Stuber Blu-ray Review
Score: 67
from 3 reviewers
Review Date:
Stuber is an entertaining rental, with solid technical merits and an amiable but imperfect duo, though it blends action and humor with mixed results.
Disc Release Date
DTS-HD MA
Video: 78
The Blu-ray of 'Stuber' offers a sharp 1080p AVC encoded 2.39:1 transfer, with natural yet occasionally yellow-tinted and overly orange hues, slight shadow detail deficits, and effective noise management. Despite the lack of Atmos, the 7.1 DTS-HD MA track delivers punchy bass, active surrounds, and excellent dialog clarity.
Audio: 78
The Blu-ray of 'Stuber' features an immersive DTS-HD MA 7.1 mix, enhanced in the 4K UHD with a subtle but effective Dolby Atmos upgrade. The robust sound design integrates dynamic low-end energy and precise surround utilization, maintaining clear dialogue and vivid ambient effects.
Extra: 37
The Blu-ray extras for 'Stuber' include insightful commentary from Michael Dowse and Kumail Nanjiani on five deleted scenes, a gag reel, improvised outtakes in Joke-O-Rama, a promotional piece on Georgia as a filming location, a gallery with both auto and manual advance options, and theatrical trailers.
Movie: 53
Stuber is an action-comedy that pairs Dave Bautista's forceful cop with Kumail Nanjiani's timid Uber driver, creating a mismatched buddy dynamic. While the film succeeds with some sharp-paced humor and absurd violence, the chemistry between leads falters, and the simplistic plot underutilizes Iko Uwais' talents.
Video: 78
The Blu-ray release of Stuber by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment features a sharp, AVC encoded 1080p transfer in a 2.39:1 aspect ratio. Shot using Arri Alexas Minis, the film showcases well-defined detail throughout, with facial features and LA skyline aerials rendered with impressive clarity. The color palette is largely natural but is occasionally affected by heavy orange grading to highlight the intense Californian heat. However, moments of night scenes with blue tones offer a visual counterbalance. Compression is expertly handled, allowing the fine resolution to shine without intrusive artifacts, save for a minor chroma noise issue in a close-up shot of Uwais.
Dark scenes present some minor shadow detail deficiencies, particularly at the frame edges, but they do not significantly detract from the overall viewing experience. While digital cinematography typically struggles with noise, Stuber manages to keep this at bay, preserving clear and consistent imagery. The film's black levels suggest a preference for gray/blue shadows over deep blacks, which impacts dimensionality slightly but still retains a commendable semblance of depth and heft.
For audio, the Blu-ray comes with a 7.1 DTS-HD MA track that competently delivers an exhilarating and punchy sound mix. Even though it lacks the overhead channels found in the 4K UHD's Atmos track, the differences are minimal. Dialog clarity is superb, and the surrounds are actively engaged during intense action sequences, creating an immersive soundstage. The bass response is robust and assertive, enhancing gunshots and explosions with substantial weight and impact. Overall, the audio and video presentation on the Stuber Blu-ray stands as a strong example of a well-executed high-definition transfer, maintaining both visual appeal and auditory excitement.
Audio: 78
The audio presentation of the Blu-ray for "Stuber" leverages the 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track, delivering a high-quality and immersive sound experience. The DTS-HD track starts dynamically, effectively placing ambient environmental sounds within the driving scenes and punctuating the film's many action sequences with robust, well-positioned audio cues. The explosive scenes, such as the shootout between Vic and Tedjo and the chaotic moments at the vet clinic, are handled with precision. Dialogue remains consistently clear and crisp throughout, ensuring viewers do not miss a single line.
On the 4K UHD version, the transition to Dolby Atmos brings additional depth to the already impressive audio mix. While the upgrade from 7.1 to Atmos might not be monumental, it does add noticeable enhancements. The overheads come to life, particularly during intense action scenes, offering more discrete and localized effects that heighten the overall viewing experience. Gunfire reverberates realistically throughout the room, creating a palpable sense of space. The LFE (Low Frequency Effects) are punchy and exhilarating, especially noticeable during sequences set in noisy environments like the strip club. Music is potent, maintaining an engaging beat that complements the visual action without overpowering dialogue.
In sum, both the DTS-HD and Dolby Atmos tracks are designed to maximize engagement with well-calibrated ambient sounds, powerful low-end dynamics, and clean dialogue rendering. The Dolby Atmos track, while building on the solid foundation of the DTS-HD mix, offers a slightly more polished and immersive experience with its effective use of overhead spatial effects. The audio experience ensures that "Stuber" remains engaging from start to finish.
Extras: 37
The Blu-ray release of "Stuber" delivers an engaging extras package, highlighted by the dynamic commentary from director Michael Dowse and star Kumail Nanjiani. This insightful audio commentary is complemented by five optional deleted scenes with additional commentary for further context. The gag reel and "Joke-O-Rama" segments offer a lighthearted glimpse into the cast’s on-set antics and improvisations. For those interested in film production locations, "Georgia Film Works" provides an animated overview of the cinematic allure of Georgia. Viewers also gain access to a concise gallery with both auto and manual advance options, trailers, and sneak peeks. Collectively, these extras elevate the Blu-ray's value by offering both entertainment and informative content.
Extras included in this disc:
- Deleted Scenes: Optional commentary by Michael Dowse and Kumail Nanjiani.
- Gag Reel: On-set bloopers.
- Joke-O-Rama: Outtakes and actor improvisations.
- Georgia Film Works: Animated promotional piece on Georgia as a filming locale.
- Audio Commentary: Insightful commentary by Michael Dowse and Kumail Nanjiani.
- Gallery: Photo slideshow with auto and manual advance options.
- Theatrical Trailer: Original movie trailer.
- Sneak Peak
Movie: 53
"Stuber" presents a modern twist on the classic buddy-cop trope, juxtaposing the contrasting lives of Kumail Nanjiani's Stu and Dave Bautista's Vic. Stu is a mild-mannered retail worker and Uber driver who finds himself forcibly recruited into an impromptu police operation led by Vic, a gruff detective seeking vengeance for his partner's murder. The premise is straightforward yet necessitates multiple supporting elements, particularly Vic's post-Lasik surgery blindness, adding an extra layer of absurdity to their mismatched partnership. Their journey is rife with over-the-top scenarios, including altercations in a sporting goods store and a male stripper club, capturing the chaotic unpredictability of ride-sharing experiences.
The film leans heavily on the dynamic between its leads. Nanjiani brings his trademark dry humor, though it occasionally falters against Bautista’s aggressive alpha persona. Despite some moments of genuine comedic interplay, their chemistry isn't always in sync, affecting the film's overall tone. The action sequences, however, shine through – Iko Uwais' martial arts prowess and Bautista’s physicality deliver adrenaline-fueled moments that briefly set aside the sporadic humor.
"Stuber" oscillates between sharp comedic jabs at action genre clichés and more vulgar, absurd humor. Its commentary on masculinity threads through, often overly pronounced but sporadically poignant. The film underutilizes deep narrative arcs, instead opting for a relentless pace across its 90-minute runtime. The supporting cast, while bringing occasional laughs, sometimes struggles to leave a lasting impact. Ultimately, "Stuber" offers an eclectic blend of action and comedy, entertaining through rapid-fire jokes and flashy sequences but lacking depth in its exploration of character growth.
Total: 67
"Stuber" aims to blend action and comedy with the unlikely pairing of Kumail Nanjiani and Dave Bautista. The film's premise is tweaked enough to maintain viewer interest, but ultimately, many of the comedic elements fall into the "meh" category. The humor is somewhat inconsistent, often faltering as Nanjiani's comedic style clashes with Bautista's brooding and physical presence. Despite their amiable chemistry, it isn't completely mesmerizing. However, the movie provides sufficient action and some laughs, making it somewhat entertaining if not groundbreaking.
Technically, the Blu-ray release of "Stuber" stands out. With a 2.39:1 AVC aspect ratio, the video quality is superb, offering pristine images that make good use of the medium. The audio is also exceptional, with an English DTS-HD MA 7.1 track that delivers a robust and immersive sound experience. Additionally, the disc includes Spanish and French DTS 5.1 audio options, along with English SDH, French SDH, and Spanish subtitles. These technical merits might make it worth considering for those who enjoy high-quality home theater experiences.
In conclusion, while "Stuber" may not be a masterpiece in its genre, it delivers enough to merit a rental. Its blend of humor and action may appeal to fans of Nanjiani and Bautista, despite the occasionally mismatched comedic dynamics. The high-quality video and audio of the Blu-ray edition make it an attractive option for showcasing home theater capabilities, though its overall resonance as a film might not extend much beyond a one-time viewing.
AV Nirvana review by Michael ScottRead review here
Video: 90
20th Century Fox and Disney are known for several things, but the one thing they both utilize is withholding the Atmos track from the Blu-ray release and putting it only on the 4K UHD disc as a bit of...
Audio: 90
The overheads are engaged quite nicely with some of the more action oriented scenes, as well as utilizing some discrete effects near the end of the film....
Extras: 40
• Deleted Scenes • Gag Reel • Joke-O-Rama • Georgia Film Works • Audio Commentary by Michael Dowse and Kumail Nanjiani • Gallery • Theatrical Trailer • Sneak Peak...
Movie: 50
This is kind of the case with Stuber , but in reverse, as one of the tag lines of the movie is that it’s the driver who’s in for a bit of a surprise this go around....
Total: 60
The movie is entertaining enough as a rental, but the great video and the awesome audio track for the 4K UHD makes it a bit more palatable as demo material....
Blu-ray.com review by Jeffrey KauffmanRead review here
Video: 90
This is an appealingly sharp and well detailed looking presentation almost all of the time, despite some expectedly smoggy vistas of Los Angeles and a few interior scenes where lighting regimens aren't...
Audio: 90
The driving environment provides a glut of well placed ambient environmental sounds (though in one of the film's better done bits, Stu drives an electric car, which of course makes no sound itself, something...
Extras: 40
Audio Commentary by Michael Dowse and Kumail Nanjiani Gallery (1080p; 1:45) features either an Auto Advance or a Manual Advance option....
Movie: 60
Stu's financial straits are exacerbated by the fact that he's handed over a huge amount of money in order to help Becca (Betty Gilpin), a woman whom Stu has romantic pinings for, but who has "friend zoned"...
Total: 60
But I simply found a lot of the comedy decidedly in the meh category, and the film's sudden departures into more graphically violent territory just didn't mesh all that well with whatever comedy was being...
DoBlu review by Matt PaprockiRead review here
Video: 80
While digital cinematography suffers from bouts of noise, the Blu-ray holds this back save for a Uwais close-up late (for whatever reason, that’s buzzing with chroma artifacts).Detail leisurely rolls out,...
Audio: 80
A car chase near the end ranks highly for its ability to pan vehicles between channels accurately, this while managing a bold soundtrack and dialog sans any loss....
Extras: 40
For an additional 14 Stuber screenshots, early access to all screens (plus the 100,000+ already in our library), 100 exclusive 4K UHD reviews, and more, support us on Patreon....
Movie: 60
This comes after an awkward brawl in a sporting goods store, another staging point for the pair to learn, but nope....
Total: 65
Stuber takes a stance on masculinity and places all of its humor in that same repetitive line of thinking....
Director: Michael Dowse
Actors: Dave Bautista, Kumail Nanjiani, Mira Sorvino
PlotAn unassuming and mild-mannered Uber driver named Stu picks up a fare who turns out to be a grizzled, tough-as-nails police detective, Vic, hot on the trail of a notorious and elusive terrorist. Stu is immediately sucked into a harrowing ordeal when he realizes that his passenger is on an intense mission to bring down the criminal who murdered his partner months earlier. The detective has just undergone LASIK surgery, rendering him temporarily visually impaired, and needs Stu's help to navigate through the city. Over the course of the day, Stu unwillingly becomes Vic's driver and sidekick as they follow leads and encounter various obstacles and dangerous situations related to the case.
Stu's focus as an Uber driver is maintaining his high rating and providing excellent customer service, but this goal quickly becomes secondary as he finds himself in a world of trouble. His desperation to keep his life and his Uber job intact leads to a series of comedic and action-packed misadventures. The mismatched duo must find a way to work together, despite their opposite personalities and the chaotic circumstances they find themselves in. As they close in on the criminal's location, they're forced to confront not only the bad guys but also the unintended comedy that arises from their partnership.
Writers: Tripper Clancy
Release Date: 12 Jul 2019
Runtime: 93 min
Rating: R
Country: United States
Language: English, Spanish