400 Bullets Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.5

400 Bullets Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf May 1, 2021

Director Tom Paton has spent the last few years attempting to find his way through the film business with small-scale action and sci-fi endeavors (“Black Site,” “G-Loc”), working with technology and small spaces to create escapism that favors some degree of excitement. With “400 Bullets,” Paton (who also scripts) tries to remain earthbound, turning his attention to a double-cross story set during wartime troubles. The helmer wisely whittles down narrative complications to just a handful of pressure points, leaving the rest of the feature to mano a mano battles, shootouts, and light conversation. “400 Bullets” doesn’t do anything new, but Paton handles familiar business with enthusiasm, looking to jazz up the norm with raw violence, eschewing tightly choreographed mayhem for screen hostility that reflects the urgent, confusing survival situation at hand.

Traveling through the North Afghanistan region, soldier Noah (Andrew Lee Potts) is in charge of protecting a box of guidance chips ready for a truck of missiles, while a haul of gold bars is also being escorted through enemy territory. Noah doesn’t fully trust mission leader Bartlett (James Warren), a black ops specialist who’s looking to stage a Taliban attack on the caravan, creating a mess for the British Army to clean up while his gang gets away with the weapons and the gold. While Noah is wounded in the mayhem, he manages to escape, sprinting into the darkness as Bartlett reassess his options. Bleeding and fatigued, Noah makes it to a remote base run by Rana (Jean-Paul Ly), who offers the man shelter as he deals with power issues, unable to call for help. Sharing his story with Rana, Noah is certain Bartlett is close behind, putting the men on run as they deal with Taliban fighters and traitorous British soldiers who want them both dead.

“400 Bullets” sets a snowy scene for its multiple showdowns, with the story taking viewers to the far reaches of Afghanistan, meeting up with Noah and Bartlett as they take an uneasy ride through Taliban-controlled land, carrying special cargo. The gold and missiles are located in a separate truck, with Noah keeping his hands on the guidance chips, sharing his suspicions with Bartlett, who tries to lighten the trip before fulfilling the passenger’s prediction by staging an accident meant to kill him. Paton provides a lively opener, following Noah as he tries to make sense of the situation and figure out an escape, receiving a bullet hit during his run into the wild, leaving Bartlett and his goons without the most important element of their plan. We also learn a few things about Rana, who’s stuck in the middle of nowhere while money woes worsen at home. He also has to deal with a skeleton crew at the base, which frequently loses its connection to the outside world.

“400 Bullets” doesn’t offer much more plot than the initial set-up, as Paton turns his attention to battle scenes, with Noah and Rana soon facing the wrath of a Taliban unit working with Bartlett, and the villain himself, who has his own squad of enforcers. Ammo inventory is low and confusion is cranked up, sending the good guys into a series of encounters with tough men, forced to shoot their way out of tight spots as they search for safety, and later, a satellite phone, with Rana visiting the scene of the crime to collect a vital communications device. Paton makes some effort to beef up dialogue exchanges, which is completely unnecessary, especially when the screenplay mostly deals in cliched tough guy lines and weird dips into gay panic. “400 Bullets” could get by without any discussion, as Paton manages to liven up danger zones with hearty acts of violence, creating a semi- realistic take on survival that keeps the characters tired and bloody, dragging themselves from opponent to opponent. That’s much more interesting than limp quips.

400 Bullets Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (2.41:1 aspect ratio) presentation deals with a very cold palette. Blues dominate the viewing experience, from interior military lighting to the frigid location, while blacks are satisfactory, doing well with a movie that's largely set in the middle of the night. Brighter hues emerge with emergency lighting. Detail is strong, picking up on the wear and tear of the characters, who take a beating, and the plywood-walled military base is textured. Costuming is fibrous. Some banding is detected.

400 Bullets Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA sound mix delivers an active listening event. Surrounds are lively, detailing the howling winds of the setting and character movement, along with bursts of gunfire that enjoy some separation effects. Scoring is heavier, with a deep synth presence that adds to the low-end response. Dialogue exchanges are clear, with sharp voices and balanced outbursts.

400 Bullets Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features writer/director Tom Paton.

• Behind the Scenes Featurette (9:32, HD) is a short look at the making of "400 Bullets," with cameras visiting the set for a day. Interviews with cast and crew explain the plot and explore characterization. Lighting achievements are studied and stunts are discussed. Some praise is offered for Paton.

• A Trailer has not been included on this release.

400 Bullets Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"400 Bullets" isn't the most visually varied picture, with much of the hunt taking place around low-budget filmmaking's best friend: shipping containers. The screenplay also makes a late-inning effort to explore Rana's history as a "Gurkha," living up to standards set by his father and grandfather. It's an interesting bit of character shading, but Paton doesn't explain it with enough clarity or emotional emphasis for it to truly land any sort of punch. "400 Bullets" is best when locked into sequences of brutality, serving up compelling physical challenges sold with smashmouth stunt work. And there's Bartlett, who's not an advanced antagonist, but he certainly makes a point about military disposability, leading him to seek a fat retirement plan in the gold and missiles. It's not enough to root for the bad guy, but Paton tries to bend expectations in little ways, giving what easily could've been a generic thriller some welcome personality.