Blu-ray Reviews That Make No Sense – A Collector’s Rant

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I decided to write this post out of sheer frustration with the way user reviews are handled on DVD and Blu-ray sites. Don’t get me wrong, I like being able to check what other buyers think before I hit the checkout button — it’s one of the perks of shopping online. But too often, those reviews leave me more annoyed than informed.

Here’s the problem: the exact same Blu-ray release can end up with a glowing 5-star review sitting right next to a scathing 1-star takedown. One person swears it’s the best transfer ever, while another says the picture looks like it was mastered from a VHS tape. After years of collecting, I’ve started to wonder if half of these reviewers even have a proper Blu-ray player, or if they’re just firing off opinions without the setup to judge fairly.

Stack of Blu-ray jewel cases with the blog title text “Blu-ray Reviews That Make No Sense – A Collector’s Rant” overlaid on the image.

For collectors like me, the basics matter most: picture quality that justifies the upgrade, audio that actually makes use of a surround system, and a release that feels like a step forward from the DVD version. I don’t need a rehash of the film’s plot or someone’s personal rant about a character they didn’t like — I want to know if the disc itself is worth my money.

The wild swings in opinion don’t just waste time, they make it harder to trust the whole review system. When one disc gets both “near reference quality” and “unwatchable junk” as ratings, I’m left wondering if we’re even talking about the same product.

Note: This was an old post from 2012 that I have revised and rewritten. I hope it still has value.

If you like war films and series, maybe my post Comparing Band of Brothers, The Pacific & Masters of the Air: Three Fronts, One War will interest you as well. 

Things I wonder about when reading reviews

  • Are they just promoting their own blog, business, or agenda?

  • Are they posting maliciously for the fun of it, or just stirring the pot?

  • Do they even own a proper Blu-ray player and an HD-capable TV with surround sound?

  • Can they actually tell the difference between good and bad transfers, or would they struggle to spot the jump from VHS to HD?

  • Or are they simply nuts?

The Simple facts

Some people just like to complain. Some are never happy. The real problem is separating those voices from the handful of honest reviewers who actually know what they’re talking about. And that takes far too much time.

It gets worse when sites pull in old DVD reviews and stick them under a Blu-ray upgrade. Half the time you’re reading complaints about a completely different release — not the disc you’re about to buy. No wonder the ratings look all over the place.

The Search That Sparked This Rant

Recently, I was hunting for a copy of Platoon on Blu-ray. On one major site, it had just five reviews — all positive. On another, there were 46 reviews with wildly mixed opinions. Who do you believe?

For me, the only things that matter when upgrading are simple: the picture has to be sharper and cleaner, and the audio has to use the full potential of surround sound. I already know the movie; I don’t need the plot explained again, and I definitely don’t need 20 comments about whether someone liked the characters.

My Suggestion

Why can’t the big retailers add a separate star rating for upgrade quality — DVD vs Blu-ray? Keep the normal 5-star system for the movie itself, but let buyers quickly see whether the new disc is a genuine step up. That would cut through the noise and stop collectors like me from wading through pages of conflicting, often irrelevant reviews.

Rant over

I get that it’s probably not as easy as it sounds. Still, it feels like a fixable problem, and one that would make life better for anyone trying to build a serious collection.

Until then, I’ll keep quietly fuming every time I go shopping for Blu-rays.

If you’ve had the same experience, let me know which discs left you second-guessing the reviews.

Thanks for Reading,

David

More Titles for You to Read:



About the Author

I’m David Condon, a movie enthusiast from Tralee, Co. Kerry. I’ve been collecting DVDs and Blu-rays for years, and along the way my shelves have become a mix of favourites, hidden gems, and titles I occasionally decide to resell.

I’m not a professional critic — just someone who enjoys good films, well-made discs, and the odd rant about the quirks of collecting. This blog is where I share my thoughts, reviews, and experiences as a fan.

💬 Note from the Author
This blog is a hobby project where I write about DVDs, Blu-rays, and the ups and downs of being a collector. If you enjoyed this post, you might also like my other writing:

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Location: Ballyard, Tralee, Co. Kerry, V92 W2H4, Ireland

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