Rating summary

Movie		1.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		1.0
Overall		2.5

Rock the Kasbah Blu-ray Movie Review

Singin' the Blues.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman February 1, 2016

Rock the Kasbah defies all expectations. And not in a good way. Whether its inspiration from the incredible true story of Afghan Star's Setara Hussainzada or the collected on- and off-screen talents of Bill Murray, Bruce Willis, Kate Hudson, Zooey Deschanel, and Director Barry Levinson (Rain Man), the movie's resumé reads like a sure-hit film with overtones that give it the vibe of Levinson's own Good Morning, Vietnam meets Slumdog Millionaire. Unfortunately, the film stutters rather than rocks, never finding the right chord to carry its scattershot narrative and unmemorable characterizations to any sort of humorous or dramatic satisfaction.

The star.

Has-been music talent manager Richie Lanz (Bill Murray) -- who claims that he's shaped the careers of performers such as Madonna and Jimi Hendrix and slept with Author Danielle Steel, twice -- has hit a low point, making ends meet by guiltlessly defrauding music industry hopefuls. One evening, he hears a pitch about the possibilities of making big money off the war in Afghanistan. He hurriedly hops a plane with his one and only "true" client, Ronnie (Zooey Deschanel), and heads for the war-torn Middle Eastern country. But no sooner do they arrive does Ronnie turn tail and head home, with her boss' passport and money in tow. It'll take him two weeks to secure new ID and make it back to the States, time enough to get tangled up with the mercenary (Bruce Willis) who helped Ronnie leave the country on a discount, work with a couple of small time arms dealers (Scott Caan, Danny McBride), and discover a gem of a singer (Leem Lubany) who he believes to be a surefire bet to win Afghan Star, a reality television show in search of the next great musical talent.

Rock the Kasbah strings together so many characters, narrative arcs, themes, and general ideas that one would think its scattershot approach would yield at least something worthy of audience attention or adulation. That's not the case. Murray's has-been handler character tells of days gone by with nary a spark in his eye or enthusiasm on his breath. His professional love affair with the talented Afghan songstress feels tacked on in the third act, despite making up the story's crux. Deschanel's time in the movie is spent with runny raccoon-eyes and her character only exists to ditch Murray and set the story -- or, at least, all the machinations thereof -- into motion. Bruce Willis plays dress-up commando but commands no respect under the burden of trying to carry a lightweight character through a messed-up movie. Scott Caan and Danny McBride carry out their duties in check-cashing neutral. Kate Hudson teases her sultry sensuality but feels hopelessly wrenched into a larger role later on. Leem Lubany's Salima never gets to stand for anything of cultural, political, or social import, leaving her only to look pretty and perform on the stage. The movie is hopelessly disconnected from itself, sort of like a jigsaw puzzle that, rather than bear the fruits of methodical assemblage, has been dumped on the table and smashed and glued together with no concern for where the pieces fall or whether the image looks as it should.

The film feels further flummoxed by what, exactly, it wants to do or say with the story and characters. The picture maneuvers through so many disparate elements that, even when it literally finds its voice in Salima, it's still trying to find anything to say. The picture practically begs for talking points and a purpose, always angling itself towards social commentary on the state of the world, militarism, cultural identities, politics, religion, even the universal language of music but failing to capture any meaningful dialogue or themes on any of the subjects. Instead, it focuses on an uncomfortable blend of forced humor atop those cultural, social, and political underpinnings that always feel more like a prop rather than an integral part of the story, replaceable by any other location in the world where talent is left hidden at best and forcibly subdued at worst. In the end, there's scant emotional payoff and seemingly no dramatic value for having gone through the experiences. One never gets the sense that Lanz finds any real redemption. Various questions are left unanswered, characters hanging, and themes only teased. It's a mess of a movie, a shock, to be blunt, that so much talent could be squandered in one picture that's easily one of 2015's most disappointing ventures.

Rock the Kasbah Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Rock the Kasbah at least offers fans a capable 1080p transfer. The digital source material brings some occasional noise with it, but it's not cause for any significant alarm. Otherwise, Universal's transfer boasts crisp definition, constant full-frame clarity, and rich colors. The earthy Afghan terrain is a highlight. Pebbly and sandy terrain presents with tangible texturing and sharp definition down to the finest natural elements. Rougher war-torn city streets showcase excellent weathering, rubble, signage, and other elements with ease. Clothing lines are fine tuned, particularly the crisp U.S. military uniforms and the heavier accentuating nylon textures. Faces reveal plenty of intimate definition, from age lines to thick beards. Colors are full and present with natural shading. Clothing and other accentuating shades contrast nicely with the more predominately earthy backgrounds, while stage lighting on the Afghan Star segments dazzle. Black levels are good but could stand to push a little darker. Flesh tones are naturally healthy. Beyond that aforementioned noise and slightly off black levels, Rock the Kasbah's transfer features no serious bouts of unwanted interference from banding, aliasing, or macroblocking, yielding an all-around attractive 1080p presentation.

Rock the Kasbah Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Rock the Kasbah's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack shapes the movie's environments and presents its music with equal attention to detail. The film opens with open terrain accentuated by a light wind that blows through the entire listening area. Small environmental details envelop the listener. Similar moments later in the film offer much the same full sensation. More active street-level, barroom, or airport ambience is a little more sonically enticing thanks to the greater opportunity for more robust and diverse immersion, but that same natural quality applies. Heavy weapons fire bursts from the speakers in chapter four to devastatingly deep sonic result. Music is the highlight, however. Definition soars; front side separation comes naturally; surrounds are used to fine, filling effect; lyrical clarity dazzles; and LFE effects are balanced and nicely integrated. Salima's performances on the show are the musical standout, thanks largely to the mesmerizing clarity of her beautiful vocals. General dialogue plays with commendable definition, prioritization, and natural center placement. Though the movie is largely a miss, this soundtrack's stellar quality certainly helps pass the time.

Rock the Kasbah Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Rock the Kasbah contains two deleted scenes and two extra-short featurettes. A DVD copy of the film and a voucher for a UV/iTunes digital copy are included with purchase.

• Deleted Scenes (1080p): Golf Course (1:40) and Pinkies (1:07).
• Richie Lanz: The Man and the Music (1080p, 2:28): A mock mini doc about the life of the character depicted in the film with a focus on his role in the film's story.
• Bill Murray Rocks (1080p, 2:34): Cast and crew praise Murray's career and work.

Rock the Kasbah Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Rock the Kasbah released alongside Universal's Jem and the Holograms, both of which will be remembered more for being historical box office bombs than anything else. But for a studio that also released box office record busters like Jurassic World and Furious 7 in 2015, absorbing the losses may prove more bittersweet than irreparably damaging to the bottom line. This film won't tarnish any legacies, either, but it's certainly a splotch on several otherwise proven resumés and, at best, a head-scratching curiosity of the what the heck happened? variety. For fans or the curiously inclined, Universal's Blu-ray release of Rock the Kasbah yields fine video and audio. Supplements are slim and add no value beyond a couple of deleted scenes. Rent it.