The Game Plan Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		5.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.5
Overall		3.5

The Game Plan Blu-ray Movie Review

The Rock makes time for the family

Reviewed by Ben Williams January 22, 2008

You know, there’s something very likable about Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. I’m not a wrestling fan, but I’ve always appreciated his affable, good-natured style. So, it is without any surprise that The Rock has now found his way into the world of family entertainment. He’s perfect for the job.

Joe Kingman seeks advice from his manager upon discovering he is a father

Joe Kingman (The Rock) is the star quarterback of the Boston Rebels. He’s also a selfish, career driven man who possesses enough vanity to have a 10 foot poster of his own face in his living room. Joe’s in a bit of a panic as the film begins because he is leading his team into the playoffs. Apparently, for all of Joe’s tough talk and talent, he’s never actually taken his team to the big championship game. As tensions mount one evening, Joe is surprised to find 8-year old Payton Kelly (Madison Pettis) waiting outside his front door. There will be hijinks galore as Joe discovers Payton is his daughter and that he needs to be a true father as well as a football hero.

The Game Plan is hardly serious, dramatic and thought-provoking filmmaking. It is, however, a really charming family movie. As usual, The Rock is very fun to watch - - he doesn’t take himself too seriously and isn’t afraid to do slapstick and to poke fun at himself. He and Miss Pettis have plenty of father / daughter chemistry. Speaking of Miss Pettis, she comes off very well in the film and, unlike most movie kids, comes off as a good role-model for other children. Ultimately, The Game Plan is predictable and fairly run-of-the-mill, story-wise. Regardless, it is solid entertainment that is sure to please the whole family.

The Game Plan Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

I'm a little surprised to report that despite The Game Plan's modest box-office, Disney has given the film the royal treatment on Blu-ray. This 1080p AVC encode is actually quite remarkable and is of reference grade. As this is a newer film, it should come as no surprise that the film elements are in top shape. Not a scratch or speck of dirt is to be found anywhere. Colors are also wonderfully vibrant. Vivid hues practically leap off of the screen. Black levels are rock solid and shadow detail is immaculate. I can't find a single flaw in this presentation. The Game Plan is yet another title in Disney's growing list of perfect transfers. Who would have guessed?

The Game Plan Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The Game Plan is pretty remarkable in the audio department as well. The supplied uncompressed PCM 5.1 track does a wonderful job of presenting what is, mostly, a dialogue driven film. Children's voices can often be problematic with lossy encoding. Not the case with this fantastic PCM track. Young Payton's voice is always crisp and articulate. She never comes across as unintelligible or the slightest bit shrill. In addition, the film's action-packed football scenes are also very alive with crowd noise. The ambiance of being in a sold out stadium full of rowdy fans is exceptionally rendered. The Game Plan simply sounds fantastic.

The Game Plan Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Here's what's included:

-"Drafting the Plan"
-"The Rock Learns to Play QB"
-"Peyton's Makeover Madness"
-"Chalk Talk"
-Deleted Scenes
-Blooper Reel


Disney has also stepped up to the plate in a big way with the supplemental features present on The Game Plan. While I found the majority of the featurettes to be relatively pointless, I was very impressed with the graphical commentary called "Chalk Talk." Essentially, this feature is an audio commentary with both The Rock and Director Andy Finkman. What distinguishes this track from your everyday commentary are the series of interactive drawings that both commentators are able to draw over the scene being discussed. Throughout the track, the film is often paused while the commentary continues and both participants actively illustrate their thoughts and the focus of their discussion on-screen. It's really pretty darn cool and I applaud Disney for including such a fun feature. Of course, the actual commentary is also entertaining as both The Rock and Mr. Finkman are obviously having a lot of fun. Great work, Dinsey!

The Game Plan Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

When I saw previews for The Game Plan, I was convinced that it was going to be some sort of horrible remake of something akin to Kindergarten Cop. Fortunately, the film is actually a sweet bit of family entertainment that won't insult any adults who happen to be watching. Surprisingly, the video presented on this 50GB Blu-ray has been given the deluxe treatment and is reference quality. Audio also fares well and the supplemental section of the disc has some genuinely groundbreaking features. The Game Plan is a very solid Blu-ray title and should be fun for the whole family!