Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		3.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		0.0
Overall		3.0

Albino Alligator Blu-ray Movie Review

A fine picture earns a serviceable Blu-ray release from Echo Bridge.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman June 26, 2012

Deliberate sacrifice for a deliberate gain.

And the award for "1996's Best Thriller with the Oddest Title" goes to...Albino Alligator! For those just chomping at the bit -- or maybe snapping -- here's the definition of an "albino alligator," loosely transcribed from the movie. An "albino alligator" is, well, literally just that, an alligator born with pale skin rather than the traditional scaly dark green covering. Though it's merely a different color, it's considered an outcast amongst the "normal" creatures, but it stills serves a purpose in the community, and that purpose is self-sacrifice. It's sent out into the wild, alone, to be killed by rival alligators. And when those rival alligators converge on their albino prey, the albino's "friends" pounce on them, killing them and claiming their territory. In essence, the "albino alligator" is bait, but "bait" in the truest sense, as in "it's not coming back home." How that relates to Director Kevin Spacey's (Beyond the Sea) film is best left to the picture's narrative, not a review. To be sure, however, there's more to the title than a roll of syllables and an interesting story. Albino Alligator ascends above the average hostage-hostage taker Thriller, employing complex characters and a gripping story, making the title -- and what it means to the film -- all the more purposeful to the greater whole.

Fichtner with shotgun.

Brothers Dova (Matt Dillon, Wild Things) and Milo (Gary Sinise, Apollo 13), along with strongman/henchman Law (William Fichtner, Black Hawk Down), are on the run. They've just participated in a botched robbery, and if they're caught, they'll most certainly plead the fifth. Police are on their tail, Milo is hurt, and the criminals have nowhere to hide. But they stumble upon a basement late-hours bar where only a few last-call patrons remain. There, they hole up, tend Milo's wounds, and struggle to sort out their next move, to devise a way, some way of escape. Amongst the hostages is barkeep Dino (M. Emmet Walsh, Missing in Action), the sultry Janet Boudreaux (Faye Dunaway, The Yards), the young Danny (Skeet Ulrich, The Craft), and the mysterious Guy (Viggo Mortensen, A History of Violence). As the police encircle the bar and it appears there's no escape, at least no escape with an acceptable outcome, revelations, new ideas, and incredible twists will reshape the dynamic inside the bar and within the lives of everyone therein.

Albino Alligator recalls memories of the Home Invasion genre, memories of it done right. In fact, the movie shares much in common with something like Mother's Day; replace a suburban basement with a basement bar and take the "evil mother" out of the equation, or at least most of it, and this is quite the similar movie, albeit a better movie. What's better still, Albino Alligator reduces the character count by a few, allowing the movie a more focused structure and additional development time for all those in the bar, all of those on either side of the law, good, bad, and a few who fall somewhere in the middle. The tighter focus allows for a cleaner story as well as a more involved story. The absence of clutter opens the celluloid door and welcomes audiences into the bar for a taste of the situation from all angles; other movies that try to cram in too many participants means only a more detached feel, leaving the audience as a casual sideline observer, not an integral piece in the larger puzzle. But even with the added layers and subtracted characters, the story isn't overwhelmingly complex. It's simple enough through the first half and in the establishing moments that audiences could come in late to the party and still grasp the fundamental dynamics, but once the movie shifts gears into its second half, it becomes a fast-moving, remorselessly-paced, altogether captivating picture of significant twists and turns, character complexities, and shocking developments that elevate the film far beyond the casual hostage-hostage taker film and into a deeper character study that examines motives from every angle and the lengths all will go to get what they want, which seems always changing with the narrative flow.

Albino Alligator focuses on story rather than many ancillary elements, and it leaves heavy stylization out of the way, allowing the story and the characters who shape it to take center stage. The film largely succeeds because those characters are so well written and their dynamics, interactions, and fates are prioritized over anything that would otherwise detract from the film. The cast is fabulous from the top down. Albino Alligator is home to one of the more impressive rosters from the 1990s, headlined by the trio of Matt Dillon, Gary Sinise, and William Fichtner, all of whom gel remarkably well as not only hardened criminals but, in the case of two, family, and as it relates to all, deeper human beings who are more than merely petty criminals but people with a stake in life beyond the score. The humanization, combined with the intensity and drama, elevates the film quite a ways above the tired norm. The only character downside comes outside the bar, where Joe Mantegna and his fellow brothers-by-the-badge seem more like necessary window dressing than anything else, but here that's not a downfall; the story takes place inside the bar, and whatever happens outside merely reflects necessary elements meant to give further shape to the critical goings-on. Director Kevin Spacey shows a good eye behind the camera and a strong sense of storytelling prowess. He shapes Albino Alligator into a taught, precise, enveloping affair, foregoing much in the way of cliché and genre redundancy in favor of a more complete and altogether gripping experience.

Albino Alligator Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Albino Alligator features a fair 1080p transfer that's on the higher side of the quality scale next to the usual Echo Bridge/Miramax catalogue release. To be sure, there's a certain roughness to the image; it's not particularly vibrant or eye-catching, perfectly textured or free of blocky backgrounds or speckles and pops and blotches or the occasional vertical line, but generally the transfer satisfies. The 1080p resolution and the bump in clarity and stability are the transfer's biggest assets. Details hold up nicely as well, though facial and clothing texture or the various warm and wooden accents around the bar aren't the most complex or startling realistic out there. A light layer of grain does provide a fair film-like texture, though there are some softer elements and a few shots that look a bit too smooth. Colors, likewise, are even but not so impressive as to dazzle the veteran Blu-ray viewer. Black crush is a concern in the early nighttime exteriors, but skin tones are even. Overall, this is a satisfying presentation; it doesn't compare to some of the best new release or catalogue titles, but viewers should be pleased with the image on a basic level.

Albino Alligator Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Albino Alligator arrives on Blu-ray equipped with a quartet of soundtracks, the primary being a DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless presentation. This is a fairly smooth track, though not too enveloping or prominent to begin. Opening musical elements feature sparse surround use, fair spacing, and only adequate clarity. Things pick up as the movie intensifies, as music becomes more a central part of the experience. The surrounds carry more elements, bass rattles with heightened energy and purpose, and clarity even seems to increase a bit. There's really nothing of which to speak in terms of ambient sound effects in the closed-off bar, but exterior shots featuring the police surrounding the bar play with a good natural accompaniment of singing crickets or trains rumbling and whistling in the distant background. Dialogue is consistently even and plays through the center channel; it might lack the natural authority and presence of the finest tracks, but there are no problems with intelligibility. Overall, this is a good track, one that handles all the basics with commendable efficiency.

Albino Alligator Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This Blu-ray release of Albino Alligator contains no supplements.

Albino Alligator Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Albino Alligator surpasses other, similar pictures in nearly every critical area. It's sharp, involved, well-acted, strongly-written, and smoothly directed. It's not the most polished movie ever made, but the emphasis on story and characters supersedes any tertiary elements that might be lacking. The picture features an incredible cast both in name and performance. This is a total package sort of movie that shouldn't be missed. Echo Bridge's Blu-ray release of Albino Alligator features no supplements, but the included video and audio presentations are of suitable quality. Recommended on the strength of the film and the relatively low selling price.