Rating summary
| Movie |  | 4.0 |
| Video |  | 2.5 |
| Audio |  | 3.5 |
| Extras |  | 0.0 |
| Overall | | 2.5 |
Breach Blu-ray Movie Review
Reviewed by Martin Liebman February 14, 2021
Mill Creek has released 'Breach' to Blu-ray. The release follows on the heels of the Universal release from April 2020. Video is essentially identical and there seem
to
be no discernible differences in audio, but the big change here is the complete absence of supplemental content. The Universal disc included a nice
selection of special features, none of which carry over here. On the other hand, this release is markedly less expensive.
A young workaholic FBI clerk named Eric O'Neill (Ryan Philippe) who aspires to rise through the ranks to become a full-fledged agent is assigned
to work with Robert Hanssen (Chris Cooper) who is "the best computer guy" the FBI has on payroll. He's also a "sexual deviant." But his technical
strengths and personal weaknesses are not the Bureau's concern. It is instead the belief that Hanssen has turned and is trading vital national interest
and military secrets to the Russians in exchange for money, and that he has been doing so for years. Hanssen is incredibly smart and eerily
perceptive. He can sense deception and read almost anyone – particularly his fellow FBI agents – like a book. He initially meets O'Neill with skepticism
but Hanssen gradually warms to him. And O'Neill, likewise, warms to Hanssen who reveals himself to be a Godly man and a man of unshakable high
moral character. In some ways he becomes a role model for the young clerk. But when O'Neill's superior, Kate Burroughs (Laura Linney), reveals the
Bureau's true motivations in bringing Hanssen down, O'Neill doubles his efforts to get to the truth behind the man he now calls "friend."
For a full film review, please click
here.
Breach Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality
Mill Creek's Blu-ray release of Breach appears almost completely identical to the Universal disc with the only difference being a slightly more
evident green cast to the picture. It's barely perceptible unless one is going over comparisons with a fine-tooth comb; it won't make a real difference
when watching the movie. The review, as recreated below for convenience from the Universal disc, suffices with the caveat of the slightly altered color
temperature:
Breach's Blu-ray is uninspired, to say the least. There are signs of digital processing in every shot. The picture is not completely true to its
filmic roots. Grain appears to be manipulated and the picture sharpened on top of some mild noise reduction. There is also some edge enhancement in
play. The picture never bears the fruit of its filmic origins. While details are not smeared away there's a phoniness to the level of sharpness and
definition on display. The picture might hold to some decent foundational textures but fans should not expect a true, pure reproduction. Colors are
depressed, too, flat and bleak with little life. While such appears to be the film's intended aesthetic, even would-be brighter scenes and more cheerful
colors are rendered less than appealing, dull and lacking any sort of saturation excellence or tonal vitality. Black levels are never too raised but do have
a somewhat flat look to them. Skin tones are a little on the pasty side. At least print wear and compression artifacts are not major concerns. If anything
defines the fledgling catalogue Blu-ray release, this is it.
Breach Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality
Mill Creek brings Breach to Blu-ray with a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack, the same encode utilized with the Universal disc from
2020. While there are some bitrate differences along the way, the sound presentation seems fundamentally unchanged with no obvious deviations
apparent when comparing the tracks back and forth. In that light, the review from the Universal disc applies here. Below, for convenience, is a
reproduction of that
review:
Breach arrives on Blu-ray with a solidly performing, but in no way memorable, DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack. Most of the
highlights come in the form of environmental fill, which is consistently immersive and excellent. Traffic din surrounds the listener at several junctures,
easily pulling the listener into several locales. Listen to a scene between O'Neill and Burroughs at the 33-minute mark; it's a rich reveal of the track's
ambient prowess with a variety of audio cues surrounding the stage. Likewise, office spaces inside the FBI locations deliver similar immersion
sensations with natural flair and detail and well defined feels for space. The track incorporates good essential musical cues, boasting agreeable clarity
and stretch. Gunfire at a shooting range halfway through the film hits with solid authority, as do a few shots from Hanssen's revolver late in the movie.
Dialogue carries the bulk of the audio needs and it is presented with steady clarity from a natural front-center location.
Breach Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras
This Blu-ray release of Breach contains no special features. When Universal released the film back in early 2020, it included deleted and
alternate scenes, two featurettes, a TV special, and an audio commentary track. No DVD or digital copies are included. This release does not ship with a
slipcover.
Breach Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation
The math on this release is pretty simple. Mill Creek's disc is inferior to the Universal disc in that it includes none of the excellent special features found
on the other disc. The discs are otherwise on equal footing in that they share nearly identical video and audio presentations. The Mill Creek disc earns a
check mark for the better
price. How much are those extras worth?
