The Boys: Season 3 Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		1.5
Overall		3.5

The Boys: Season 3 Blu-ray Movie Review

Ladies and gentlemen, Soldier Boy...

Reviewed by Kenneth Brown November 19, 2023

Nasty. Foul. Crude. Profane. Explicit. Gratuitous. And... fun? Three seasons in you already know whether The Boys is for you. Its antiestablishment MCU-skewering is genre counterprogramming at its finest, and its rule breaking is as tongue-in-cheek as it is deadly satirical. Here, superheroes are anything but heroic. Beloved icons are wolves in sheep's clothing. Blood sprays liberally, violence erupts casually and frequently, sexual fetishes are strewn across the screen, and there's a level of brazen nudity no one will mistake as "necessary to character development". This is bad-boy comic booking designed from the ground up to engage, yes, but for the sole purpose of pushing boundaries; your personal boundaries and those of good taste. And it does so with a glee so frightening and a grin so devilish that the end result is, god help us all, charming, hilarious and infectious. The Boys is by no means for everyone. (Prudes and puritans need not apply.) But if you get the humor, dig a vicious parody and appreciate how much effort has been put into still telling a great story with a cast of weirdly likable deviants and normies, then strap in, strap it on and prepare for a wild, wicked third season.

It's been a year of calm. Sort of. It's been a year of relative silence on the homefront. A year since sociopathic villain-hiding-in-plain-sight Homelander (Antony Starr) was unceremoniously brought to heel. A year since Butcher (Karl Urban) walked away, nabbing a job working for the government, supervised by none other than Hughie (Jack Quaid) of all people. Both men itch to turn this new opportunity -- can we call it peace and quiet? -- into retribution of blood and bone. But when Butcher, Hughie and The Boys learn of the existence of a mysterious anti-Supe weapon, it sends them crashing headlong into the series' spin on The Justice League, The Seven, starting a war and chasing the legend of one of the first superheroes: Soldier Boy (Supernatural's Jensen Ackles).

Season 3's big pull is Ackles, who seems more than happy to be free of the shackles of Dean Winchester's morals and eerily eager to engage in a bit of the old ultraviolence. The shield toting, man-out-of-time Soldier Boy is a clear jab at Captain America, but it's more a full roundhouse kick, driving a spiked boot through the heart of "boyscout" and introducing one of the most duplicitous, vile, downright dangerous antiheroes-with-a-heart-of-lead The Boys has introduced to date. The only downside is the third season takes its sweet time bringing Soldier Boy to the screen, initially relegating him to flashbacks and teases. It eventually pays off as his inevitable arrival hits hard, and Ackles proves himself up to the task, even stealing scenes wholesale from Urban (which superfans of the show will tell you is no small feat). By the final episodes, he fits neatly into the narrative too, transitioning from McGuffin to full-fledged mainstay; one that's set to make his inglorious return in Season 4. That doesn't mean Quaid and the gang fill seats waiting for Ackles. The reason The Boys' edgy dark humor and legitimately dramatic heft work so well is the cast, who anxiously bite into every slice of scenery worth chewing. Urban's face alone conveys a thousand scowls. Each hero, antihero, villain and lackey are unforgettable and unique (and then some), with even plain janes like A-train finally get some meat on their story's bones. I hardly ever found myself itching for the series' to return to the main storyline, as each tangent is rife with its own delights.

Also of note? The Boys' third outing is the season a chunk of fans said, "wait a minute, is this show taking shots at my politics?" How they didn't notice it before now -- Homelander's alignment with Trumpian theology, the plain-as-day jokes at the expense of MAGA nation, the manner in which conservatism is crucified, and much, much more -- is beyond this humble reviewer. (Reddit shuddered with shock as a legion of right-bearing watchers realized Homelander was, gasp, a villain.) Not to join the bash-fest, but The Boys is clearly a series with a social ax to grind. It has been from the beginning. If you're a even remotely in the Republican fold, well, you might want to wear a helmet and shin guards. The series never pulls its punches, nor apologizes for Eric Kripke and his showrunners' left-leaning views. It essentially flicks up a middle finger, walks the other direction and practically dares fans to get over it or get out. (Kripke literally said as much.) Not exactly the most subtle of ways to move the masses, but certainly in keeping with the series' M.O. But that's where The Boys finds its strength and verve. To apologize, to flinch, to go soft would be to go against its nature, and this isn't a show that has any intention of ever doing anything other than leaving you laughing at its social satire targets or cursing its name.

Season 3 episodes include:

• Payback - You and a guest are invited to the premiere of DAWN OF THE SEVEN this Tuesday at 7PM in Vought Tower’s Lamplighter Memorial Theater! Screening will be followed by a Q&A with director Adam Bourke and an after-party with Supe DJ Malchemical on the turntables! Join us for the greatest true origin story ever told about America’s number one Superhero team and see how the legend began!

• The Only Man In the Sky - Homelander. America’s greatest Superhero. Defending our shores from sea to shining sea. Today, America honors him on his birthday. And the Vought Shopping Network is celebrating by offering the exclusive Homelander Limited Birthday Edition Gold Coin for only $99.95 (plus tax and shipping) while supplies last. Vought Gold Commemorative Coins: An investment that lasts a lifetime.

• Barbary Coast - Tonight at 9/8C on Vought Plus, it’s the season finale of #AmericanHero! Three contestants remain, but only TWO will join #TheSeven! Will Starlight choose her old flame Supersonic? Or will someone else be moving into the Seven Tower? Tune in tonight for the SHOCKING final episode, brought to you by Lean Lady Frozen Dinners by Vought: Where slim tastes super!

• Glorious Five-Year Plan - Tonight, streaming live exclusively for Supe***n.com Super-Subscribers, it’s the #ClashOfTheDildos! Which of The Seven-inspired dildos will crush the competition in this tip-to-tip challenge? Will it be the reigning champion Homelander Star-Spangled Banger or Starlight’s electrified Star-Brator? Join us as we put these pleasure-pounding penetrators through their paces! Only on Supe***n.com!

• The Last Time to Look On This World of Lies - Did you know chimpanzees are an endangered species largely because of human activity? But you can help by supporting construction costs for Crimson Countess’s Chimp Country! This beautiful refuge for chimpanzees will feature a banana plantation, four daily stunt shows, and a petting zoo! And when you donate, you’ll be entered to win a private video chat with Crimson Countess! Donate today!

• Herogasm - You’re invited to the 70th Annual Herogasm! You must present this invitation in order to be admitted! Same rules as always: no cameras, no non-Supe guests unless they sign an NDA and they’re DTF, and no telling any news media! It’s BYOD, but food, alcohol and lube will be provided! And please remember to RSVP so we can get an accurate headcount for the caterer!

• Here Comes a Candle to Light You to Bed - Did someone say birthday? Come celebrate at Buster Beaver’s with our new Deluxe VIP Birthday Package, with seating for up to 30 guests, ten large two-topping pizzas, and ten pitchers of your choice of soda! And of course, a special birthday play starring Black Noir's best friend Buster Beaver and his cast of furry forest friends! All for only $199.99 + tax! Buster Beaver’s Pizza! Where Kids Make the Rules®!

• The Instant White-Hot Wild - Calling all patriots! Let’s show Homelander we’ve got his back and we’re not going to let Starlight and her Starlight House of Horrors get away with trafficking children and drinking their adrenaline! It’s time for real Americans to fight back! Join the Hometeamers and Stormchasers tomorrow at Vought Square! Stand back and stand by!

The Boys: Season 3 Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

You haven't seen high definition blood until you've seen it in The Boys, exploding upward and outward, coating an entire room. The ol' sticky reds sure are packing a punch in this two-disc set, and Sony's 1080p/AVC-encoded video presentation is ready, willing and able to throw its weight behind every spray and drop. Colors are bold and bursting with power, primaries are vibrant, black levels are comicbook inky, and skintones are natural and lifelike. Contrast is dialed in beautifully too, even in darker, dimmer scenes where fog, smoke, storms or gritty fistfights are brewing. Detail is excellent, though sometimes you might wish it weren't. Every pore and hair (ew) is present and accounted for, edges are crisp and clean, fine textures are revealing and delineation is impressive. CG effects and elements are occasionally a tad hit or miss, not to mention more obvious than on Amazon streaming. But it doesn't look bad. Far from it. (Typically it's pretty seamless.) Moreover, there aren't any significant anomalies to report, although a hint of black crush creeps into the image from time to time; for example, some of the scenes involving Black Noir in dim lighting or hanging with his animated halluci-pals. It's infrequent, rare actually, but it's still there if you want to nitpick. That said, try not to. The Boys' third season looks as good as its predecessors. No complaints here.

The Boys: Season 3 Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Likewise, the Blu-ray release of Season 3 boasts a beasty, beefy DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track. Dialogue is clean and clear throughout, well prioritized in the mix, and hardly ever overwhelmed by even the most chaotic, thunder-cracking of showdowns. Low-end output packs plenty of oomph too, lending notable weight and heft to superpowered punches, rending metal, creaking steel, explosions and death rays. Not to be outdone, the rear speakers support the soundfield nicely, creating immersive environments and absorbing action scenes. Directionality is precise, pans are smooth, and little is left to the imagination. It's all comparable to the lossless tracks featured on the Blu-ray releases of the show's first two seasons. Will it blow you away? Nah, but it does a fine job of bringing the violence, beatdowns and toe-to-toes of each episode to life. Enjoy.

The Boys: Season 3 Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Deleted & Extended Scenes (HD, 8 minutes) - Nothing here to get too excited about. Seven scenes are available: "Ashley Grab", "Red Carpet", "Bourke and Ashley Sex", "Hughie and Butcher Talk at the Motel", "Frenchie and Kimiko Text", "Hughie and Butcher at the Hospital" and "A-Train and Nate at the Track".

• The Making of a Giant Urethra (HD, 2 minutes) - Huh. Never dreamed I'd type a title like that.

• Gag Reels (HD, 5 minutes) - Two outtake montages are included.

The Boys: Season 3 Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Love it. You're still reading. Hate it. Move on. Want it on Blu-ray? Other than a scant few special features, you won't be disappointed. The Boys' third season is strong, its video presentation is striking and its lossless audio is killer. What more could you want? (Other than some cast commentaries.) Fans will be pleased with this 2-disc set.