Title: Thelma & Louise
Format: 20th Anniversary Blu-ray
Directed by: Ridley Scott
Written by: Callie Khouri
Starring: Susan Sarandon, Geena Davis, Harvey Keitel
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Film Rating: 
Blu-ray Rating:
Review by: Bill Jones
The Film
Thelma & Louise is nothing short of an American classic, if for no other reason than an iconic ending known even by those who have never seen the movie, and the buzz it stirred upon its release 20 years ago. So it’s safe to say that it deserves the 20th anniversary Blu-ray treatment it received from 20th Century Fox, but whether that treatment warrants a purchase is another question.
For those coming to the film fresh, Thelma & Louise essentially places two women into the key roles of the classic outlaw formula, mixing it with road movie and chick flick elements along the way. Louise (Susan Sarandon) blows a man away after he tries to rape Thelma (Geena Davis) at the outset of a planned road trip. Then they find themselves on a crazy road adventure, avoiding Hal (Harvey Keitel) and the full force of the law.
It’s an entertaining flick, showing the directorial talents of Ridley Scott, and a solid script by Callie Khouri. It’s a great way to waste a Sunday afternoon, and features an early role from young and (at times) almost naked Brad Pitt. But it’s also longer than it needs to be, doesn’t feel as fantastic as other outlaw movies, and aside from its ending doesn’t really warrant repeat viewings. It’s a good rental, but not necessarily a buy.
Blu-ray
The Blu-ray is packed with material, from two audio commentaries – one by Director Ridley Scott, and the other by Sarandon, David and Khouri – to a three-part documentary, to an original theatrical featurette, to an extended ending with director’s commentary, to more than 40 minutes of deleted scenes, to a multi-angle storyboard of the final scene, to a music video.
It’s a lot of content, but it’s also nothing viewers haven’t already seen or heard elsewhere. There are no Blu-ray exclusives to this release, nor any retrospective featurettes that would have been nice to see on a 20th anniversary release. So it’s a packed disc, but the extras come in standard definition, and Fox does nothing truly new to make it exciting.
Likewise, the update to high-definition video and audio is a solid one. The film looks great, and the sound gets a nice mix across the surround channels. It’s not overdone, but balanced well for clarity and immersion. Still, it’s nothing that makes this reviewer say this is a must-buy. It’s good, not stunning. It’s packed, but not with original content. It’s a good movie, but maybe one that’s a little overhyped and not great. Thelma and Louise on Blu-ray is great for hardcore fans looking to reminisce, but doesn’t do enough to earn a new audience.
For more info, foxmovies.com
Pads & Panels received a copy of the Blu-ray courtesy of the studio for review purposes.
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