6.3 | / 10 |
Users | 3.3 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.1 |
Sean Vetter and his partner Demetrius Hicks came up on the mean streets of Los Angeles but now work together as DEA agents, fighting a seven-year war to stem the virulent drug pipeline along the US/Mexico border. Dubbed "the gunslingers'" for their tough street tactics, their perseverance pays off when they take down notorious Baja Cartel kingpin Memo Lucero Geno.With Lucero locked away in a maximum security prison, Vetter is finally able to go home to his wife, Stacy, a sanctuary from the harsh realities of his job. But in the wake of Lucero's arrest, a mysterious figure, known only as Diablo, emerges to violently claim the Baja Cartel. And when Vetter and Hicks set their sights on identifying and stopping this dangerous and elusive new player, Diablo makes the fight personal--robbing Vetter of the one person who gives his life meaning--Stacy. With nothing to lose, Vetter pulls out every hidden resource at his disposal to bring Diablo down--including an unlikely alliance with the jailed Cartel boss Lucero. He will stop at nothing to avenge his wife's murder, edging dangerously close to the line between justice and lawlessness, even if it sets him at odds with the police unit to which he has dedicated his life.
Starring: Vin Diesel, Larenz Tate, Timothy Olyphant, Geno Silva, Jacqueline ObradorsThriller | 100% |
Action | 100% |
Crime | 94% |
Drama | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.36:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 16-bit)
German: Dolby Digital 5.1
Spanish: Dolby Digital 2.0
Portuguese: Dolby Digital 2.0
I have the disc.
English, German, German SDH, Portuguese, Spanish, Spanish SDH
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region free
Movie | 2.5 | |
Video | 3.0 | |
Audio | 3.5 | |
Extras | 2.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
Technically, 2003’s “A Man Apart” doesn’t fall into the Vin Diesel career feeding frenzy that developed after the release of 2001’s “The Fast and the Furious.” Although issued after the monstrous “XXX,” “A Man Apart” was actually shot in late 2000/early 2001, when the star was merely a curiosity with a minor hit (“Pitch Black”) on his resume. However, post-production troubles kept the feature out of sight for the next two years, finally released when Diesel’s brand name was red-hot and audiences were starting to question the Hollywood hype machine surrounding the growly brute. Intended to play into the actor’s more dramatic interests, “A Man Apart” was marketed as a tough guy experience, emphasizing the lead’s position as a thunderous force of big screen revenge, peppered with explosions and cowering villains. The reality of the effort was far more jumbled, with the story of a grief-stricken cop aching for vengeance mingling awkwardly with scattered DEA enforcement activity, along with attention paid to border hostilities between Mexico and America. It’s a movie that’s not overwhelmingly ambitious, and what little it has to offer is botched in execution, leaving the picture strictly for Diesel die-hards who’ve built up a patience with the icon and his sluggish attempts to grow as a performer.
The AVC encoded image (2.36:1 aspect ratio) presentation is diminished by impenetrable black levels, which remove necessary detail from backgrounds and costumes displayed in limited lighting. Crush is a major problem here, solidifying anything in the frame that's not directly emphasized, obscuring enticing evening encounter particulars. Bright daylight manages to boost the viewing experience substantially, bringing out satisfactory detail, with close-ups a particular highlight of textures. The image feels a tad sharpened, with a few bursts of noise popping into view. Colors are comfortable and stable, with an adequate pop on vehicle paint jobs and the neon hues of the underworld locations. Skintones are expressive and natural.
The 5.1 DTS-HD MA mix generally carries itself with a frontal presence, with surrounds basically regulated to providing a sense of distance, also bringing neighborhood atmospherics to life with a subtle touch. Dialogue exchanges are solid and deep, with Diesel's sporadic narration holding securely with a low-end growl, while scoring needs are met with a fuller, booming sound, supporting the on-screen action. Violence is dialed up a little louder, but chaos isn't an issue, finding gunfire and explosions rendered tastefully, without distortion. Directional activity isn't much of an event here, with track specifics provided in a straightforward manner. The basics are cared for without much surprise, maintaining immersion without a dynamic show of sonic force.
"A Man Apart" doesn't achieve much in the way of pace during its run time, despite numerous shoot-outs and betrayals. Gray only manages a sense of mediocrity mixed with unrealized potential, struggling to make sense of the story while keeping Sean a sympathetic monster. The elements are here for a rousing tale of badge-tossing street justice, blended with potent border drug war woes, yet "A Man Apart" isn't effective, losing passion and clarity (the climax of the picture is nonsensical, despite obvious reshoots to clean up an editorial mess) as the film scrambles to make sense of itself, while trying to provide the requisite stings of machismo Vin Diesel has built his career with.
2004
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The Dirty Harry Collection
1983
The Dirty Harry Collection
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The Dirty Harry Collection
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2015
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The Dirty Harry Collection
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Director's Cut
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2-Disc Extended Cut
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