Playing with Fire Blu-ray Review

The Blu-ray release of "Playing with Fire" shines considerably with its 1080p video presentation, despite the film's lackluster content. Digitally shot and framed in 1.78:1 AVC, the movie boasts a near photo-realistic quality. Colors, particularly firefighting tones like yellow and red, are vibrant and visually striking, providing depth and stability to the entire image. The crystal-clear detail along with pinpoint clarity make for an impressive display. Skin textures are immaculate, with pores, wrinkles, and hair captured in stunning detail, emphasizing the superior definition throughout the film.

The production benefits from a razor-sharp presentation, revealing every nuance without any underlying softness. Even elements such as shadow detail are handled expertly, although minor crush can occasionally be seen in the cabin scenes. Black levels and skin tones are natural and balanced, contributing to the overall exceptional video quality. Issues like noise are virtually nonexistent, and only minimal banding is noted—specifically around the 11:10 mark. All in all, the Blu-ray's video encode is exemplary, offering viewers a crisp and clean visual experience that is remarkably proficient in delivering fine detail and vivid colors.

The audio presentation of "Playing with Fire" on Blu-ray is delivered through a robust 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track that effectively accommodates the film's comedy and action elements. The mix begins on a strong note with Carson and his crew's rescue scene, featuring the deep thuds of helicopter rotor blades and an engaging score. This sequence highlights the track's ability to envelop the audience through well-utilized surround channels, while crackling fire sounds heighten immersion. As the narrative transitions to the smokejumper station, while the urgency diminishes, the soundtrack retains a lively ambiance with frequent hi-jinks and kiddy antics. Dialogue remains precisely positioned in the front-center channel, and even at its most bass-intensive moments, such as the truck/cliff rescue scene, clarity is never compromised.

The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless track impressively balances dialogue-driven scenes with dynamic audio effects. Dialogue delivery is consistently clear and well-prioritized, effortlessly fitting within the front-center channel. Supportive elements like music showcase notable width and occasionally stretch into the surrounds, creating a pleasant auditory experience. Ambient sounds, while sporadic, are immersive when present; particularly notable is the scene where a child fires a flare gun through the station, featuring detailed directional sound that travels with precision. However, in contrast, some sequences, such as heavy falling rain or quieter moments, remain anchored to the front channels, slightly missing opportunities for fuller immersion. Nonetheless, these minor limitations do not detract significantly from the overall satisfaction of this audio presentation, ensuring it meets and often exceeds the film's requirements for both dialogue and action sequences.

The extras on the "Playing with Fire" Blu-ray provide a moderately engaging but varied behind-the-scenes look, supplemented by deleted scenes, bloopers, and a few featurettes. The deleted scenes, lasting a total of 14:43 minutes, offer additional content that extends several aspects of the storyline. The blooper reel, which runs for 2:33 minutes, captures humorous on-set moments. "Storytime with John Cena" is a brief yet charming retelling of Three Little Pigs by Cena himself. "Lighting Up the Laughs" provides a quick glance at the humorous aspects of the set, though it may feel funnier than the main film. "The Director's Diaries: Read By Star Cast" showcases Cena and Key humorously reading the director’s e-mails. "What It Means To Be A Family" delves into the cast's and movie's perspective on family. Notably, "The Real Smokejumpers: This Is Their Story" is a commendable highlight, giving an authentic view of real-life smokejumpers' challenges.

Extras included in this disc:

• Storytime with John Cena: Cena tells his own version of Three Little Pigs.
• Deleted Scenes: Several cut scenes providing extra storyline content.
• Bloopers: Humorous moments from the shoot.
• Lighting Up The Laughs: A quick look at humor and tea parties on the set.
• The Director's Diaries: Read By Star Cast: Cena and Key read humorous selections from Director Andy Fickman's daily e-mails.
• What It Means To Be A Family: A look at the movie's and cast's definitions of family.
• The Real Smokejumpers: This Is Their Story: Cena introduces a short piece detailing the work and life of real smokejumpers.

"Playing with Fire" attempts to blend the thrilling heroics of firefighting with family-friendly comedic antics, but what unfolds is a predictably dull and uninspired venture. The film follows veteran smokejumper Jake Carson (John Cena), who strives for a commander promotion amidst news of his superior's impending retirement. Alongside a colorful crew consisting of Rodrigo Torres (John Leguizamo), Axe (Tyler Mane), and Mark Rogers (Keegan-Michael Key), Carson finds himself caring for three children rescued from a fire, under the pretext of the Safe Haven Law. These children, portrayed by Brianna Hildebrand, Christian Convery, and Finley Rose Slater, lead Carson and his team on chaotic misadventures meant to deliver heartwarming moments but ultimately fall flat.

Under Andy Fickman's direction, the movie fails to capitalize on its ensemble cast, delivering a series of stale humor and tired clichés instead. The script’s mediocrity is palpable, forcing talented actors into uninspired performances. John Cena's portrayal of Carson is emblematic of this issue; despite his previous success in similarly lighthearted roles, he is rendered ineffective by the lackluster writing and uninspired direction. The supporting cast, including noted comedians like Keegan-Michael Key and John Leguizamo, does little to elevate the humor, leaving the film unequal to their respective talents.

Visually, the film feels more like a stage setup than a cinematic experience, with a choppy flow that stunts any potential emotional connection with the audience. The production design is serviceable and the child actors are endearing, but these minor merits do not salvage a film plagued by its predictability and lack of genuine engagement. In essence, "Playing with Fire" offers a lackluster blend of firefighting drama and family comedy that combusts into one of 2019’s most forgettable films.

"Playing with Fire," directed by Andy Fickman, stars John Cena, Keegan-Michael Key, and Judy Greer in a comedic disaster that struggles to capture even a flicker of cinematic brilliance. This film, framed in a 1.78:1 AVC aspect ratio, attempts to mix slapstick humor and heartwarming moments but largely falls short, rendering it a tiring and forgettable experience. While the box office numbers reflect poorly, the disc boasts solid audio and video quality. Paramount's Blu-ray release ensures crisp visuals and robust DTS-HD MA 5.1 audio, accommodating a wide array of subtitle options including English SDH, French, German, Spanish, and Japanese, among others.

Extras on the disc are modest but sufficient for a title of this nature, offering some respite albeit limited engagement. Young audiences might find brief amusement in the antics portrayed, yet the film's shallow humor and tired plot fail to sustain interest beyond those fleeting moments. For physical media collectors and technically inclined viewers, the product’s top-notch audiovisual fidelity may provide minor solace but does little to enhance the film's overall appeal.

Conclusively, "Playing with Fire" is a misfire not worth your time. Despite respectable production values on Blu-Ray, the movie itself is an uninspired venture into comedy that flounders from start to finish. It’s best left untouched unless you find yourself studying examples of cinematic shortcomings or it's part of a niche collection. Our recommendation: Skip it.