Blu-ray Review: John Travolta: 4 in 1 Collection

What every happened to John Travolta?

The last movie I saw the actor star in a movie was the comedy Wild Hogs and it wasn't very good. Nevertheless, most of his films are now available on Blu-ray, including Perfect, Basic, A Love Song For Bobby Long, and Lonely Hearts which were recently released on a two-disc 4 in 1 Collection set ($14.98) from Mill Creek Entertainment.

Perfect (1985; R; 120 minutes) - Directed by James Bridges, the romantic drama centered on Rolling Stone magazine reporter Adam Lawrence (played by John Travolta) traveling to Los Angeles to write an article about "single bars of the '80s," which leads him to investigate a popular health club. This is where he meets workout instructor Jessie Wilson (played by Jamie Lee Curtis). There's an instant connection between them and they quickly fall in love, but their relationship is put to the test when he must stretch the truth for his article.

Basic (2003; R; 99 minutes) - Directed by John McTiernan, John Travolta plays DEA agent Tom Hardy, a former Ranger who teams up with Military Police investigator Captain Julia Osborne (played by Connie Nielsen) to investigate the disappearance of Master Sergeant Nathan West (played by Samuel L. Jackson) and a small group of Army Rangers.

A Love Song For Bobby Long (2004; R; 121 minutes) - Directed by Shainee Gabel and based on the novel Off Magazine Street by Ronald Everett Capps, the drama centers around Purslane Will (played by Scarlett Johansson, a teenager who travels to New Orleans to find two strangers, Bobby Long Played by John Travolta) and Lawson Pines (played by Gabriela Macht), living in her deceased mother's home.

Lonely Hearts (2006; R; 108 minutes) - Directed by Todd Robinson, the film tells the true story of the serial couple Martha Beck and Raymond Fernandez (played by Salma Hayek and Jared Leto). After meeting through a personal ad in a magazine, the couple go on a killing spree; preying on lonely, rich women. Hot in pursuit are homicide detectives Elmer C. Robinson and Charles Hildebrandt (played by James Gandolfini), who are determined to capture them.

Final Thoughts

The only one reason why I wanted to review this release is because I wanted to rewatch the godawful Perfect, which just happens to star my favorite actress Jamie Lee Curtis. It's one of those "so bad it's good movies" that I had watched multiple times during my teenage years. This is the first time I have ever watched the non-edited television version, and it's just as dumb as I remembered it, but in a fun way. Age hasn't helped it any, as it definitely looks like the 1980s with cheesy outfits and campy music.

Basic is a forgettable mystery thriller with great acting from Giovanni Ribisi, but the story is really confusing and the twist at the ending doesn't make much sense.

Lonely Heart is an interesting crime-drama with some decent performances. It's not a great movie, but I didn't hate it either.

I know some people like the drama A Love Song For Bobby Love, but I'm not one of them. It's well made, but I think it's extremely boring.

The picture and sound quality are pretty decent considering there are two films on each disc. There are no special features or extras.

These four films aren't John Travolta's best films, but this is the first time any of them have been released to Blu-ray. If you're a fan of one of these films (or all them), then I recommend adding the Blu-ray to your collection.