Phone Booth Blu-ray delivers stunning video and solid audio in this enjoyable Blu-ray release
A single phone call can change a man's life...or possibly end it. Colin Farrell delivers a captivating, off-the-hook performance as Stu Shepard, a self-centered New York City publicist who suddenly finds himself on the deadly end of a high-powered rifle scope. Now it's a real-time race against the clock as Stu must outwit a psychotic sniper in a frantic scramble from phone booth to freedom. Directed by Joel Schumacher, this groundbreaking "tightly-made thriller" (Sidekick Magazine) co-stars Forest Whitaker, Katie Holmes, and Kiefer Sutherland as the crazed gunman calling the shots, literally.
Joel Schumacher was a giant amongst boys in the 1980s and early 1990s. The director helmed
credible hits like The Lost Boys, Flatliners, and Falling Down, all personal favorites of mine. Then
came his turn behind the camera for two disastrous Batman movies, but the roller
coaster
ride
that is Schumacher's career seems to once again be on the upswing. His Tigerland is a
vastly underrated little film, and his 2002 hit Phone Booth proved to be quite the
clever little movie. Shot in less than two weeks on a small budget, the film eventually tripled its
budget
in
theaters and has become somewhat of a sleeper hit on home video. I vividly recall watching this
movie for the first time upon its initial release on DVD several years back and the disappointment
I
felt with the movie after the credits rolled. I'm happy to report that after screening the film once
again on
Blu-ray,
I've discovered an appeal I somehow missed before.
Who knew a phone booth could be so deadly?
Stu Shepard (Colin Farrell, S.W.A.T.) is a busy, nonstop publicist in New York City. He's deep in the
world of entertainment with more connections than a jigsaw puzzle, access to the stars, pull with
restaurant owners, and his clients are among the elite in show business. He's also a liar and a
cheater. Every day, Stu removes his wedding ring, enters a telephone booth, one of the last
vestiges of privacy in
New York City, and meets with his mistress over the telephone. His routine is so precise, so
exact, that he's invited an unwelcome guest into his affairs. After
speaking with his mistress, the phone rings. On the other end is a voice (Kiefer Sutherland, The Sentinel) who knows everything about him. This mystery caller
knows Stu's name, his job, his wife, and the details about the life he leads. He also has a high
powered rifle aimed at Stu's head. As Stu and the caller square off, it's obvious who has the
upper hand. A fatal shooting of a man outside the phone booth appears to leave Stu caught in
the act of murder, but when the police arrive, Captain Ed Ramey (Forest Whitaker, Species) begins to suspect that there may be more at play than a
man in a phone booth. The only questions is, can Stu stay alive long enough for Ramey to piece
together the mystery?
As I mentioned earlier, I wasn't too fond of this movie when I first saw it. I'm not exactly sure
why because, as I see the movie now, there isn't a whole lot to dislike about this film. It's
fascinating from both a technical standpoint and an entertainment standpoint. Movies often take
months to film, and finishing this one in less than two weeks time is a minor miracle for a movie
of this scope. Granted, the action is centralized with only one primary location that takes up no
more than half a city block. That the film managed to come together so quickly with the
cooperation of all parties involved--the cast, crew, and the city--is astonishing. As a film,
Phone Booth grabs your attention from the get go and doesn't let up.
The film is very short, running at only 81 minutes, including credits, but those may very well be
the fastest 81 minutes of your life. While I could list dozens of films that I found more engaging
and more intense, none of them pack quite the punch in such a short time span and in such a
small setting as this one. The story may not be a wholly believable one, but few movies, even
those based on reality, can claim that distinction. As pure entertainment, Phone Booth
delivers a generous portion of excitement and tension that should satiate the thirst for adrenaline
most viewers nowadays crave.
Phone Booth, presented in 1080p and in its original 2.35:1 aspect ratio, looks marvelous on
Blu-ray. The image has super clarity and detail despite a somewhat muted color palette. The image
manages to retain a superior and oftentimes stunning three dimensional quality to it that
ranks very high amongst every other Blu-ray I have reviewed and screened to date. Despite the
less vibrant use of color, there is still a certain "pop" that gives the image a nice, pleasing, and
lifelike look to it. Flesh tones appear to be reproduced accurately, and black levels are on the right
side of very good. The only fault I found was with the print itself. Signs of wear and a few
scratches and pops were visible throughout, but nothing to overly distract from the enjoyment of
the image.
When it comes to lossless audio, 20th Century Fox delivers. While they use DTS-HD MA, the
encode most Blu-ray fans don't have access to, they nevertheless provide the option unlike some
other
studios that have only recently begun pressing discs with high definition sound. The lossless track
on Phone Booth is very good but ultimately a bit underwhelming. This dialogue driven film
doesn't have much use for dynamic and powerful sound, but we do get some instances of nice,
heavy bass and powerful musical cues. Since dialogue is the primary plot device that drives the
movie, it's fitting that the
track makes it the centerpiece of the listening experience, and listeners will not be disappointed. As
far as dialogue reproduction goes, this track is second to none. I must admit that I found the
placement of all telephone dialogue on the other end of Stu's lines gimmicky, but as that was a
conscious decision by the filmmakers, I won't knock the audio score for it. For what the track needs
to do, it does very well. Like the movie itself, most viewers could come up with a list of more
engaging soundtracks, but the fact of the matter is that this one is just fine as is.
Sadly, the only extra pertaining to this movie is a commentary by director Joel Schumacher. This
commentary track ranks among the dullest tracks I've listened to. Schumacher discusses the
action on screen with regularity, the basics behind the making of the movie, and various issues of
little interest. He speaks in a monotone, but sounds much younger than he
really is. If you are a fan of Schumacher or just need to know more about Phone
Booth, you might like this track. Otherwise, I'd find a better way to kill 81 minutes. One
thing that this disc offers is a plethora of trailers. On this disc, you'll find 1080p trailers for
Phone Booth, Planet of the Apes, The Transporter, Transporter 2, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Behind Enemy Lines, Kiss of the Dragon, and Speed.
Phone Booth is good, quick, fun that certainly doesn't outwear its welcome. In fact, I wish
it could have hung around a bit longer than it did. Fortunately, fans of the movie now have the
opportunity to view this one at their leisure on a fine Blu-ray disc. Although the disc lacks in the
extras department, those wanting to see Phone Booth in the best presentation possible
should be excited about adding this disc to their collection. I'm hesitant to completely recommend
this one as the movie may not be to everyone's liking, so I would suggesting renting it before
buying if you haven't seen it before. For the fans out there, however, adding this disc to your
Blu-ray collection is a no brainer.
