Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		2.5
Overall		3.5

Secret Headquarters Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman January 20, 2023

Secret Headquarters is not a hidden gem, but it's a perfectly serviceable family-friendly flick about a superhero, the alien technology that assists him, the bad guys that want to take it, and a few kids who find themselves in the middle of a battle over cosmic powers. Beyond action and special effects is a fairly perfunctory story of friendship and family bonds with all of the stale wit one can imagine. Yet the film has a simplistic charm about it, driven by nothing but the desire to entertain and satisfy its audience. It does that, if the audience isn't overly picky about what will entertain and satisfy it.

Everyman Jack (Owen Wilson) is camping with his family and witnesses an alien ship crash in the distance. A probe comes out of the ship and labels Jack as the “Guardian.” It “pairs” with him and turns him into “The Guard,” a secret superhero who has become famous for his work against the world’s most dangerous criminal elements and a savior in times of need. Unfortunately, his devotion to his new profession has caused a rift in his family. He’s separated from his wife and estranged from his son Charlie (Walker Scobell). When he tries to spend some time with Charlie but duty again calls, Charlie calls over his friends -- Berger (Keith L. Williams), Maya (Momona Tamada), and Lizzie (Abby James Witherspoon) -- for a hangout. However, they quickly discover Jack’s secret headquarters and find themselves not only face to face with vast alien technology but in the middle of a dangerous fight against Ansel Argon (Michael Peña) and Sean Irons (Jesse Williams), two men who will stop at nothing to secure the alien tech for themselves.

Here's a film with minimal ambitions to either stretch beyond its boundaries or turn itself into a mouthpiece. It's simple entertainment and modest entertainment. The film plays with a spirit of lightheartedness and agreeable rhythmic patterns that are predictable nearly to a fault but handled in such a way as to embrace its best qualities rather than try to bolster something that is not there. The visual effects are suitably flashy and splashy, offering enough visual zing and zest to sell whatever illusion is necessary in any given scene, and to build a satisfying Superhero in "The Guard." He's more of an Iron Man type (see screenshot below), reliant on gadgets and gizmos rather than any sort of superhuman strength or ability, and that gives the movie more of a grounded tone and rhythm. With the way kids pick up and play with the newest technology, it's believable when Charlie and his friends almost effortlessly make use of all the cool gadgets and gizmos suddenly at their disposal, including one of the film's best scenes in which they use a teleportation portal to cheat on a school exam. Of course, when the gear is used for action, it's used well. There might not be anything too terribly unique about fight choreography, but the film uses both the tech and the various locales to full advantage to create the best available given the material and the general limitations brought about by budget constraints and scope restraints.

One of those best qualities is certainly its cast. The young ones are enthusiastic and act well to boot; they're that right age to hang on to innocence and present that necessary wide-eyed wonder for this material, but old enough to handle the emotional content, work through the action, and deliver full and believable performances. They interact with the tech very well, and whether practical or digital they are always on target with their responses and engagement in the story and any given scene. Wilson, of course, a screen veteran, carries the film with his usual splash and contagious enthusiasm. He handles dramatic duties well in the film's trite, but still effective, "absentee dad" angle and he dons the superhero mantra as well as any other actor has, especially for lighter material such as this.

Secret Headquarters Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Secret Headquarters puts everything on full, clear display via Paramount's nice looking 1080p transfer The image is unremarkable in that it has no real reason to stand out in 2023, but it covers al the bases, yielding a fine, clean digital image with minimal noise and no major compression issues of note. The picture's clarity is constant, and viewers will enjoy the fine point textures on close-ups, including characters but also many of the gadgets and costumes and headquarters location specifics that come alive with impressive depth and clarity on the Blu-ray. The image is further bolstered by a satisfying color gamut, which offers high yield color saturation and depth without pushing temperature or contrast beyond normal levels. The palette is colorfully vivid and stable, extending to crisp whites and deep blacks. Skin tones are healthy. This is a fine image from Paramount.

Secret Headquarters Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The Dolby Atmos soundtrack is a real benefit. From the opening moments forward, it offers an impressive selection of discrete and supportive overhead content alike, bringing the soundstage alive by recreating the cavernous secret headquarters and offering plenty of top end action as well. Surrounds are smartly complimentary and are frequently engaged, while the subwoofer powers in with balanced support depth. Musical clarity is excellent, spread is fine along the front, and back channels chime in for a nicely balanced and immersive experience. Dialogue is clear and center positioned for the duration. This is a fine Atmos track that teeters on reference quality for its clarity and top layer usage.

Secret Headquarters Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This Blu-ray release of Secret Headquarters includes a handful of featurettes, deleted scenes, and a gag reel. No DVD copy is included, but Paramount has bundled in a digital copy voucher. This release also ships with a non-embossed slipcover.

• BFFLS (1080p, 5:48): The fun and energy on set, cast and crew camaraderie, the qualities the cast brought to the film, characters, and more.
• The Secret Headquarters (1080p, 6:06): Exploring the film's key set piece: design, odds and ends within it, its place in the story, and more.
• Panic! At the Moon Dance (1080p, 6:16): Filming the finale.
• Who Is The Guard? (1080p, 5:28): Exploring Owen Wilson's character.
• Gag Reel (1080p, 3:45): Humorous moments from the shoot.
• Deleted and Extended Scenes (1080p, 10:01 total runtime): Included are Kids in the Lounge - Deleted, Rager - Extended, Cheating on Test - Extended, and Big Mac in Dugout - Extended.

Secret Headquarters Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Secret Headquarters may lack in novelty, but it's very energetic nonetheless. The film takes rather basic material and makes it into a very agreeable family outing, one that won't set the world on fire but one sure to hit home with the younger demographics while also not entirely boring the adults in the room, either. The visuals are cool, the characters are fun enough, the action satisfies, and the breezy story elements keep things moving forward. This is not an award winner, but it's a solid effort that works well enough within its sphere. Paramount's Blu-ray delivers very good video and audio and includes a decent little assortment of bonus content. Recommended.