Clockstoppers Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		2.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		1.5
Overall		2.5

Clockstoppers Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman February 21, 2022

Playing around with time has always been a Sci-Fi and Star Trek staple so it's no surprise to see TNG's Jonathan Frakes (director, Star Trek: First Contact and Star Trek: Insurrection) behind the camera for Clockstoppers, the 2002 film about a boy, a girl, and a digital wristwatch that can, for all intents and purposes, stop time for everyone and everything but the user. The film blends mild action with light humor and generic romance into a disposable, but digestible, little package. This is neither Frakes nor the Sci-Fi genre at their best, but this is a very serviceable picture genre that fans should enjoy.

Zak Gibbs (Jesse Bradford) is like every other teenage boy: he’s desperate for his father George’s (Robin Thomas) attention, he wants that shiny red Mustang convertible on the used car lot, and he’s got the hots for the exotic new girl in school, Francesca (Paula Garcés). All of these elements converge when Zak finds a digital watch in the basement. But it's not just any old digital watch. It's one of his father's most important scientific works yet: a device that speeds up the molecular structure of the one wearing it, moving that person so fast that everything else appears to be frozen in time. When Zak and Francesca make the discovery, they use it for fun and mischief, but things quickly go south when they find themselves pursued by the villainous Henry Gates (Michael Biehn), a tech CEO who will stop at nothing to acquire the technology and use it to dominate the world. Gates has a problem, though: staying in "Hypertime" for too long rapidly ages the individual in it. Gates is hoping that Scientist Earl Dopler (French Stewart) can solve the problem -- even if it kills him -- and Earl, in turn, draws George, his old professor who has been developing the technology, into the fold. Now, Zak must evade Gates and recue his father before time runs out.

The plot centers around the problem of aging in Hypertime, but it is primarily the story of the growing distance between a workaholic father and a son who craves his father's attention but never receives it. Of course, what follows is an involved story that allows them to lash out and, to nobody's surprise later in the film, bond with one another over their first real shared experience in many years. Nothing about the film is even remotely new, and the film's structure is very methodical and precise. It feels like a prefabricated movie and Frakes arranges everything just right to blend the various aspects and elements. Nothing about it is risky and nothing about it stands out. Still, it's managed well enough to yield a decent watch, and that it doesn't run too long -- a lean 90-something minutes -- means that its faults and flaws are largely masked by a good pace that doesn't linger too long on unnecessary plot elements and characterization.

The film boasts wonderful special effects that still hold up today. Playing with water droplets, for example, proves to be just one of several highlight reel moments for the visual effects team. The Hypertime concept is used in creative ways, both for fun and in danger alike. There are foot chases, car chases, and other action elements that take nifty advantage of the opportunities the concept affords to them. The cast is up to the task of digging into the material, too. While nobody is challenged, the cast falls easily into character. Decent chemistry defines Zak's relationships with his father and his girlfriend. Garikayi Mutambirwa can never elevate his character Meeker above second tier sidekick status, but he gives an honest effort for a part that could have probably been written out of the script.

Clockstoppers Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Even freezing time can't do this transfer any favors. Paramount's 1080p Blu-ray release of Clockstoppers looks rather poor. The graphics that make up the opening titles do not inspire confidence for the rest of the image: they look filtered, flat, even a touch fuzzy. Indeed, such characteristics hold throughout. This almost looks like a Mill Creek release. While it might look decent at a glance, or in screenshots, closer inspection reveals a steady diet of subtle compression issues that render backgrounds looking choppy and chunky rather than smooth and organic. This is particularly true of the opening sequence in the airport and rare is the shot or scene when there is a reprieve from the compression issues. Grain is not managed well, either. It looks slightly meshy, not frozen in place or scrubbed away (decent details remain and characters and objects do not look waxy) but this is not an organic, naturally occurring field. Various examples of mild print damage are in evidence as well. As noted at least details are adequately sharp but don't really take full advantage of what the format has to offer. Curiously, the included trailer looks much better for grain management, detail, and the overall filmic look. Colors are decent. The loud 90s colors offer good foundational pop but unsurprisingly lack tonal nuance and depth. Black levels are a little washed out. Skin tones look OK. This one is in dire need of help.

Clockstoppers Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Paramount brings Clockstoppers to Blu-ray with a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack that replicates the original soundtrack's overengineered characteristics for all they're worth. The track is loud and adventurous, always making full use of the surrounds. It lacks finesse, but it makes up for that lack with a relentless barrage of sound. The track offers plenty of immersion and energy but rarely finds that smooth, seamless, pinpoint precision found on the best tracks. Still, it's a fun ride and fans of ample surround extension will find this one to be fun. The subwoofer is not quite so intensely engaged as one might expect, though. Music is clear and wide. Dialogue is center grounded, adequately lifelike, and well prioritized for the duration.

Clockstoppers Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This Blu-ray release of Clockstoppers includes a featurette, music video, a trailer, and promotional materials. No DVD or digital copies are included with purchase. This release does not ship with a slipcover.

• The Making of Clockstoppers (480i, window box, 10:47): Summarizing the plot and the concept, Jonathan Frakes' direction, the cast's thoughts on the best use for the powers depicted in the film, making the break-dancing sequence, visual effects, and more.
• Music Video (480i, 4x3, 2:52): "Holiday in My Head" by Smash Mouth.
• Theatrical Trailer (1080p, 2:26): Sadly, the trailer's video quality looks much better than the movie proper on Blu-ray, "clocking" in at a solid 3.5-4.0 video rating. Sigh.
• Promotional Spots (480i, 4x3 and window box): Character-focused promos for the film. Included are Zak (0:32), Zak & Francesca (0:31), Francesca (0:31), and Meeker (0:31).

Clockstoppers Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Clockstoppers does its thing well enough. This is not a hit film, this is not a classic film, this is not a memorable film, but it plays well enough in the moment (and get ready for a heavy dose of 90s nostalgia along the way). The characters are bland, but workable, as is the story, but the visual effects are pretty great, holding up even two decades later. Paramount's Blu-ray features problematic video (watch the trailer for an example of what this could have looked like) and just a few scant extras. The audio is fairly good, however. Worth a look on the cheap.