Running the Bases 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		0.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		1.0
Overall		3.5

Running the Bases 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman March 28, 2023

The faith-based genre, in the broadest sense, struggles to find consistency, consistency in both quality of the finished product as a total cinematic experience and consistency in applicability of message. Left Behind: Rise of the Antichrist is a fine example of a shoddy production and a film that cannot quite engage with its message, while Running the Bases is just the opposite: a low budget, yes, but nevertheless well made film with a firm, steady, identifiable, and uplifting message about not just faith, but perseverance in it and its larger impact on the world around it. Written and directed by the tandem of Marty Roberts and Jimmy Womble, the film hits in every area, offering audience both a legitimately well-made film along with a legitimately moving and meaningful story as well.

Joshua Brooks (Brendan Carl Reimer) has a great arm and a bright future in baseball. One day, however, he collapses rounding third base and dies on the field from a previously undiagnosed heart condition. He leaves behind a brother, Luke (Raphael Ruggero), who discovers that he, too, suffers from the same condition. Luke, also a ballplayer, is devasted when doctors tell him he can no longer overexert himself. Twenty years later, Luke (Brett Varvel) has turned to coaching baseball instead of playing and is wildly successful in his small hometown, bringing home nine state championships with his blend of good coaching and faith-based love for his team. One day, he is approached by the superintendent of a large 6A Texas high school, Michael Jamison (Todd Terry), with an offer to double his pay if he's willing to uproot his himself, his wife Jessica (Gigi Orsillo), and son Josh (Bridger Trent), from the only world they have ever known.

Luke takes Jamison up on the offer and finds instant success. The team, which includes his son, gets off to a fast start, piling up wins and reinvigorating the program, including the promise of better facilities if the winning streak continues. However, Luke's faith and his tradition of jogging around the bases, in honor of his brother and as a promise to honor God, does not sit well with Jamison, a widower whose son Ryan (Justin Sterner) also plays on the team and is later converted to Christianity. Now, Luke finds himself, and his faith, in the crosshairs, threatened with fines, termination, and even jail time if he continues to carry on with his spiritual practices in public.

The film follows how Josh’s influence with the team, with his strict but loving coaching style and his strict adherence to his faith-based principles – principles he has passed down to his son Josh – ultimately helps lead one of the more gregarious team members, Ryan, to saving faith in Jesus Christ. This is a central plot point, not merely for the conversion, but for the confrontation born of it between Ryan and his father, the school’s superintendent, who is a widower who has rejected not merely the presence of faith in his home but also the very idea of it because his wife passed away in hers. Following Ryan’s conversion, Michael takes his anger out on Coach Brooks, who no longer permits him to share his faith, pray on the field, or run the bases. Of course, Brooks does not relent, which is the central conflict and plot propellant in the film.

This is a powerful film that speaks to the personal value of standing firm in faith while also demonstrating how faith-based values can impact the community for good and change lives for the better. It is very well written and acted; while the production proper might not have the screen command and technical polish of a high-level Hollywood film, the core story and faithfully portrayed characters cover up any superficial shortcomings, which are certainly not pronounced or dealbreakers. The film makes its story its focus, and the story is powerful without feeling preachy, even when the film essentially ends with a brief sermon message. The film does not downplay God’s role in the film, but it also explores the human element and the very real internal crises of faith that manifest in various ways through several different characters. The film knows its purpose and place and plays to its strengths while ensuring everything else is as good as it can be within the constraints of its (by Hollywood standards) micro budget.

Running the Bases 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The included screenshots are sourced from a 1080p Blu-ray disc.

Mill Creek brings Running the Bases to the UHD format with a 2160p/SDR UHD presentation. Yes, there is no HDR color grading on the disc. Colors are better here but not drastically improved, and the improvements are more than just the result of minor fluctuations noticed between the UHD and the companion Blu-ray due to output variances between the two players used for the direct A-B comparison. The UHD looks a little brighter and livelier on the whole, in part because the UHD does utilizes 12-bit color space whereas the Blu-ray is presented with 8-bit color space. There's not any sort of night-and-day difference, but the minor gains, with emphasis on minor, are appreciated. As for as the resolution gain, there's not much to say, either. The UHD is not noticeably sharper than the Blu-ray, at least not just by simply watching the film. Light gains to clarity and textural efficiency are in evidence in direct comparison, rendering faces, hair, clothes, and the like just a little bit better defined, but this is certainly not worlds and away better than the Blu-ray. At best, it's incrementally superior, but superior nevertheless, with the overall sense of clarity bolstered a bit on the UHD. Some of the biggest gains over the Blu-ray come in how the UHD handles compression; many of the unsightly occurrences of banding and macroblocking noted in the Blu-ray review are not at all evident here. So, this is certainly the better image, but one can imagine something more substantial with HDR applied. Nevertheless, this is the way to go.

Running the Bases 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Note: the back of the packaging errantly lists DTS:X audio.

The UHD includes a straightforward DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack. The film is dialogue heavy, unsurprisingly, and the spoken word is clear, front-center positioned, and well prioritized, though there are not many competing effects. Beyond dialogue, music is the next most prominent feature. It is suitably detailed and well-spaced along the front and without significant back-channel usage. Whether score or popular Christian songs, the music is pleasantly presented. A few ambient effects during ballgames or inside prison walls offer mild fill with light surround usage. The sound design is straightforward and not very interesting, so the track's lack of engagement is appropriate given the source structure.

Running the Bases 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This UHD release of Running the Bases includes a minimal assortment of bonus content: a few deleted scenes and a trailer. No Blu-ray or digital copies are included. This release does ship with a non-embossed slipcover.

• Deleted Scenes (2160p/SDR, 7:58 total runtime): Included are Don't Let Him, Love Jess, The Scheme, That Crunching Sound, and Michael's Rage.
• Trailer (2160p/SDR, 1:02).

Running the Bases 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Running the Bases is a timely Christian film that explores faith and steadfastness therein within a baseball prism. Of course, the sport is merely a setting, but it is used effectively, and the film builds quality characters and a well-developed story throughout. Mill Creek's UHD looks pretty good, even without HDR color grading. It improves on the Blu-ray, incrementally to be sure, but an improvement nevertheless. Audio is fine. Supplements are unfortunately on the thin side. Highly recommended!