BLU-RAY REVIEW: LAST VEGAS
OVERVIEW: Director Jon Turteltaub (National Treasure franchise) brings together a legendary all-star cast for the box office hit LAST VEGAS, available Jan. 28 on Blu-ray™ Combo Pack* and DVD* from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. Academy Award® winners Michael Douglas (Best Actor, Wall Street, 1987), Robert De Niro (Best Supporting Actor, The Godfather: Part II, 1974; Best Actor, Raging Bull, 1980), Morgan Freeman (Best Supporting Actor, Million Dollar Baby, 2004) and Kevin Kline (Best Supporting Actor, A Fish Called Wanda, 1988) star as four 60-something-year-old friends who take a break from their day-to-day lives to throw a bachelor party in Las Vegas for their last remaining single pal. The cast also includes Academy Award® winner Mary Steenburgen (Best Supporting Actress, Melvin and Howard, 1980), as well as Romany Malco (Think Like a Man, TV's "Weeds") and Jerry Ferrara (TV's "Entourage").
Fans can go behind-the-scenes with in-depth bonus materials included on the LAST VEGAS Blu-ray Combo Pack and DVD, including filmmaker commentary with director Jon Turteltaub and writer Dan Fogelman. Also included are three featurettes exploring the film's storyline and character arcs -- "It's Going to be Legendary," "Four Legends," and "The Flatbush Four." Three additional featurettes on the supporting cast and filming in Las Vegas are available exclusively on the Blu-ray Combo Pack, including "Shooting in Sin City," "Ensemble Support," and "The Redfoo Party," which breaks down the pool party scene hosted by musician Redfoo of LMFAO.
SYNOPSIS:Billy (Michael Douglas), Paddy (Robert De Niro), Archie (Morgan Freeman) and Sam (Kevin Kline) have been best friends since childhood. So when Billy, the group's sworn bachelor, finally proposes to his 30-something-year-old girlfriend (of course), the four head to Las Vegas with a plan to stop acting their age and relive their glory days. However, upon arriving, the four quickly realize that the decades have transformed Sin City and tested their friendship in ways they never imagined. The Rat Pack may have once played the Sands and Cirque du Soleil may now rule the Strip, but it's these four who are taking over Vegas.
FILM REVIEW: Simply put, when you combine 2009's The Hangover with Grumpy Old Men (1993), you get this: Director Jon Turteltaub's (National Treasure, 2007) Last Vegas. It does have quite the iconic ensemble cast, to say the least. It's like watching The Expendables (2010) cast party in Las Vegas instead of going to war or witnessing Rambo and The Terminator break out of prison, in Escape Plan (2013). With this crazy (by senior standards) bachelor party, we see the likes of, Morgan Freeman, Robert De Niro, Kevin Kline, and Michael Douglas. The Oscar winning actors more or less play versions of their onscreen and off-screen personas we've all come to associate them with in the past.
Rocking an orange spray tan that must have been left over after filming the Liberace movie, Michael Douglas plays Billy, a wealthy playboy-wannabe marrying a woman half his age that he's not in love with, but she makes him feel youthful. Robert De Niro's Paddy is a cantankerous tough guy who's unhappy and majorly depressed after losing his wife of nearly fifty years and is simply content with sitting on a couch with his feet up for the rest of his life. Morgan Freeman's Archie is wise and nonchalant, but in a role-reversal his son has begun to worry about his aging father and has taken on the role of guardian…this is often at the expense of treating Archie like a child. Providing lots of the slapstick comic relief is Kevin Kline's Sam, a high-strung man on edge after being given permission by his wife to have a fling in Vegas.
I have to admit, I'm usually a bit skeptical when I see a movie parade a chain of A-List stars, to promote its release. So much so, that it is arguably quite often compensating for some deficiency in the film. A most recent case of this would be Ridley Scott's The counselor (2013). However, I'm happy to say that this isn't the case for this flick. I actually left the theater surprised at how charismatic and hilarious the movie turned out to be. It's not only a celebration of friendship, but sets a great example of the old adage 'just because someone is growing old, doesn't mean they're dead.'
All in all, Last Vegas is a flick that is fabulous in concept, but much more hilarious in practice. Seeing these over-the-hill actors party like "its 1969," may sound like a cheesy endeavor, but Dan Fogelman's (Cars, 2006) script gives us loads of play-by-play laughs from beginning to end. That being said, it does stay safe enough on the Vegas antics and language for it to be watchable by all audiences and is certainly a great movie to treat the grandparents or parents to for a nice time at the movies. Four stars out of five might just be me being a little generous, but is still a fair assessment for comedic delivery and star-power
Review By Movi-Man Stan
BLU-RAY: The film is presented in widescreen in a 2.40:1 aspect ration preserving its theatrical format. The picture is just flawless. Not only the picture looks great in this release, also the sound it is good, a 5.1 Dolby Digital in English that provides a good complement to the picture. It also includes English and Spanish subtitles.
English 5.1 Dolby Digital
Subtitles - English French Spanish
"Shooting in Sin City" – Explore the grand scale re-creation of present day Las Vegas and shooting techniques used to capture its young vibe
"The Redfoo Party" – Dive into a fun pool party scene showcasing Redfoo of LMFAO and the cast
"Supporting Ensemble" – Get an introduction to the outrageously funny, stellar supporting cast members and special guest cameos who helped make the film a comedic hit
Filmmaker Commentary with Director Jon Turteltaub & Writer Dan Fogelman
"It's Going to be Legendary" – A behind-the-scenes look at the production of the film with commentary from the main cast
"Four Legends" – A look at the ensemble main cast and their insights on working with one another on such a comedic film
"The Flatbush Four" – A candid glimpse at the character arcs of the four main characters in the film
Director: Jon Turteltaub
Writer: Dan Fogelman
Staring: Robert De Niro
Producer: Amy Baer
Joseph Drake
Distributor: CBS FILMS
Rating: PG-13 on appeal for sexual content