5.5 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 2.5 | |
Overall | 2.5 |
WWE Superstars Dolph Ziggler and Kane star in this electrifying race against time to stop a mad bomber and save a child.
Starring: Nic Nemeth, Glenn Jacobs, Katharine Isabelle, Josh Blacker, Alexander KaluginAction | 100% |
Thriller | 61% |
Crime | 25% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.78:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
English SDH, Spanish
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
UV digital copy
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 2.5 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 3.5 | |
Extras | 1.5 | |
Overall | 2.5 |
WWE Studios has worked hard to carve out a niche of mid grade direct-to-video Action movies, and a few more comedic and dramatic entries, that serve as promotional vehicles for the brand's top in-ring performers. Headlined by both The Marine (starring John Cena, Ted DiBiase, and The Miz) and 12 Rounds (starring John Cena [again], Randy Orton, and Dean Ambrose) franchises, the films vary a bit in quality but always manage to impress with the performances of the lead actors, who are actors in their "day jobs" on Monday, Thursday (really Tuesday), and Sunday nights. And they're all naturals for the screen, each of them gifted with the looks, the size, and enough speaking talent to rise to the top of a rather demanding public image and performance business. The studio's latest film is Countdown, a tidy and fun, albeit cliché-riddled, tale of a rogue cop on the search for a little boy who's going to blow up in a few hours time. The film stars "The Showoff" Dolph Ziggler, arguably the WWE's top mid-card talent, in the lead role.
It's too bad...he's too good.
Countdown's digitally photographed source material satisfies, but never stands apart. Lionsgate's transfer reveals a good, clean image, one that has no trouble showcasing accurate and intimate details with relative ease. Facial features make an impact in close-ups, as do clothes, whether Ziggler's casual attire or more crisply ironed police uniforms. The movie's color palette favors a basic neutrality, neither emphasizing nor deemphasizing any shade. Primaries present with adequate pop. Bright outdoor scenes shine, but even moderately lower light interiors, such as the stadium or the blue-gray dominant police station interior, find enough balance to maintain an effortless look. Black levels hold up well enough, and flesh tones never stray from natural. Trace aliasing and modest noise interfere, with the latter only making any real impact on the presentation. Overall, the transfer gets the job done with few technical hiccups.
Countdown features a rather straightforward, few-frills DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack. It's technically sound, but its sound design is not particularly up to top Action movie standards. Gunfire, for example, never quite receives the sort of aggressive pop and push it deservers. General action -- car chases, scrums in a police building, backstage at a WWE event -- find modest aggression and fair clarity across the basic details. Music is largely impressive, with a nice, heavy throttle Hard Rock beat to start the movie and enough vigor and spread for the duration. The WWE event offers a pretty nice sense of place. Audiences can hear some intro music in the background, sounding a little muddled but in a natural, location-specific way. Ditto in-ring announcements introducing the wrestlers. Dialogue delivery is tidy and center focused with only a couple of brief instances of mush mouth, notably in an early scene when Ray meets Julia. On the whole, the track is nothing special, but it's never really poor, either, outside of lackadaisical gunfire.
Countdown contains two movie-related extras. A UV digital copy code is included with purchase.
Countdown won't leave viewers counting down the time to the credits, but neither will it be remembered as a go-to genre classic. It's a solid enough, though certainly flawed, middle-of-the-road genre film that's as much missed potential as it is agreeable romp. Ziggler is fine in the lead and deserves another movie down the line. Lionsgate's Blu-ray delivers a couple of throwaway extras. Video and audio are fine, though hardly noteworthy. Recommended to WWE fans who will unquestionably get the most out of the movie. Non-wrestling fans will likely be best served with a slow-day rental.
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