6.4 | / 10 |
Users | 3.8 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.7 |
A veteran FBI profiler is unrelenting in his pursuit of justice and unequalled in his success at tracking and catching murderers.
Starring: Clint Eastwood, Jeff Daniels, Anjelica Huston, Wanda de Jesus, Tina LiffordCrime | 100% |
Thriller | Insignificant |
Drama | Insignificant |
Action | Insignificant |
Mystery | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.40:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
French: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
German: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
Italian: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
Spanish: Dolby Digital 2.0
Portuguese: Dolby Digital 2.0
Japanese: Dolby Digital 5.1
Spanish 2.0= Latin; 5.1=Castilian / Japanese is hidden
English SDH, French, German SDH, Italian SDH, Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish, Danish, Finnish, Norwegian, Swedish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region free
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 2.0 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
I think we're going to need fresh blood to solve this one.
Clint Eastwood both acts in and directs Blood Work, a somewhat slow moving and not very deep but nonetheless enjoyable 2002 Police
Procedural with an
interesting twist or two up its valves. Eastwood portrays Terry McCaleb, an aging former FBI agent for whom the thrill of the chase runs steadily
through his old veins. He's hot on the trail of a killer who seems to have the hots for him (not literally), the madman leaving a trademark code and
message for his pursuer at every crime scene. But a sudden change of heart will leave McCaleb's chase stalled...or will it merely pump new blood
into the pursuit of the truth? Blood Work arrives on the big screen sourced from the pages of acclaimed Author Michael
Connelly's book of the same name, the story a hybrid Medical Thriller and Police Drama, with emphasis on the latter but built around the former.
The
film maneuvers through well-worn genre territory, at least on its surface, but dabbles in some fascinating subplots, all built upon a unique
foundational
premise that offers up a potential for a darker and deeper character study than what normally finds a way into the average Cop Drama. Blood
Work
never quite manages to center up its themes and explore them very far beyond the superficial, but the novel premise, solid Eastwood direction, and
his
typically involved, commanding, and precise on-screen performance all make Blood Work a superior Drama, even if it pumps out more cliché
than is healthy for a movie
aspiring to rise above the pack.
Aim for the 10-ring.
Blood Work's Blu-ray debut impresses. Warner Brothers' 1080p transfer for this decade-old catalogue title delivers a wonderfully crisp, nicely detailed image that goes a little soft around a few edges, but otherwise delivers a well-rounded and largely flawless viewing experience. Very light grain retention is evident, and fine details yield often marvelous results. Human faces occasionally appear ever so slightly pasty, but the image is truly defined by its ability to replicate even the tiniest little nitty-gritty details around the frame, particularly evident in the many scuffs and worn surfaces within both McCaleb's and Noone's boats. Clothing textures are consistently accurate, and facial lines appear well-rendered, even considering that trend towards minor pastiness. Colors are vibrant and pleasant, many and appearing with true-to-life accuracy. Blacks can be a bit overpowering; the early overhead shots feature impenetrable globs of darkness outside of the immediate areas surrounding bright light sources. But the transfer is otherwise free of banding, blocky backgrounds, edge halos, and other unwanted no-nos. Warner Brothers has done a marvelous job with this catalogue release.
Blood Work's DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless soundtrack delivers a satisfying experience, just the sort listeners might reasonably expect of a decade-old Police Procedural. Warner Brothers' track delivers rich, dynamic sound, utilizing every speaker and creating a seamless sonic environment. Whether a helicopter circling around the listening area in an early scene or a barrage of heavy automatic weapons fire near the end of the film that features rounds impacting various metal surfaces all over the soundstage, the track proves nicely immersive even when focused on its most pronounced elements. Lighter ambience also effectively pulls the listening audience into the film. Whether the din of an assembled media outside the film's first crime scene, background announcements over a hospital public address system, or the sounds of gently rolling waters near the docks at McCaleb's and Noone's marina, the track completely encircles the listing audience with clean, tight, natural audio. Music plays smoothly and with a constant, evident richness. The low end enjoys a nice workout when several shotgun blasts pound the soundstage in chapter 21. Dialogue is center-focused, balanced, and never lost underneath surrounding elements. This is a complete sound presentation that should please most listening audiences.
Blood Work contains a making-of feature, a Spanish-language conversation between three of the stars, and a pair of trailers.
Blood Work earns a clean bill of health. It's not a model of vitality or the pinnacle of health, but this is a movie that's put in its work and that maintains a healthy lifestyle. There's no filler but not a lot of juicy meat, either. Blood Work never goes for the jugular, instead playing it somewhat safe within the standard confines of the average Police Procedural, and it's as if the premise keeps the movie going more so than what the movie actually does with that premise. Still, this is a well-above-average effort that should have been more and could have been much less. Strong performances and steady direction do help elevate the movie another few notches. Warner Brothers' Blu-ray release of Blood Work features exceptional video, strong audio, and a few supplements. Recommended.
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