Ride Along 2 Blu-ray Review

"Ride Along 2" on Blu-ray boasts a pristine 1080p transfer, delivering razor-sharp clarity and high-level detail that brings out the lifelike textures and fine fabric details. The film’s digitally sourced imagery ensures a clean and smooth presentation, revealing intimate skin textures like pores, stubble, and freckles, which enhance the depth of close-up shots. Mid-level and wide camera pans offer excellent sharpness, displaying cityscapes and street-level details with impressive definition. Colors are robust and healthy, with punchy primaries and natural rendering of secondary hues, giving Miami exteriors a vibrant, cheerful look. Skin tones remain vivid and consistent across varying scenes.

The 2.40:1 aspect ratio is maintained effectively, bringing Tim Story's directorial choices to the forefront with visually appealing compositions shot using Red Epic Dragon cameras. Black levels are deep and dynamic, maintaining richness even during nighttime sequences, although there are occasional minor instances of excess brightness and light noise. Contrast is impeccably managed, enhancing colors and whites without washing out essential details. Despite minor aliasing and banding, the visual presentation remains largely flawless with no noticeable issues related to noise or compression. This Blu-ray transfer serves as a near-perfect visual showcase for "Ride Along 2," even if the film’s narrative doesn’t quite match its visual brilliance.

The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack for "Ride Along 2" impressively balances front-oriented dimension, channel separation, and clear, descriptive dialogue. The mix effectively uses front-to-rear balance and open atmospherics to create an immersive sound field that enhances the viewing experience. Notably, the dynamic range empowers active moments, providing palpable low-frequency presence. However, there are occasional instances where the surround channels feel overly aggressive, particularly during high-energy scenes such as party sequences.

Action sequences are a standout, with a chaotic yet precise detailing in the final shootout. Gunshots and explosions reverberate with rich bass and pinpoint accuracy, creating an engaging auditory experience. The ambient sounds of Miami and Atlanta streets are vivid, featuring clear, well-placed effects like blaring car horns and the subtle creaks of shifting shipping containers. Despite its immersive potential, the track occasionally lacks directionality but maintains an overall crispness and clarity in dialogue, always properly mixed with the soundtrack and ambient noises.

In summary, "Ride Along 2’s" audio presentation through its DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track offers an engaging and largely flawless listening environment. With tremendous low-end support during action scenes, clear dialogue prioritization, and a well-blended mix of music and sound effects, viewers can expect a satisfying auditory experience. The additional DTS 5.1 tracks in Spanish and French, along with an English 2.0 Descriptive Video Service track, ensure accessibility for a wider audience.

The Blu-ray edition of "Ride Along 2" is replete with an extensive range of extras that offer a comprehensive behind-the-scenes look at the film's production. It features a plethora of high-definition content, including deleted scenes, a gag reel, and multiple featurettes. Particularly noteworthy is the scene-specific audio commentary by Director Tim Story, which provides valuable technical insights. Additionally, there are various featurettes such as "The Ride Diaries," detailing key moments in the filmmaking process, and "Kevin & Cube: Brothers-in-Law," which explores the dynamic between the lead actors. These extras significantly enhance the viewing experience, giving fans a deeper understanding of the movie's creation.

Extras included in this disc:

• Deleted Scenes: A collection of six excised moments from the film.
• Gag Reel: Amusing bloopers and outtakes from the set.
• Ride Along With Us: Promotional featurette for the Atlanta P.D.
• Behind the Scenes of Ride Along With Us: Outtakes from the promotional feature.
• The Ride Along Round Table: Ice Cube, Kevin Hart, and others discuss the film.
• The Ride Diaries: Seven-part series on the filmmaking process.
• Kevin & Cube: Brothers-in-Law: Focus on Kevin Hart and Ice Cube's on-set chemistry.
• Inside Black Hammer Vision: Insights into the movie's video game sequence.
• Ride Along with Kevin Hart: A look at Hart’s on-set antics.
• Cori's Wedding Commercial: Mock commercial related to the film.

"Ride Along 2," starring Kevin Hart and Ice Cube, delivers a familiar blend of action and comedy, although it falls short in terms of originality and narrative cohesion. Hart reprises his role as Ben Barber, a police rookie aspiring to become a detective like his soon-to-be brother-in-law, James Payton, played by Ice Cube. The plot follows the duo to Miami, where they investigate a shady businessman Antonio Pope (Benjamin Bratt), with the help of hacker A.J. (Ken Jeong) and Miami detective Maya Cruz (Olivia Munn). While the movie’s storyline is heavily reliant on worn-out buddy cop tropes and lacks creativity, the energetic performances of Hart and Cube lend it an enjoyable but lightweight charm.

From a technical perspective, "Ride Along 2" is polished and visually appealing. The film’s pacing is brisk, and director Tim Story's slick filmmaking is evident throughout. The seamless direction and the actors' charisma make for a superficially entertaining watch. There are moments of genuine amusement, particularly during a Grand Theft Auto-like car chase and an amusing bit involving an alligator in Pope’s backyard. However, these instances are sparse, serving merely as temporary distractions from the lackluster script. The movie's antagonist is notably unidimensional, further emphasizing the derivative nature of the overall plot.

Despite the impressive cast and high production values, "Ride Along 2" suffers from a recycled storyline that never fully capitalizes on its potential. The film leans heavily on Kevin Hart's improvisational talent to fill in narrative gaps, but this approach often feels strained rather than spontaneous. Dedicated fans of the first film or Hart's comedic style might find some enjoyment here, but for others, this sequel is a missed opportunity, lacking the depth and novelty needed to stand out within its genre.

"Ride Along 2" follows the same formula as its predecessor, offering a familiar blend of action and comedy featuring Kevin Hart and Ice Cube. While the movie provides some mindless entertainment, it lacks originality and fails to deliver substantial laughs. The new villain is largely unconvincing, functioning more as a caricature than a believable antagonist. For fans of Kevin Hart's hyperactive comedy, this film might still hold some appeal, but casual viewers seeking fresh humor will likely find it underwhelming.

Technically, the Blu-ray presentation is excellent. Encased in near-reference-quality video and audio, the picture is crisp with vibrant colors and the sound is equally immersive. This release is complemented by a robust array of bonus features that fans will appreciate. Despite the film's shortcomings, the high-definition presentation does justice to its well-shot action sequences and overall slick production values.

In conclusion, "Ride Along 2" offers a routine viewing experience that remains firmly within its comfort zone. Though not inherently bad, this sequel feels unnecessary and unoriginal, making it hard to recommend for anyone but hardcore fans of the genre or lead actors. The impeccable Blu-ray quality, however, ensures that those who do purchase it will at least enjoy a premier home theater experience.