1992 Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		0.0
Overall		2.5

1992 Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman November 19, 2024

Ray Liotta passed away over two years ago as this review is being written, which makes the 2023 or 2024 (depending on source) release of 1992 a curiosity of sorts, since it was Liotta's last big screen assignment. The fact that there was a multiyear lapse between shooting and release may be just one indication that this production was perhaps beset with some problems either during production or post production, and the fact that this Blu-ray disc maybe just slightly grasps for straws on its back cover by starting its plot summary with the announcement that the film was executive produced by Snoop Dogg may be further evidence of attempts to generate interest in a property that may have already outlasted its perceived "shelf life". (In that regard it's perhaps salient to note how long after official release date it was before review product was sent out.) The story revolves around the reactions to the Rodney King beating and subsequent trial, which of course resulted in a huge outbreak of violence once the verdict was announced. That might seem like incredibly fertile territory for a kind of socioeconomic analysis of the teeming urban environment of Los Angeles, but instead the film pretty quickly detours into more traditional heist territory, which is where the Liotta character enters the fray.

A "kitchen sink drama" and/or "angry young man" element is definitely part of 1992 courtesy of an (of course) ultimately intersecting set of tales, both dealing with fathers and sons. As unrest is about to reach the boiling point in Los Angeles, Mercer (Tyrese Gibson) is an ex-con suddenly gaining custody of teenage son Antoine (Christopher Ammanuel), while Riggin (Scott Eastwood) and Dennis (Dylan Arnold) attempt to lure their ex-con father Lowell (Ray Liotta) into helping with a planned robbery. It is not much of a spoiler to state that the criminal activity ends up taking place at Mercer's job site.

I'm frankly not quite sure what to make of 1992, or at least any perceived attempts to "deconstruct" racial tensions, since there's obviously an implied (and frankly probably overt) racial aspect to this story, one way or the other. But any "meaningful" subtext here is more or less jettisoned once things reach an almost ridiculously hyperbolic third act that sees Lowell and Mercer face off. 1992 might have frankly if ironically worked better had it been divorced from the tumultuous events surrounding the Rodney King beating and subsequent trial (and acquittal). It's like the film is offering the contextual equivalent of "hey, we have a barn (or in this case, riots, etc.), let's put on a show". If it doesn't really allow Liotta much chance to stretch, 1992 at least offers his last featured performance.

1992 Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

1992 is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Lionsgate Films with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 2.39:1. I haven't been able to track down any authoritative information on the shoot, and as of the writing of this review the IMDb has no real technical specifications, but this is a nicely sharp and well detailed digital capture that I'm assuming had a 2K DI. As can probably be gleaned in some of the screenshots I've uploaded to accompany this review, there's a kind of interesting grading toward browns and beiges which give several scenes a somewhat unusual look for a perceived "thriller". In decently lit scenes, fine detail is typically excellent, though that said, a lot of the film takes place either at night or in the shadowy confines of the factory where Mercer works, and there are some passing deficits in shadow detail. An obviously low budget evidently didn't support very prolific "riot" scenes or convincing CGI of Los Angeles in flames.

1992 Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Maybe just a little surprisingly 1992 is granted a Dolby Atmos mix, though that said, my hunch is once again budgetary constraints may have played into a less than explosive listening experience. There is still some really nice immersion that is evident courtesy of both some of the outdoor material, including supposed riot scenes and some other calamitous activity (like a near fatal shooting in a convenience store), and isolated moments like a helicopter flying over a flaming Los Angeles provide intermittent engagement of the Atmos speakers, but this is still a relatively restrained mix a lot of the time. Dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly throughout. Optional English and Spanish subtitles are available.

1992 Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Audio Commentary with Director / Co-Writer Ariel Vroman & Co-Producer T'Shaun Barrett


• A South Central Story (HD; 11:50) is a decent EPK featuring interviews with Ariel Vroman and Tyrese Gibson.


• Two Families, Two Worlds: Making 1992 (HD; 25:24) offers an overview of the two major plot strands of the film and includes more interviews. This offers some fun candid footage of Liotta that may be of special interest to his fans.


• Deleted Scenes (HD; 3:35)


• Theatrical Trailer (HD; 2:22)

DVD and digital copies are included.