Scary Movie 3 Blu-ray Review

"Scary Movie 3" is presented on Blu-ray with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in the 1.78:1 aspect ratio, demonstrating significant improvements over its predecessor. The colors are notably bolder and better saturated, with fine detail being more prominently visible. The black levels are robust, contributing to excellent shadow detail in most scenes, though occasional uses of stock footage, such as the White House establishing shots, degrade the image quality somewhat. Overall, this transfer is stably sharp and appealing, largely satisfying the expectations of the film's fans.

However, the print exhibits a light layer of grain and occasionally presents a somewhat processed look. While some scenes showcase good detail, several shots retain a softer appearance, impacting overall dimensionality. The movie's varied visual styles, intended to mimic different films within the spoof genre, result in an uneven presentation that affects consistency. Despite these variations, the transfer maintains mostly solid colors, with some scenes offering a welcome pop while others appear slightly washed out. Black levels remain consistent, and overall contrast is generally decent but can feel subdued.

In summary, while the Blu-ray transfer of "Scary Movie 3" is not without its flaws and does exhibit a processed look at times, it remains a considerable improvement over previous installments. The presentation delivers solid colors, worthwhile detail, and reliable black levels, making it a satisfactory option for fans of the series despite its occasional lack of depth and underwhelming moments.

The audio presentation of "Scary Movie 3" on Blu-ray features a robust lossless DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix, delivering a dynamic auditory experience. Emulating the energetic soundscapes of its predecessor, this track presents a vivid tapestry of sound effects that populate the entire soundfield. Notably, the film's 8 Mile spoof showcases prominent low frequencies, contributing to thumping bass that underscores key comedic moments. Fidelity is strong across all frequency ranges, evidencing excellent dynamic range and clarity.

Dialogue remains clear, crisp, and masterfully intertwined with the sound effects and the occasional score cues, ensuring coherent comprehension throughout. The surround channels, although used less consistently compared to "Scary Movie 2," still offer respectable immersion during pivotal sequences. For instance, the climactic scene in the Logan farmhouse cellar, where the Signs and The Ring plotlines converge, stands out for its immersive audio experience.

While the overall audio presentation may not be groundbreaking, it sometimes delivers engaging and lively sound design that enhances the comedic and spoof elements of the movie. Directionality is managed effectively, with appropriate utilization of surround sound to add depth to action and suspense scenes. Furthermore, the dynamic range adeptly spans a wide gamut of frequencies without distortion, ensuring solid bass performance. Balance between audio elements is meticulously maintained, with dialogue consistently prioritized for clarity.

Optional English SDH and Spanish subtitles are included, catering to diverse audience needs. In summation, "Scary Movie 3" on Blu-ray offers a solid, if not particularly standout, audio experience that complements the film's humorous and parodic narrative with bursts of lively sound design.

The Blu-ray of "Scary Movie 3" offers a robust set of extras that provide both entertainment and insight into the making of the film. The standout is the entertaining audio commentary with director David Zucker, producer Robert K. Weiss, and writers Craig Mazin and Pat Proft, which oscillates between humorous banter and sporadic filmmaking insights. The featurettes, although presented in standard definition with Dolby Digital 2.0 sound, are engaging and delve into behind-the-scenes aspects, including a parody featurette that amusingly compares the film to highbrow literary works. The deleted and extended scenes, alternate ending, and special effects breakdowns are augmented by optional commentaries that add layers of humor and perspective on the filmmaking process. These supplements make the disc a worthwhile addition for fans of the film.

Extras included in this disc:

Audio Commentary by Director David Zucker, Producer Robert K. Weiss, and Writers Craig Mazin and Pat Proft: A humorous commentary that occasionally delivers filmmaking insights.

Making Scary Movie 3 Featurette: Offers interviews and behind-the-scenes footage, highlighting the film's production complexities.

Making Scary Movie 3 For Real Featurette: A comedic take on typical "Making Of" featurettes.

Deleted and Extended Scenes with Optional Commentary: Fourteen scenes providing funny commentaries on what was cut.

Outtakes and Bloopers: A standard collection of flubbed takes.

Alternate Ending with Optional Commentary: A different and elaborate ending featuring parodies of several films.

Hulk vs. Aliens: A behind-the-scenes look at the visual effects work in the alternate ending.

"Scary Movie 3," directed by David Zucker, represents a marked improvement over its predecessors thanks to new creative inputs from co-writers Craig Mazin and Pat Proft. While retaining elements of adolescent humor, the film exhibits a more consistent comedic structure. Primarily spoofing "The Ring" and "Signs," it cleverly integrates unexpected cultural references, ranging from "8 Mile" to "The Matrix." The film’s willingness to blend absurdity with wit results in an engaging parody that often lands successful punches. Consistently funny gags, driven by Zucker’s sharp comedic timing, distinguish this installment from the more ham-fisted approaches of the previous films.

Professional performances elevate the material significantly. Anna Faris excels as Cindy, with her portrayal of naivety merging perfectly with the film’s tone. Simon Rex complements her as George, adding a layer of slapstick humor. Leslie Nielsen’s return to Zucker’s campy style is a notable highlight, embodying the deadpan humor familiar from his earlier roles in works like "Airplane!". Meanwhile, Charlie Sheen and Regina Hall round out the cast with memorable performances that add further dimension to the film’s comedy.

Despite occasional lapses into outdated cultural references, the film manages to stay marginally entertaining throughout. "Scary Movie 3" succeeds not only in parodying its primary targets but does so with an unexpectedly artful blend of silliness and sarcasm. Each gag is refined to its essence, avoiding excess unless it maximizes laughs. This Blu-ray version, featuring the unrated 3.5 edit, restores content previously excised for rating purposes, providing a fuller comedic experience. While not groundbreaking, "Scary Movie 3" provides enough quirky amusement and strong performances to warrant a watch, proving itself a significant step up from its predecessors.

"Scary Movie 3" continues the franchise with its signature mix of parody and slapstick, taking aim at popular films like "Signs" and "The Ring." The movie's humor is driven by the Zucker style, known for its fast-paced gags and relentless cultural references. Performances by Anna Faris and the ensemble cast add to the film's charm, delivering laughs amidst the absurdity. Despite its uneven tone, there are segments that stand out for their ingenuity and comic timing, making it a moderately enjoyable experience for fans of the genre.

From a technical perspective, this Blu-ray release offers a commendable video transfer. The picture quality is sharp with good color balance, enhancing the visual gags typical of this parody series. The audio mix, while not groundbreaking, is adequate, ensuring dialogues and sound effects are clear. Additionally, the disc comes loaded with supplemental materials, including amusing outtakes and insightful commentary that provide added value for those interested in behind-the-scenes content.

Well, it may not be in genius territory, but compared to its two predecessors at least, "Scary Movie 3" is decidedly smart comedy, filled with that patented Zucker pizzazz that made films like Airplane! and Naked Gun so much fun. The cultural references are fast and freewheeling and you never know quite what's going to be skewered next, which is part of the fun. Faris and crew are once again very funny and the writing is surprisingly sharp, rather artfully blending Signs and The Ring as well as virtually every other film you can mention. With good image and audio quality and a full array of supplemental material, this new Blu-ray comes Recommended.