The Fall Guy (4K UHD Blu-ray) review

[David Vaughn]

Studio: Universal
Release Date: July 23, 2024
Rating: PG-13
Film: 3.5/5

Plot
He's a stuntman, and like everyone in the stunt community, he gets blown up, shot, crashed, thrown through windows and dropped from the highest of heights, all for our entertainment. And now, fresh off an almost career-ending accident, this working-class hero has to track down a missing movie star, solve a conspiracy and try to win back the love of his life while still doing his day job. What could possibly go right?

My Thoughts
I really wanted to like this film a lot. My daughter and her husband both saw it in theaters and raves about how good it was (for full disclosure, her husband works in the PR department at Universal Studios), so my wife and I sat down with very high expectations which turned out to be a mistake. While it isn’t a bad film by any stretch, it just didn’t reach the level of hype provided to us. If I had to describe the film in one word it would be “uneven.” While there are parts that work really well, there are others that miss the mark.

For example, in the opening sequence of the film, we see that Blunt and Gosling are an item, but you never truly get a sense if its just a fling or “true love.” Also, some of the action scenes go on for much too long and the film itself is a good 20 minutes longer than it should be at just over two hours—films of this genre should stick to the 90–105-minute length, if at all possible.

One area where I have no complaints about is the presentation, which is impressive from beginning to end. Color saturation is excellent, nighttime scenes are teeming with detail, and the depth of the image is best-in-class. The Dolby Atmos track is just as impressive and it features plenty of action from beginning to end with discrete effects flying around the room and ample LFE.

 
Video 10/10
Audio 10/10 (Dolby Atmos)

Special Features:

• Extended Cut (146 minutes!)
• Audio Commentary
• Gag Reel
• Alternate Takes
• Making a Meta Masterpiece
• Stunts on Stunts
• How To Break a World Record
• Nightclub Mayhem
• The Art of Doubling
• Making Metalstorm
• Falling for the Tall Guy
• 4K + Extended 4K +Blu-ray + Digital Copy

Conclusion
I really wish I would have gone into this with zero expectations because I bet I would have enjoyed it more. I’ll wait a couple of years before watching it a second time to see if my opinions change. On the plus side the film looks and sounds great in 4K and the two stars are very likeable, but it could definitely have used some editing to improve the pacing.


Reference Review System:
 JVC DLA-RS3100 4K Ultra High-Definition Front Projector
 (Calibrated with Portrait Displays CalMAN color calibration software & C6-HDR Meter from Portrait Displays)
 Stewart Filmscreen - Firehawk 110” 2.35:1 Screen
 Trinnov Altitude 16 Audio/Video Processor
 ATI AT527NC Powering Bed Channels
 ATI AT524NC Powering Atmos Speakers
 Panasonic DP-UB820 Ultra HD Blu-ray Player
 System Controller: URC MX-990
 M&K S-150 THX Ultra (R-C-L Speakers)
 M&K SS-150 x4 (Surround Speakers)
 Atlantic Technology IC6-OBA x 4 Overhead Speakers
 Dual Rythmik FV15HP2
 Mini DSP HD controlling all subwoofers
 Audioquest and Monoprice - Audio/Video/Speaker Cabling
 PureAV PF60 Power Conditioner

[bmoney]

I enjoyed it. Thanks for the review 

[SRW1000]

We watched this over the weekend, and I spent most of the movie trying to figure out how this was connected in any way to the TV show.  Sure, there's the name of the movie and Colt Seavers, and they were both stuntmen, but what was there beyond that?  The TV show had Seavers working as a bounty hunter when he wasn't working on a movie set.  Sure, it was hokey, but it was the entire premise of the show.  Why bother using the rights for the story when you've created something that could stand completely independent from it?  There surely can't be much cache left for a forty-year-old property, mostly remembered by the crowd over fifty.

I completely agree with you, David, on the rest of the film.  It was almost an hour too long, featured an overly convoluted plan for such a bunch of idiots, and the romantic part of the story never connected for me.  The inside Hollywood jokes were mostly a letdown, either being too easy and obvious or not biting enough.  That part had some unrealized potential.

But the stunt work was great, and even the standard Blu-ray looked fantastic, and the disc came with the Atmos track.  That alone will make it worth viewing for some.