Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

Charlie Victor Romeo 3D Blu-ray Movie Review

"Oh my God... give it all you got. Give it all you got! Two-seven-heavy, emergency!"

Reviewed by Kenneth Brown January 24, 2024

Well... this is bound to add several new storylines to my nightmares. It seems I'm now haunted by a question I've rarely, if ever, thought to ask: what exactly might I hear if I were to listen to the black-box recording from an airplane accident in the moments prior to a midair collision, a mechanical malfunction, or a freak act of nature that led to a horrifying crash? How long would the men and women in the cockpit maintain their composure? Would they falter near the end? Would they be skilled enough to save their passengers? And how awful might it be to listen... no, to watch and see the exact moment when those same doomed pilots realize their best efforts are all for naught? These are the questions posed and answered by Charlie Victor Romeo, a stark docu-drama divided into six pulse-pounding vignettes, each one a (roughly) word-for-word recreation of a frightening, typically heart-wrenching tragedy. Jargon flies fast and fierce as pilots race to right wrongs and avoid what we know, most unnervingly, to be all too inevitable. All but one flight ends with a significant loss of life. How many die, though, how many survive, is left a mystery until the screen goes black and unceremonious text informs us of the resulting casualties and deaths. It's a strange, barebones production, but one that imagination grabs hold of and soon renders much too real. For me, Charlie Victor Romeo literally induced panic attacks, and that's coming from someone who sighed in disappointment when realizing I was about to watch a recording of a stage play. Lesson learned. I should have never dismissed the possible power and potency of such a grim, distressing production, no matter how simple its trappings.

Based on the award-winning 1999 stage play of the same name, Charlie Victor Romeo recreates a series of flights in distress, many of which end in disaster, offering a look at the everyday professionals struggling to survive and protect their passengers from harm. It's a stark glimpse into mortality moments before death; "a chilling and groundbreaking production that stretches the boundaries of film, theatre, and the traditional documentary," Sundance Film Festival senior programmer Shari Frilot says, adding, "Charlie Victor Romeo transports film audiences into the best seats of the theatre and delivers the intensity and gut-wrenching emotion of these emergencies via the unique approach of live performance.” The 2013 docudrama stars Robert Berger, Patrick Daniels, Noel Dinneen, Irving Gregory, Debbie Troche, Nora Woolley and Sam Zuckerman -- each playing multiple roles -- and was co-directed by Berger, Daniels and editor Karlyn Michelson, and co-written by Berger, Daniels and Gregory.

Each vignette is introduced with very little fanfare or context. Brief text and schematics clue us in to the cause of the accident that's about to transpire but offer nothing more. Suddenly we're dropped into the confines of a cockpit; a small troupe of actors playing multiple roles across the entire production; the simplest of set pieces and props sketching out the details of the plane's controls; panic rising, sweat beading, faces contorting as bad news is heaped upon bad news and whatever looming horror we're left to witness unfolds, beat by unsettling beat. The actors are exceptional too, and the fact that they're not familiar faces makes their performances hit with that much more force. There is no screenwriting to speak of -- this is 98% verbatim transcripts, 2% edited dialogue for clarity's sake -- which only adds to the terror. These are real people, many of whom we're about to watch die. And that single realization makes the entire production increasingly suspenseful and often uncomfortable.

The 3D is a gimmick. I'd suggest avoiding it altogether, though it does eliminate a bit more of the boundary between viewer and pilots. Not that 3D is required to erase that wall; the quality of the acting and the knowledge of how precarious each situation is, much less the unknowable variables at play, accomplish that task with effortless ease. You aren't likely to understand a lot of the tech speak the crew bandy about, but you will understand the expressions, the fear, the slight tremble of a man's lip, the desperate widening of a woman's eye, the sweat poring down the face of a pilot doing everything he can to maintain composure and control of the aircraft... these are the elements that tell the real stories. If you've ever had a fear of flying, Charlie Victor Romeo is absolutely not for you. Stay far, far away. However, those seeking human stories -- so human they cease to feel written or directed in any way -- and brave enough to mull over the more than 800 deaths the film's six vignettes represent will find the film to be a harrowing, nail-biting, stress-inducing diamond in the rough, worthy of your time and attention.

Charlie Victor Romeo 3D Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in 1080p with a 1.77:1 AVC-encoded video presentation, Charlie Victor Romeo looks quite good, all things considered. This is essentially, after all, a filmed stage production, and it often has the slight, "buzzy" appearance of early generation, digitally filmed 1080i presentations. That said, colors are limited but convincing on the whole, with lifelike skintones, inky black levels, and enough of a palette shift from vignette to vignette to set the various stories apart. Detail is exacting for the most part -- edges are crisp and free of sharpening halos, fine textures pop, and facial features are nicely resolved -- although a bit of softness creeps in here and there, particularly when the cockpit lights are low. I also didn't notice any significant banding, blocking or other such visual oddities, which certainly helps.

Should you choose to watch the film in true 3D on the first disc (the second disc includes an anaglyphic presentation), you'll be more than pleased with the dimensionality of the pilots and stewardesses, the depth and sense of realism of the cockpit, and the simplicity with which the illusion is enhanced by the production's minimalistic set design. The 3D image does indeed heighten the sense of "being there" very well, which aids in transforming each flight into an even more effective and claustrophobic panic-room of horrors. The image can appear a touch dark at times, but that rarely interferes with the proceedings. Likewise, you may spot some shimmering and the slightest hints of intermittent artifacting, mainly when planes near the end of their journeys and the cockpits become more chaotic. None of it amounts to a serious distraction, though. Viewers who still have 3D home theater gear will enjoy how much more unenjoyable Charlie Victor Romeo's recreations are in 3D.

(Note: The 2-disc set's bonus disc includes an anaglyphic 3D version of the film, and a pair of red-and-blue paper glasses come bundled with the release. I didn't analyze the anaglyphic version of the film, nor did I factor it into the overall 3D presentation score.)

Charlie Victor Romeo 3D Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Charlie Victor Romeo's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track delivers an immersive experience, though the drone of airplane engines and air noise can grow tiresome after a while. Dialogue is intelligible and neatly centered in the soundfield, and only becomes indecipherable (always by design) if and when all hell breaks loose. LFE output is strong and assertive, the rear speakers help flood your home theater with believable ambient effects, and dynamics don't disappoint. Ultimately, the film's sound design is as minimalistic as everything else, so adjust expectations accordingly.

Charlie Victor Romeo 3D Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Audio Commentary - A single audio commentary is available from co-directors/actors Patrick Daniels and Robert Berger, and can be accessed while watching both the 2D or 3D versions of the film (on disc one) or with the anaglyphic 3D version of the film (on disc two).

• Captain Al Haynes Presentation at NASA Dryden (Disc 2, SD, 79 minutes) - Haynes presents findings from the official investigation into the deadly crash of United Flight 232. Recorded on May 24, 1991, the original presentation is included in its entirety.

• CVR Scene 5, JAL123 - Live at PS122 (Disc 2, SD/HD, 10 minutes) - Vintage stage-play footage of a standout scene performed in the US with some of the same cast members that appear in the feature film version of Charlie Victor Romeo.

• CVR Scene 5, JAL123 - Live in Tokyo (Disc 2, SD/HD, 16 minutes) - Original footage of the same scene but from the play's Japanese production, filmed in 2002.

• Cockpit Drama (Disc 2, SD, 12 minutes) - From a June 2000 episode of PBS Newshour.

• Medical Mistakes (Disc 2, SD, 14 minutes) - From a March 2001 episode of PBS Newshour.

• Teaser Trailers (Disc 2, HD, 2 minutes) - A pair of 2013 teaser trailers.

Charlie Victor Romeo 3D Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Charlie Victor Romeo is as unsettling as it is unique. You'll need to work past the minimalism and stage sets, if that tends to distract you, but once that's out of the way, you'll find yourself sinking into a tense, harrowing series of inevitable tragedies that increasingly feel more and more real; something the film's Blu-ray release only enhances, thanks to a strong AV presentation and an excellent 3D experience. A solid complement of extras adds value too, though the film is powerful enough to stand on its own.