Blu-ray Review: MAGIC MIKE (2012): Steven Soderbergh, Channing Tatum

Magic Mike Blu-ray Review, a movie directed by Steven Soderbergh and starring Channing Tatum, Matthew McConaughey, Alex Pettyfer, Matt Bomer, Joe Manganiello, Olivia Munn, James Martin Kelly, Cody Horn, Reid Carolin, Avery Camp, Micaela Johnson, Denise Vasi, Camryn Grimes, Kate Easton, and Kevin Nash.

Release date:  October 23, 2012

Magic Mike tells the story of Mike (Channing Tatum), a boot-strapper who is working three jobs to save up enough money to fulfill his dream of opening a custom furniture company. One of those jobs happens to be stripping at Xquisite, a Tampa, Florida, strip club owned by wild man Dallas (Matthew McConaghey). Mike meets the younger Adam (Alex Pettyfer) on a construction job, takes him under his wing, and introduces him to the world of fast cash and hot women. Mike’s skirt chasing skips a beat when he meets Adam’s protective older sister Brook who is a serious medical school student.  They have the predictable drama and angst. Plot and acting are not the strong suits of this movie.  Let’s face it, like Showgirls, most fans watch the movie for the dancing.  Even though it is predictable, Magic Mike is entertaining and so much better than Showgirls.

Video 

Magic Mike is filmed in 1080P/MPEG-4 AVC encode with a 2.39:1 aspect ratio. Right away, the most notable feature of the video is the yellow filtering. Virtually all the scenes set outside of the club are bathed in a yellow light suggesting an aging photograph or perhaps life seen through a pair of cheap sunglasses; the jaundice is distracting. Soderbergh filmed the entire film digitally with Red Epic cameras producing a clean HD video with deep blacks and full-bodied shadows. Skin tones are relatively natural, even in the dim-lighting of the club interior; some club scenes did tend to have more of a bluish or purplish tint, but again, this enhanced the atmosphere. The video quality in the dance scenes is spectacular, showcasing the sheen from the dancers’ skin, their rippling muscles, and the flash of the lights all without blocking.  The superior quality of the HD video more than compensates for the strange yellow tinge.

Audio 

The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track really showcases the musical numbers. During tracks like the bass-heavy remake to the Weather Girls’ classic club track “It’s Raining Men,” you almost feel as if you are in the audience waving a dollar bill. The bass predominates through all the club scenes yet dialogue is still clear and intelligible, even with off-camera whispers and side conversations.  The audio mix is good, with the screams of the crowd pealing clearly through rear speakers.

Bonus Content

Backstage on Magic Mike (HD, 7 minutes)

This is a standard behind-the-scenes visit with the cast and crew that explores the transformation of the actors into exotic dancers.  Channing Tatum shares some of his secret dance moves and manscaping techniques.

Blu-ray Bonus Content

Dance Play Mode (HD, 19 minutes)

The number one HD exclusive for this release and the sole reason many fans will buy the blu-ray is the Dance Play Mode; it allows you to skip over all the extraneous dialogue, backstory, and such to get to the highlight of the film:  the dance numbers.

Extended Dance Sequences (HD, 9 minutes)

Warner Bros. Included three additional dance sequences deemed “too hot for theaters.”  Unfortunately, none of them include star, Channing Tatum.

Where you can purchase this Blu-ray

You can purchase Magic Mike on Blu-ray here: