Delivery Man Blu-ray Review

Disney's Blu-ray presentation of "Delivery Man" is proficient yet polarizing. The 1080p/AVC-encoded video is faithful to the original intent of director Scott and cinematographer Eric Edwards, but with some caveats. The color palette and skin tones are plagued by a noticeable green tint, and contrast can be frustratingly hot. Primary colors appear strong but skewed, and crush is prevalent throughout. However, detail holds up well with crisp edge definition and nicely resolved textures. The encode avoids any artifacting, banding, noise, or pixelation. Some ringing is detected, though it's known to originate from the film’s theatrical presentation, indicating a source-born anomaly.

Overall clarity and detail are commendable, with the transfer achieving good contrast and excellent delineation of fine facial features in close-ups. Colors are bold and well-saturated, with blacks coming across as rich and deep, and whites stable. Despite these strengths, a nagging flatness permeates the image, detracting from depth and lending the film a TV movie-like feel. While grain is largely absent, providing a smooth visual experience, the transfer lacks the dynamic vibrancy and visual pop seen in top-tier Blu-ray releases. All things considered, Disney’s effort here is strong but falls short of their best work.

The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track for "Delivery Man" delivers dependable sound quality, aligning with the straightforward nature of its source material. Dialogue, as expected in a conversational comedy, is crystal clear, well-prioritized, and free from obfuscation. While the audio mix skews heavily toward the front channels, it features solid dynamics and acceptable LFE output. Environmental sounds and rear speaker activity occasionally provide ambient enhancements in scenes such as city streets and parks, though these touches are sparse and largely lacking in immersive qualities.

Despite its simplicity, the sound design maintains a wide dynamic scale, ensuring smooth handling of both high and low frequencies, with only minor instances of distortion. The stereo separation modestly broadens the sound field, yet the overall experience remains relatively flat and front-heavy. Jon Brion’s repetitive musical score benefits from good fidelity and tonal depth, filling the room comfortably despite not being particularly award-worthy. Ultimately, while the track doesn't distinguish itself with remarkable sonic prowess or innovative directionality, it serves as an adequate and competent complement to the film's narrative needs.

The Blu-Ray extras for "Delivery Man" offer an additional glimpse into the film's production. While none of the features deliver exceptional insight, they are competently presented and will certainly provide some entertainment. "Building Family" provides a behind-the-scenes look with cast reflections but lacks depth regarding the adaptation process of Scott's original 2011 film. "Vince Vaughn: Off the Cuff" showcases Vaughn’s improvisational skills through various outtakes, though it feels more promotional than informative. The "Bloopers" reel delivers some light chuckles, whereas the single deleted scene, "You're Under Arrest," adds little to the overall package.

Extras included in this disc:

• Building Family: Behind-the-scenes reflections with the cast and crew, lacking in-depth analysis.
• Vince Vaughn: Off the Cuff: Vaughn’s improvisation highlighted through outtakes.
• Bloopers: Light-hearted outtake reel featuring the cast.
• Deleted Scene: “You're Under Arrest” – A minimally impactful excised scene.

Ken Scott's "Delivery Man," a remake of his own French-Canadian film "Starbuck," delivers a mixed bag that fluctuates between humor and sentimentality but struggles to find a cohesive identity. Vince Vaughn portrays David Wozniak, an affable yet immature delivery driver whose life takes a chaotic turn upon learning he fathered 533 children via sperm donations made two decades prior. The film attempts to balance comedic elements with heartwarming moments but often falls prey to erratic pacing and a predictable narrative arc. Despite Vaughn's earnest attempt to add nuance to his character, the screenplay's uneven direction and lackluster dialogue, coupled with a painfully foreseeable third act, prevent the film from fully engaging its audience.

Chris Pratt, as David’s friend and lawyer Brett, stands out amid the otherwise mediocre script, delivering a performance imbued with comedic timing and relatable frustrations. In fact, Pratt’s ability to inject life into his role highlights the weakness of Vaughn’s portrayal of Wozniak, who remains difficult to fully empathize with due to his fundamentally irresponsible nature. The supporting cast, including Cobie Smulders as David’s skeptical girlfriend Emma, contributes positively but is given little to work with beyond the film's superficial attempts at emotional depth.

While "Delivery Man" has moments of genuine warmth and the potential for incisive humor given its intriguing premise, it ultimately gets bogged down by its syrupy sentimentality and lack of incisive wit. The film flounders in its effort to capture the magic of its source material, settling instead into the realm of forgettable feel-good flicks that are pleasant enough during their runtime but leave no lasting impression. Vaughn's legacy remains unchanged; unfortunately, this film won’t be his breakout from mediocrity.

"Delivery Man" is presented as a feel-good comedy but unfortunately falls short of delivering substantial laughs or a strong emotional hook. Vince Vaughn's performance, while more likable than usual, cannot compensate for the film's lackluster script and simplistic themes. The narrative fails to exploit its intriguing concept or provide the depth needed to engage audiences fully. As a remake of Ken Scott's French-Canadian film, this version comes across as pleasant but ultimately mediocre.

Disney's Blu-ray edition of "Delivery Man" excels in terms of technical quality, boasting solid video and audio transfers that faithfully align with the filmmakers' original vision. However, the absence of meaningful special features leaves viewers without additional context or insight into the movie's intentions. While the high-definition presentation is commendable, it is marred by the film's predictability and sentimentality, which many audiences may find unconvincing.

In conclusion, "Delivery Man" holds potential, but it is ultimately unfulfilled. Despite a few grin-worthy moments and the occasional scene-stealing performance by Chris Pratt, the film succumbs to sentimentality and lacks both comedic bite and emotional resonance. While some viewers may find comfort in Vaughn's performance, most are likely to be left disappointed. Disney's Blu-ray release, with its decent AV presentation, is best suited for a rental rather than a permanent addition to your collection.