Tower Heist would be a winner if its sole purpose was to make the shit done in Mission: Impossible look easy. Unfortunately for those involved, the movie is not a how-to on becoming a rogue agent, but an underwhelming comedy with a big-named cast.

Ben Stiller stars as Josh Kovacs, the respected manager of an upper class apartment building (actually New York’s Trump Tower) whose investments are stolen by penthouse resident and supposed friend Arthur Shaw (Alan Alda). Kovacs isn’t the only investor who Shaw has undermined, as the building’s staff had all trusted him with their money, too. This prompts Kovacs to assemble a motley crew of thieves — including work buddies Casey Affleck, Michael Pena and Gabourey Sidibe (the girl from Precious), evicted tenant Matthew Broderick and neighborhood crook Eddie Murphy — to steal back their money from Shaw. Let the tomfoolery begin …

Fellow CL Tampa movie critic Anthony Salveggi’s review did Tower Heist justice upon its release into theaters, although it seems he may have liked it slightly more than I did. As we are told in the Blu-Ray extras, the concept for this film was Eddie Murphy’s. The filmmakers should have left that idea in Murphy’s possession. Not to say that he could’ve created a wholly original spin on a comedic heist, but in the hands of director Brett Ratner (X-Men: The Last Stand, homophobic comments that got him booted from directing the Oscars), what we are left with is a bland take on an already played out genre. I was thinking a lesser version of Rush Hour (a series of films which Ratner helmed), Rat Race and Ocean’s Eleven rolled into one. Beckoning for more criticism and comparison to be drawn, co-writer Ted Griffin says in the extras how this is a movie about economic justice. Sorry, Griff — even the remake of Fun with Dick and Jane beat you to the punch like half a dozen years ago.

The Blu-Ray extras are plentiful. Too bad they will appeal only to the Tower Heist faithful. Included is a gag reel that’s more consistently funny than the 104-minute film itself, deleted scenes and alternate endings (which aren’t really “alternates” as much as they are just extra scenes that could have been tacked onto the ending), the usual director’s commentary with Ratner and fellow crew members, and four separate shorts dedicated to the working relationship between Ratner and producer Brian Grazer (because they’re so very interesting).

Side note: I can’t believe how sweaty Ratner is in these interviews. Wasn’t there someone available to hand him a towel before he sat down to shoot?

One neat addition to the usual extras is a director’s video journal chronicling the filming and premiere of the movie. This feature is only included on the Blu-Ray version, however. For people who enjoyed Tower Heist and are looking to buy it, the special features make it worth your money.

But aside from the occasional funny moment where Stiller and Murphy use their natural comedic chops to milk laughter out of a dry script, Tower Heist doesn’t have too much going for it. It’s not exactly epic proportions of awful, but I’d expect much more from a film with such depth in its cast.