The Film
If someone would have told Justin Bieber five years ago, that in 2011 he would be the most successful teen pop singer in the world, the precocious kid from Stratford, Ontario, would have smiled and quietly agreed with you. What makes Bieber so intriguing is not that he was discovered on YouTube and propelled to stardom by some very savvy people (Scooter Braun and Usher), or that he has the ability to sing and play four instruments (the kid can pound the skins with the ferocity of Neil Peart -- who grew up only 100 miles from Bieber), but that he's so confident on stage and demonstrates a genuine appreciation for the people who support him; his fans and his family. Justin Bieber: Never Say Never captures the meteoric rise to the top of a pop superstar who is filling stadiums all around the globe, from Tel-Aviv to Tokyo, and melting hearts along the way.
The 3D documentary/concert film hit $100 million in less than ten weeks and made a healthy profit; the film only cost $13 million and is likely to sell millions of copies on Blu-ray around the world. The Blu-ray edition does not feature the 3D theatrical release and I suspect that most "Beliebers" could hardly care. It's easy to get caught up in the bashing frenzy which surrounds most teen artists; IMDB and Box Office Mojo readers trashed this film in record numbers, but the reality is that the millions of teenage girls who love his music are going to love this Blu-ray release as well -- much to the delight of Paramount Pictures.
Justin Bieber isn't a great singer. He's not a terrible one either. He's actually far better as a musician, but screaming teenage girls demand someone who can sing and dance and exude (it worked for Elvis so let's not be sanctimonious hypocrites) a level of "cuteness" and sexuality that their pubescent brains can process. Bieber, to his credit, comes across as a genuinely nice kid in the film; although one can't imagine the studio putting out a film that makes him look like a screaming prima donna and habitual user either. It's carefully choreographed, but the young man (who is financially responsible for a lot of people at only 17) clearly understands that he would not be a superstar if not for the love and devotion of his mother and maternal grandparents who raised him and provided him with a solid base from which to grow and deal with all of the hangers-on.
There is a tender moment near the end after his sold-out performance at Madison Square Garden (the climax of the film) where the worn-out performer embraces his mother in the chaotic dressing room and thanks her for just being his mom. It has schmaltz written all over it, but for teenage girls who have been screaming and crying for 105 minutes, it is the perfect conclusion.
What also makes Bieber unique is that he figured out how to build a fan base; even before he had an album, using YouTube and Twitter to communicate with the tens of thousands who loved his homemade music videos. He exhibits some serious marketing skills for a kid still in High School; most Ivy League MBA grads could not have done better than this kid and there is no question that he has earned his money. The documentary material is the real meat here and it's far more satisfying than the concert footage which is somewhat dull.
The Picture
When you switch to the concert footage, the quality is about as good as it gets; gorgeous deep blacks with outstanding levels of detail being present, superb clarity, and a color palette that really pops. You can see the tears of the screaming fans roll down their swollen faces as Bieber glides across the stage hitting note after note. Impressive and scary at the same time; it's like the NKOTB have returned in the form of a blonde teenager from small-town Ontario.
The Sound
Justin Bieber: Never Say Never is really a documentary so don't expect the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix to rock your home theater for more than twenty-five minutes as the vast majority of the film is dialogue. The center channel gets a great workout from this Blu-ray and the clarity and midrange punch is first-rate. It's not until the actual concert sequences that your system has a lot to do; the surround channels are filled with screaming fans and music which gives the mix a really believable concert gestalt. The music is well recorded and you'll never strain to hear the lyrics over the shrieking girls; and there are so many of them almost everywhere this young man goes. The bottom end is quite solid, but not overwhelming at all and the overall presentation is quite solid.
The Extras
Scooter Braun and Jon Chu did such a good job on this film that I was actually looking forward to the bonus content -- which is sorely lacking much to my amazement. Bieber's multitude of fans are going to be disappointed as well because the bonus content barely runs fifteen minutes.
The concert dance off is mildly entertaining, but why couldn't they just show more concert footage with Usher or Miley Cyrus which would have far more value to fans. The concert footage for "Favorite Girl" where Lord Justin flies high above the crowd in a heart and serenades the audience is merely an extension of the segment within the film itself and really only going to appeal to the teenaged girls who worship him. The haircut sequence is likely to make his fans scream in horror -- which makes it mildly amusing. Watching his crew hand out free tickets (almost always front-row) to fans who were unable to get them is just good PR and nothing else. Most uninspiring bonus material to say the least.
Final Thoughts
This is one of those discs that is going to sell regardless of what the reviewing press have to say; Bieber-haters were not going to buy it anyway and die-hard fans are already counting down the minutes. Bieber's bubble gum pop/hip-hop may not be my cup of tea but his ascent to the top of the pop mountain is intriguing and he appears to have the talent to make this a long ride. A must-own for fans and certainly worth a rental for those who are curious to know what this kid is all about - just don't admit to the guys that you liked it. Recommended.
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