Blockers is neither great nor bad. There were moments I did genuinely laugh and at its core there is a positive message, though in some respects, the film does re-iterate a few themes from American Pie. The cast were mostly fine, though Ike Barinholtz was perhaps the highlight.
Blockers
(2018)
Genre(s): Comedy
Universal | R – 102 min. – $34.98 | July 3, 2018
Date Published: 06/26/2018 | Author: The Movieman
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Universal Pictures Home Entertainment provided me with a free copy of the Blu-ray I reviewed in this Blog Post.
The opinions I share are my own.
THE MOVIE — 3.0/5 |
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Blockers is one of those movies that’s both better than you expected and yet also not good enough to be anything all that memorable. The plot centers on three high school seniors and best friends — Julie (KATHRYN NEWTON), Kayla (GERALDINE VISWANATHAN) and Sam (GIDEON ADLON) — who make a pact, not unlike the one made in American Pie nearly 20 years ago, to lose their virginity on prom night. And when that night comes, unfortunately for them, their parents discover the deal. So, Julie’s mom Lisa (LESLIE MANN) and Kayla’s dad Mitchell (JOHN CENA), with Sam’s estranged father Hunter (IKE BARINHOLTZ) in tow as oddly the voice of reason, spend the evening tracking their children down from the school, to a lake house and everywhere else as hijinks and mishaps incur like witnessing parents doing role playing or Mitchell performing something called a butt-chug. Oh, and let’s not forget, the trials and tribulations of the teens and their adventure… plus vomiting.
The movie is rather basic in its plot and, unsurprisingly, pretty predictable but that can be said about most comedies, especially of this ilk where you know what the ending and message will be that anyone can take to heart. However, there was one pleasant thing about the film: Ike Barinholtz’s character. When we first meet him, I feared he was going to be that obnoxious character that would get on my nerves real quick and yet, the character was the voice of reason and Barinholtz even had a nice, emotionally-filled scene that took me by surprise. For their parts, Leslie Mann and John Cena do well in their respective parts. Cena does have a few funny lines, albeit playing a character that at times is a bit too clueless (like thinking a 10+ story hotel had 20 rooms) while Mann plays the anxious mother not wanting to let her daughter go. But, since I do generally like Mann, even these clichéd parts still draw a few chuckles.
In the end, Blockers, directed by Kay Cannon, who recently helmed the poor Pitch Perfect 3, was still a lot of fun even if it’s not terribly memorable and is only worth a rental. |
SPECIAL FEATURES – 2.5/5 |
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This release comes with a title-embossed slip cover. Inside is the redemption code for the Digital HD copy. Audio Commentary – Director Kay Cannon guides listeners through the process of making the movie providing information on working with the cast (young and old) and talking about the story at its core. Deleted Scenes (2:34; HD) – There are only three scenes here, and like always, probably removed as they added nothing to the story or characters. Gag Reel (2:39; HD) – As you might imagine, there’s plenty of material with the cast goofing around. Line-O-Rama (7:26; HD) has the cast trying out various lines. Perhaps one of the worst features brought to us by Judd Apatow… Prom Night (6:37; HD) is a behind-the-scenes featurette on the plot on the movie. The History of Sex with Ike Barinholtz (2:06; HD) is a joke promotional featurette in which the comedian/actor giving the “history” of sex throughout the ages. John Cena’s Prom Survival Kit for Parents (2:35; HD) where the actor gives “advice” to the parents out there. Chug! Chug! Chug! (3:20; HD) is a featurette on the scene where a tube is shoved up Cena’s ass. Puke-A-Palooza (2:02; HD) – Showing the testing for the puke scene and the actually filming, as if seeing it once wasn’t enough. Gross. Previews – Thoroughbreds, I Feel Pretty, Midnight Sun, Gringo |
VIDEO – 4.0/5 |
| Blockers comes to Blu-ray through Universal and is presented with a 2.40 widescreen aspect ratio and a 1080p high-definition. As you might suspect, being this is a pretty light-hearted comedy, this is a generally bright movie even when a good chunk takes place at night and detail is relatively sharp while black levels are stark. |
AUDIO – 4.0/5 |
| The included DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track is perfectly serviceable outputting clear dialogue levels via the center speaker and there are some low level ambient noises for the rear channels, considering this is not a movie that will tax your system, though there is a humorous chase scene to give it some modest depth. |
OVERALL – 3.5/5 |
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Overall, Blockers is neither great nor bad. There were moments I did genuinely laugh and at its core there is a positive message, though in some respects, the film does re-iterate a few themes from American Pie. The cast were mostly fine, though Ike Barinholtz was perhaps the highlight playing a character with both reason and some surprising emotion. The Blu-ray release offers good video/audio transfers and an okay selection of features. |
Check out some more 1080p screen caps by going to page 2. Please note, these do contain spoilers.