6.2 | / 10 |
Users | 3.3 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
A tough cop is dispatched to take down a serial killer who has been targeting police officers.
Starring: Jason Statham, Paddy Considine, Aidan Gillen, Zawe Ashton, David MorrisseyAction | 100% |
Thriller | 83% |
Crime | 57% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: Dolby TrueHD 5.1 (48kHz, 16-bit)
English: Dolby Digital 2.0 (256 kbps)
English SDH, Spanish
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (C untested)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 1.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
I'm sure I'll do something reckless.
Jason Statham isn't exactly in the same physical class as his 1980s Action movie peers, those hulks of human beings who won the day based on the
size of their biceps, the definition of their abs, and the diameter of the veins bulging in their necks. Nevertheless, this bald, middle aged, toned but not
unusually bulky actor has solidified himself as one of this generation's go-to Action heroes. He demonstrates some range that his predecessors
struggled to find, capable of pulling off the tough guy dramatic and romantic angle as well as, if not better than, the guns-blazing work that might not
mentally stretch him to his limits, but that puts his body to the test and food on his table at the end of the day. Statham's latest is Blitz, a
Police Procedural/Thriller with a dark edge to it that moves beyond the lame sort of Action movie run-and-gun faux-emotion clichés that are so
dominant within the lower-budget genre pictures of the past few years. It's not a blockbuster sort of movie, but Blitz is more of a
1970s-inspired grungy, street-level, mentally and physically challenging grungy sort of picture that's dark and deliberate rather than flashy and
entertaining. It's a solid picture, one that's probably never going to amount to much when all is said and done, but a fine all-around performer that
audiences with a craving for something with a throwback dark, violent, and quasi-intellectual style will certainly enjoy.
Statham front-and-center.
Blitz isn't a very attractive film by nature, but Millennium's Blu-ray nevertheless seems to capture the essence of what the film's look is all about. The picture is soft and hazy, particularly around the edges, with fairly good definition center-frame. Fine detailing is fair in facial, clothing, and rougher building textures. Clarity is adequate, but the picture is quite dark and dim. There are no real vibrant colors to speak of; the image is dour here, a bit on the bronze side there, but the available hues do appear somewhat natural-to-slightly-warm in their presentation. There are a handful of unobtrusive blink-and-miss-them white speckles; however, there are no additional print issues or compression anomalies. A fine layer of grain rounds the image into form. It's not a dazzler, but instead a workmanlike presentation that seems to nicely replicate Director Elliott Lester's intended appearance.
Blitz features a sturdy, oftentimes energetic, and relatively problem-free Dolby TrueHD 5.1 lossless soundtrack. When necessary, the track hits hard; whether Brant beating up a few thugs with his "Hurley" stick at the beginning of the movie that sends a powerful crack-like shockwave throughout the soundstage, the deadly intensity of gunfire, or the heavy beats of electronica-rock sort of music, Millennium's audio presentation does a fine job of injecting the listening area with plenty of energy. On the other end of the spectrum, light ambience is nicely integrated. Rolling thunder and falling rain penetrate the soundstage in a 360-degree circle in a couple of scenes, while general outdoor and indoor atmosphere fares quite well in the quest to engulf the listener in the action, no matter the place, time, or situation. This is a quality, involved track; rounded out by centered and clear dialogue, Blitz proves an engaging and satisfying listen from beginning to end.
Blitz storms Blu-ray with but a trio of film-related supplements.
Blitz is a strong all-around performer, one of those somewhat under-the-radar pictures that's superior to typical blockbuster fare but that's lost to relative obscurity and a straight-to-video sentence before it even has a chance. Regardless of its fate, it's a smart, well-made, and energized yet bleak and throwback-stylish picture that will resonate with fans who have a soft spot for the harder, dirtier sort of cops-and-robbers (or killers, as the case may be) movies of yesteryear. Millennium Entertainment's Blu-ray release of Blitz features strong video and audio but comes up lacking in its bonus feature section. Nevertheless, this disc earns a well-deserved recommendation.
The Dirty Harry Collection
1976
Extended Cut
2013
2014
2017
Combo Pack
2012
2008
2012
2011
Extreme Cut
2009
2001
2011
2015
2013
1988
2014
2010
2014
2008
2008
2006