Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die (2025, Blu-ray, Library Loaner) Review

[SRW1000]

Studio:  Universal Pictures Home Entertainment
Release Date:  4/21/2026
Rating:  R
Film Grade:  B

The Story:  A man walks into a Los Angeles dinner.  Dressed in oddly tattered clothing, he has all the appearance of a deranged homeless man.  Jumping onto tables and into a tale about being from an apocalyptic future, he claims to need recruits to win the battle over humanity’s destiny.  Who will help him?  With a line like, “This isn't a robbery!  I am from the future!  And all of this. . .goes horribly wrong,” who could possibly resist?

My Take:  I went into this movie almost completely blind, which is the way to go, so I’ll try to avoid anything that is even close to a spoiler.  There’s a lot to be discovered at each turn as the story progresses.  Besides the excentric lead, we get back stories for some of the other patrons through flashbacks.  It’s a good way to let the audience breathe while also giving us more insight into the participants.  This is true on both a character level and also thematically, as the stories explore different aspects that are all eventually tied together.

The setup starts slowly as the man explains why he’s there and what his band of recruits will be up against. It has all the hallmarks of a cold diatribe, but the movie quickly picks up steam from there.  The flashbacks are as interesting as the primary tale, letting us see the characters before all of this happens while also introducing some of the varied themes of the movie.  And those ideas are equally relevant and timely, as we could very well be at the exact critical point featured in the movie.  But this isn’t some heavy think-piece, there’s plenty of activity and intrigue to keep the story moving.

This is the first feature film from Gore Verbinski since A Cure for Wellness from 2016 and he hasn’t lost a beat.  It has the action and verve from his Pirates of the Caribbean movies but doesn’t let Sam Rockwell walk all over the script the way Johnny Depp did as Jack Sparrow.  Not to say that Rockwell doesn’t give The Man from the Future the kind of cocky attitude we’ve seen before, but the character still has a distinct feel.  Juno Temple plays one of the patrons in a role very unlike her earlier works.  There are a lot of other actors here, with Michael Peña standing out as a remarkably dull teacher, and Haley Lu Richardson portraying a young woman with an extraordinary curse, or gift, depending on perspective.  The ensemble looks like they are having an absolute blast with the story, savoring each line of the well-crafted dialog.
   
Visuals:  The digitally captured images are satisfyingly good, with tight contrast, solid black levels, and realistic colors.  There are some hazy scenes that could have resulted in banding, but I didn’t spot any here.  The tonal color of the image shifts to fit the various themes and scenes of the story.  The CGI isn’t great and it does face some challenges in the third act.  This is at least partially due to the ridiculously absurd work they were asked to produce, even though it is perfectly fitting for the film.  Other than that nitpick, I’ve got no complaints at all about picture quality.  I would imagine that the 4K UHD disc would look even better.

Audio:  Thankfully, Universal typically includes the Atmos mix with their Blu-rays, and what a mix it is, starting from the very beginning of the film.  It easily passed my bird test, with chirps heard in the tops during an outdoor shot.  But it’s so much more than that.  Wides are used extensively, and not just for generic ambiance.  They’re used really well here, including some great panning effects.  There are some instances where vocals are placed in the tops and wides, but they’re recorded at a low volume.  My guess is that they’re being used to enhance the mental size of the settings, since they’re not discernable when mixed with the other speakers, and never call attention to themselves during normal listening.  Subs are not overly used but do make themselves known when needed.

The musical soundtrack comes courtesy of Geoff Zanelli and he’s composed a work that fits perfectly with the movie.  The eclectic nature of the story is met with varying themes and genres, shifting seamlessly between them.  There’s a heavy bass guitar that set the early mood.  Then it will switch to a tick tock beat with a jazzy undertone that pairs with the characters as they sneak around.  There’s an ominous-sounding choir that adds a sense of mystery and foreboding.  In a way, it sounds very Danny-Elfman-like, blending irreverence with whimsy that almost masks the underlying stakes of the movie.  It’s an absolute joy from beginning to end.

Special Features:  The lone making of piece lands on the superficial side, not offering much in the way of insight.  It comes off as a promotional piece, but it does reinforce the feeling that the cast had a great time making this one.

• The Making of Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die - Featurette

Final Verdict:  It’s unusual for a movie based on a dire prediction for the future to be this much fun, but it’s a blast from start to end.  The non-spoiler comparison would be to Idiocracy, that set a standard twenty years ago for predicting an impossibly silly future that may not have been that far off.  Similarly here, the key subjects are treated in a thought-provoking way but also deliver a good number of laughs based on absurdity and black humor.  Verbinski shows off is talent and ability to work with a great cast and keeping a good pace while telling a thoroughly engaging story.  Yes, aspects of this film will remind you of others in a similar vein, but it never feels derivative and the sly sense of humor distinguishes it.  It also helps that so many of the themes have never been more relevant than they are today.

Topping it off is a great picture and one of the finest Atmos mixes I’ve heard in a long time.  My wife enjoyed it as much as I did, and we will be adding the 4K to our collection. It’s one of those movies that should be tons of fun to watch with family or friends, while offering new things to notice on second or third viewings.

Fun Fact:  Zanelli used almost 100 different instruments in the score, some of which was played by the director.



This review was written by a human without the use of AI.

My Review System:
JVC DLA-RS3100 4K Ultra High-Definition Front Projector
Elite Screens Sable Frame B2 117” Width with Infinitely Variable Height
Monolith by Monoprice HTP-1 16 Channel Processor with Dirac Live
Monolith by Monoprice 7x200 Watts Amp
Monolith by Monoprice 3x200 Watts + 6x100 Watts Amp
JBL Studio 590 for Left, Center, Right, Wides, and Rears
JBL Studio 580 for Side Surrounds
JBL Studio SCS 8 for Tops
JTR Captivator 1400 Subwoofer X 4
Panasonic DP-UB420 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Player
Oppo BDP-93
NVIDIA Shield Android TV - 4K
Xbox One X
HTPC Running madVR (work in progress)
Remote: URC MX-780
Mini DSP 2X4 HD controlling all subwoofers
APC S15 Power Conditioner with Battery Backup

[David Vaughn]

For some reason, Universal didn't send this to me. It's something that I definitely want to see. 

Thanks for the great review Scott. 

[SRW1000]

For some reason, Universal didn't send this to me. It's something that I definitely want to see.

Thanks for the great review Scott.

I think you'll like it.  After all, you liked Verbinski's The Lone Ranger.  

You might even be able to get your wife to watch it with you.  There's is some violence but it's not emphasised or hyper realistic and is far outweighed by the fun.

[Paul Heroy]

Thanks for the review, Scott. Looks like the kind of offbeat, irreverent movie I like - and you can hardly ever go wrong with Sam Rockwell! This is definitely going on my watch list.

[SRW1000]

Thanks for the review, Scott. Looks like the kind of offbeat, irreverent movie I like - and you can hardly ever go wrong with Sam Rockwell! This is definitely going on my watch list.

Yep, that's exactly right.  Let us know what you think after you watch it.

[David Vaughn]

I recently watched "Moon," which was in my collection but never watched. Rockwell was excellent in that film. 

[SRW1000]

I recently watched "Moon," which was in my collection but never watched. Rockwell was excellent in that film.

Yes, a really good movie with an unexpected twist.  Rockwell played that part well, which added to the emotional impact.

The movie was written and directed by David Bowie's son, Duncan Jones.  If you liked that one, check out Source Code, if you haven't already seen it.  His follow ups haven't done as well.  Warcraft was just OK, likely hampered by its gaming restrictions.  I haven't seen Mute, since it's only on Netflix, but it has a good cast as well.

In the vein of the other thread, if you guys like Rockwell's work and are in the mood for smaller, character films, I'll recommend The Way Way Back.  He's really good in that one, too and the story fits the bill.

[bmoney]

I think you'll like it.  After all, you liked Verbinski's The Lone Ranger. 

You might even be able to get your wife to watch it with you.  Theirs  is some violence but it's not emphasised or hyper realistic and is far outweighed by the fun.

I like the Lone Ranger too. Lol

[Paul Heroy]

Watched this across 2 nights this week, due to a 5 hour power outage.

Wife & I both loved it. Glad that my faith in Mr. Rockwell was not misplaced!

I compared it a bit in thinking about it to The Canterbury Tales, which I haven't read but have seen so many references to due to its fame and influence on works I have read or seen. The group of adventurers didn't all get to tell their own individual tales, but most did, and they were well done in advancing the themes of the movie and dropping bread crumbs to be pieced together at the wildly entertaining end. 

One of my favorite recent watches. GG!

[SRW1000]

Watched this across 2 nights this week, due to a 5 hour power outage.

Wife & I both loved it. Glad that my faith in Mr. Rockwell was not misplaced!

I compared it a bit in thinking about it to The Canterbury Tales, which I haven't read but have seen so many references to due to its fame and influence on works I have read or seen. The group of adventurers didn't all get to tell their own individual tales, but most did, and they were well done in advancing the themes of the movie and dropping bread crumbs to be pieced together at the wildly entertaining end.

One of my favorite recent watches. GG!

Glad you liked it, Paul, despite the power interruption. 

It's a good reminder that there are still original stories coming out these days, despite the seemingly unending output of sequels and franchise entries.

It tanked at the box office, despite good audience and critic ratings, so I hope it finds new life on disc and streaming.

[David Vaughn]

I discussed with Scott via email, but my wife and I liked it as well. Rockwell was outstanding (as usual).  

[SRW1000]

I discussed with Scott via email, but my wife and I liked it as well. Rockwell was outstanding (as usual). 

Glad to hear that it wasn't too violent for your wife to watch and that you both liked it.