The Boost Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		3.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		0.0
Overall		3.5

The Boost Blu-ray Movie Review

High and low.

Reviewed by Randy Miller III September 4, 2024

MGM recently reissued a few Blu-ray catalog titles formerly exclusive to the now-defunct boutique label Olive Films (Class, The Boost, and Betrayed, with presumably more on the way), offering a straight port of their existing 1080p transfers and lossless audio with a few minor tweaks, including the long-overdue addition of English subtitles if none were included the first time around. So while there's not much to see here, these quiet reissues at least give fans a chance to pick up largely identical Blu-ray copies much easier and without paying out-of-print prices.

For a synopsis and appreciation of The Boost, please see Svet Atanasov's review of Olive's 2016 Blu-ray. I'm largely in agreement and consider this a very well-made film bolstered by James Wood's terrific lead performance and great work by Sean Young (certainly best known for Blade Runner, but she was fresh off a role in Wall Street as Gordon Gekko's ex-wife, Kate), although I'm bound to limit my overall enthusiasm to a 4/5 rating. The Boost is still well worth watching and holds up well almost four decades after its theatrical release, and in some ways can still be considered a hidden gem despite the fact that it's received something of a second (third?) life on home video through the years.

The Boost Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Like the other two films in MGM's recent mini-wave of catalog reissues, The Boost looks to have an identical 1080p transfer to the one found on Olive's 2016 Blu-ray. This one stands right in the middle with a passable but somewhat dated appearance that's slightly closer to video than film, which means that such shortcomings can only be alleviated by a fresh new master; based on its overall aesthetic, even a higher bit rate would not have yielded noticeably better results. While this transfer is in mostly very clean condition and at least has modest strengths, it's one where viewers will sadly have to keep their expectations in check rather than enjoy the film to its fullest visual potential.

The Boost Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Likewise, the DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio mix sounds identical to the one featured on Olive's 2016 Blu-ray, so again please see Svet's review for more details. Please also note that MGM's Blu-ray finally adds in optional English (SDH) subtitles for the main feature, which is certainly appreciated and basically a requirement in my book.

The Boost Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This one-disc release ships in a standard keepcase with similar yet totally different cover art from Olive's 2016 Blu-ray, one that hints at the turbulence of its central relationship while adding in some color. Sadly, even the minimal extras from that older disc -- in this case, the theatrical trailer -- have not been carried over here, which is a shame.

The Boost Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The Boost is a visceral and often bleak drama about addiction with an outstanding lead performance by James Woods, and it still rings true almost four decades later for both its commitment to authenticity and timeless subject matter. As Svet Atanasov mentioned in his review of Olive's 2016 Blu-ray, this seems like a film primed for a 4K/Blu-ray boutique label release... but MGM has side-stepped instead, simply rebranding that old Blu-ray (which itself omitted a DVD-era commentary with Woods and director Harold Becker) and even dumping the theatrical trailer. The long-overdue addition of optional English subtitles is certainly nice, but this lazy release is for desperate newcomers only.