Secret Headquarters appears in an aspect ratio of 2.39:1 on this Blu-ray Disc. Overall, the image held up nicely.
Overall sharpness seemed strong. Nary a hint of softness impacted the image, so it remained tight and concise.
I saw no shimmering or jaggies. Both edge haloes and print flaws remained absent.
Like so many other modern action movies, Headquarters opted for an orange and teal orientation, though these felt somewhat subdued relative to the gaudy tones of many films. Occasionally the image threw out other hues as well, and the Blu-ray depicted them in an appropriate manner.
Blacks showed good depth, and shadows offered appealing clarity and smoothness. In the end, the movie provided pleasing visuals.
In addition, Headquarters brought us a positive Dolby Atmos soundtrack. Downconverted to Dolby TrueHD 7.1, the soundscape opened up best when it indulged in its action sequences.
These used the various channels in a vivid, immersive manner that placed the elements in logical spots and meshed together well. The track gave us a strong sense of place and action.
Audio quality also pleased. Speech remained natural and distinctive, while music was full and rich.
Effects came across as accurate and dynamic, with tight low-end. I liked this mix quite a lot.
A few extras fill out the disc, and we begin with BFFLS, a five-minute, 48-second featurette. It involves writers/directors Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman, executive producer Orlee-Rose Strauss, producer Jerry Bruckheimer, and actors Walker Scobell, Momona Tamada, Abby James Witherspoon, Keith L. Williams, and Kezii Curtis.
“BFFLS” looks at story/characters, cast and performances. We find out the kids had a blast and love each other – the end. No substance emerges.
The Secret Headquarters spans six minutes, six seconds and brings notes from Scobell, Joost, Schulman, Witherspoon, Bruckheimer, Tamada, Strauss, Williams, production designer Martin Whist, and actors Owen Wilson, Michael Anthony, Dustin Ingram, Jesse Williams and Michael Peña.
The program discusses the movie’s main set and vehicle. It leans toward some happy talk but comes with enough meat to merit a look.
Next comes Panic! At the Moon Dance, a six-minute, 16-second reel. It features Joost, Schulman, Wilson, Strauss, Scobell, Bruckheimer, Peña and stunt coordinator/2nd unit director Gregg Rementer.
With this one, we look at aspects of the movie’s climactic scene that includes sets, stunts, and performances. It becomes another decent mix of facts and fluff.
Who Is That Guard? goes for five minutes, 28 seconds. It brings comments from Wilson, Joost, Schulman, Scobell, Bruckheimer, costume designer Antoinette Messam and writer Josh Koenigsberg.
The program looks at the lead superhero role and related domains. Expect a few good details along with the usual praise.
A Gag Reel lasts three minutes, 45 seconds and provides the usual goofs and giggles. Actually, it comes with a few alternate lines, but it doesn’t offer much of interest.
Finally, we get one Deleted Scene called “Kids in the Lounge” (0:38) along with three Extended Scenes (9:23). “Lounge” just offers a little more of the young characters as they explore the HQ, so it seems cute but superfluous.
As for the extensions, they fill out existing sequences with fairly unnecessary material. As noted in the body of the review, Headquarters already runs too long, so extensions don’t feel practical.
As far as family entertainment goes, I can find worse entries than Secret Headquarters. However, the film seems oddly padded and anachronistic, so it becomes an inconsistent adventure. The Blu-ray boasts very good picture and audio as well as a handful of bonus materials. This turns into watchable but erratic fluff.