With "Game Night," everyone wins

BLU-RAY REVIEW

The ensemble cast headed by Jason Bateman (Max) and Rachel McAdams (Annie) and the lovey-dovey couple Kevin (Morris) and Michelle (Kylie Bunbury) and Ryan (Billy Magnussen) with Sarah (Sharon Horgan) his much smarter date. (Warner Bros. Home Entertainment)

“GAME NIGHT”

4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital copy; 2018; R for language, sexual references and some violence; streaming via Amazon Video, Google Play, iTunes (4K), Vudu (4K), YouTube

Best extra: “An Unforgettable Evening: Making ‘Game Night’”

WE ALL know the whole point of a trailer is to make the flick look incredible, a must-see. Often, though, the trailer uses the only highlights worth showing to lure us to buy a ticket. For Warner Bros.’ “Game Night,” that trailer could have been one of those. But it wasn’t.

That’s why this summer if you didn’t see it in a theater, check it out on Blu-ray, DVD or streaming. You’ll laugh. A lot.

Kudos to the writing team of John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein for successfully rolling the dice (pun intended), with the screenplay, direction and casting after fumbling a bit in 2015’s “Vacation,” a sequel to the 1983 Chevy Chase hit, “National Lampoon’s Vacation.”

Kyle Chandler stars as Brooks, Max's (Jason Bateman) charismatic brother who arranges a murder mystery party, complete with fake thugs and faux federal agents.

Billy Magnussen plays dimwitted friend Ryan

The creepy cop and next-door neighbor Gary played by Jesse Plemons.

With so many characters involved, sometimes things get lost in the shuffle, but not with “Game Night.” The ensemble headed by Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams works amazingly well. The supporting actors (Kyle Chandler, Sharon Horgan, Billy Magnussen, Kylie Bunbury, Lamorne Morris and Jesse Plemons) keep the plot fresh and fun. Not only is this movie action-packed for a comedy, it’s filled with twists and turns that will keep you guessing. Who knew?

In one of the two bonus features, “An Unforgettable Evening: Making ‘Game Night,’” the cast discusses how each made the others laugh during filming, which led to bloopers (yes, the other bonus is a nearly seven-minute gag reel). Production designer Michael Corenblith talks a tad about the different set locations, from a grand mansion to a suburban family room. Warner Bros. should have invested more in the bonus features for this money-maker. (According to Box Office Mojo, the movie cost $37 million to make and took in $116 million worldwide.)

Who knows, Daley and Goldstein may have a second movie all laid out in their heads for round two. Let’s hope the same actors are available for the encore.

Warner only provided the 4K Ultra HD on streaming sites.

- Toni Guagenti