their debut movie, requiring Higgins, Marshall, and Herlihy to think bigger and much longer with their screenplay. Not straying far from their sense of humor, “The Treasure of Foggy Mountain” is a big goof, but it’s also a very funny one, with Please Don’t Destroy successfully handling the challenge of length with a fast-paced, wonderfully silly romp.

Friends since they were kids, Martin (Martin Herlihy), John (John Higgins), and Ben (Ben Marshall) have reached the age of 26, but they really don’t have a plan for the future. The trio works at Trout Plus, a sporting goods store owned by Farley (Conan O’Brien), Ben’s father, who’s doubtful his son is capable of taking over the company one day. Martin is engaged to Amy (Nichole Sakura), preparing for a Christian life. And John isn’t doing much of anything, fearful his pals are moving on. Hearing a story about Deetch (Bowen Yang), a missing explorer who failed to find the Golden Bust of Marie Antoinette, John realizes that a medallion he unearthed with his buddies when they were kids is actually a map to the treasure. Setting out to make a fortune with the find, and spend time with each other, John, Martin, and Ben focus on discovering the prize, only to confront two park rangers, Lisa (Meg Stalter) and Taylor (X Mayo), standing in their way, ready to steal the valuable bust.

“The Treasure of Foggy Mountain” provides an origin story for the friends, as Ben and Marshall offered comfort to a young John when a school magic act gone wrong resulted in the exposure of his genitals to a crowd, with the fiery mess becoming a bonding moment for the trio. As adults, Ben, John, and Martin haven’t matured much, but life is coming at the men fast, especially for Martin, who’s dealing with domestic plans with Amy, and a move into Christianity with an upcoming baptism. Ben is left trying to please his father, looking to show his judgmental parent that he’s capable of taking over Trout Plus, failing to dazzle his dad with an idea to add a salon for little boys to the business. John remains rudderless, but his character sets “The Treasure of Foggy Mountain” plot in motion when he connects a medallion found as kids to a potential location for the bust, completing a secret map.

“The Treasure of Foggy Mountain” soon enters the wild, following the three characters as they deal with the demands of nature, facing off against a hawk laying down some serious attitude. They also invite attention from Lisa and Taylor, with the former attracted to John, trying to balance flirting with her acquisition of the map. The writing doesn’t go all “Goonies,” actually settling the treasure hunting part of the story early, with the rest of the picture mostly devoted to possession of the bust, as the park rangers seek control of the prize, using friendship to get close. And there’s the presence of a forest cult who want the bust for different reasons, welcoming Ben, John, and Martin into their camp, which they haven’t left for over 12 years, making the group’s motto, “All Lives Matter,” incredibly awkward.

Please Don't Destroy: The Treasure of Foggy Mountain Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (2.39:1 aspect ratio) presentation supplies a decently textured viewing experience for the film, which delivers skin particulars and fibrous costuming. Interiors around Trout Plus are deep, and forest exteriors maintain dimension. Colors are secure, exploring defined greenery and varied clothing choices, including cult purples and blues. Skin tones are natural. Delineation occasionally gets close to solidification in the final act of the movie, dealing with evening activity and limited lighting. Compression issues are periodic, as mild banding is detected.

Please Don't Destroy: The Treasure of Foggy Mountain Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA mix isn't especially active, focusing mostly on dialogue exchanges. Performances register with clarity, preserving riffing speed and dramatic emphasis. Scoring supports with defined instrumentation, including more percussive cult happenings. Soundtrack selections are crisp. Surrounds are milder, handling musical moods and some atmospherics around Trout Plus and the great outdoors. A few panning effects are present. Low-end isn't especially challenged, but heavier beats carry weight, along with more violent events.

Please Don't Destroy: The Treasure of Foggy Mountain Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features director Paul Briganti and actors/co-writers Ben Marshall, Martin Herlihy, and John Higgins.

• Deleted Scenes (3:26, HD) provide a look at a few superfluous ideas from "The Treasure of Foggy Mountain," including a short sequence where Martin, John, and Ben use their escape room skills to exit a sealed chamber.

• Gag Reel (3:04, HD) collects giggle fits, flubbed lines, unusual distractions, and unexplained noises found during the shoot.

• A Trailer has not been included on this release.

Please Don't Destroy: The Treasure of Foggy Mountain Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"The Treasure of Foggy Mountain" actually peaks too soon, losing some momentum as the screenplay cooks up a grand finale, trying to work its way back into a frenzy of physical activity and bust ownership. A little ding in pace doesn't hurt the viewing experience, as Herlihy, Higgins, and Marshall are bright performers, doing well with scripted shenanigans and riffing, which replicates the vibe of the "SNL" shorts. The supporting cast is also active, with Stalter a pleasant addition, and nothing beats O'Brien in disgusted dad mode, stealing the movie with his angry outbursts and distinct cowardice. "The Treasure of Foggy Mountain" is a strong feature-length debut for Please Don't Destroy, mostly proving they can handle the run time and remain fresh with their comedic targets, and their high-energy, good-natured nonsense is great fun to watch.