Blu-ray Movie Reviews

In the opening scene, Apple Computer Company founder and CEO Steve Jobs enters a room filled with devoted employees like a rock star to thunderous applause. He is the undisputed master of the universe, and everyone knows it. But how did he get here? In the mid 1970s, the notion of a personal home computer was as realistic and practical as flying to the moon on a vacuum cleaner. Though the initial idea actually started with a friend, Jobs instantly saw its potential and had foresight enough to spearhead this brand-new technology and form one of the most profitable companies ever created.

If this film can be taken as gospel, Jobs was essentially a brilliant visionary who touted bold, new ideas that constantly challenged the status quo. And then he commissioned smarter and more technically proficient people to actually build them and make them a reality. Jobs explores the familiar theme of eccentric geniuses that brainstorm billion- dollar empires but have little in the way of people skills—brilliant, charismatic, driven, and disgustingly rich but terrible with interpersonal relationships. One is immediately reminded of Mark Zuckerberg and his indelible contribution to society in The Social Network.

Ashton Kutcher holds his own as Jobs, channeling all the diverse aspects of the gifted guru: the transcendental rebel, the techno-savvy wunderkind, the ruthlessly shrewd businessman, the maniacal control freak, and the emotionally vacant human being who shuffles around the corridors of his own office building like a hipster Rain Man.

The HD picture is consistently sharp and detailed. Daylight exteriors are vibrant and clear, while the dimly lit interiors exhibit stark contrasts between shadows and the warm hues of golden hour sunlight. Even shots of computer screens are clear, with no image fluctuation or strobing effects. The film also scores points for its production design and period detail.

The 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio performs exceptionally well for a dialogue-driven biopic like this. The center-channel dialogue track superbly holds our attention for the duration, while musical interludes bring added flash and pizzazz in the surrounds with a soundtrack peppered with classic rock tunes.

Extras are minimal and include three deleted scenes and three very short featurettes. An audio commentary with director Joshua Michael Stern is included along with DVD and Digital Copy.

Blu-Ray
Studio: Universal, 2013
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Audio Format: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
Length: 129 mins.
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Director: Joshua Michael Stern
Starring: Ashton Kutcher, Lukas Haas, Dermot Mulroney