Blu-ray Movie Reviews

Richie Lanz (Bill Murray) is a rock ’n’ roll casualty, a down-and-out band promoter who leaps at the chance to join a USO tour to Afghanistan. Before the first show, however, Richie’s client, assistant, and possible paramour Ronnie Smiler (Zooey Deschanel) flees the country, leaving him broke, stranded, and $1,000 in debt to a trigger-happy mercenary (Bruce Willis). To the rescue come two hapless arms dealers who hire Richie to deliver munitions to a remote village. There, in the desert, he’s wooed by the siren song of a young woman. Richie vows to make her a star: no mean feat, since Muslim women are forbidden to sing and dance. Snappy dialogue—often hysterical, occasionally cliché—and an unlikely plot prove once again that Bill Murray can make any screenplay work.

Deftly directed by Oscar-winner Barry Levinson, Kasbah’s exterior shots are weighted toward the khaki beige of desert dust and sand while the rest of the color palette is restrained. Reds and blues lack pop but are unfailingly natural. Interior scenes feature superb color dynamics and dazzling lighting schemes notable for rich blacks and superb shadow detail. Whites are occasionally washed out during the brightest shots but otherwise feature fine tonal quality and impressive depth. A noticeable softening of detail, exacerbated by the frequent use of shallow focus, constitutes the only major failing of this transfer.

Sonically, this disc simply does everything well. Expertly mastered musical numbers (including Murray’s campy rendition of “Smoke on the Water”), powerful explosions, the percussive retort of rifles and machine guns, and impressive hard surround effects qualify Kasbah as a showoff disc for heavyweight home theaters. Ultimately, however, it is not during the most bombastic moments that Kasbah’s audio distinguishes itself but during the quietest. From the commotion of a Kabul airport to the whispering of desert winds, the pervasive yet subtle infusion of surround information consistently enhances the film’s atmospheric quality. Dialogue, especially softly spoken words, is remarkably resolute.

A pair of deleted scenes feature Danny McBride and Scott Caan’s best work in the film and add valuable dimension to the plot. A Richie Lanz mockumentary featuring a quartet of honest-to-goodness rock stars and “Bill Murray Rocks,” a short homage to Murray, complete the roster of extras. Both are worthwhile, but a making- of shortie would have been appreciated. As if by magic, Murray and Levinson transport us to a combat zone—and bring us home safely!

Blu-Ray
Studio: Universal, 2015
Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1
Audio Format: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
Length: 107 mins.
MPAA Rating: R
Director: Barry Levinson
Starring: Bill Murray, Bruce Willis, Kate Hudson