Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		3.5
Audio		2.5
Extras		1.5
Overall		2.5

Crash: The Complete First Season Blu-ray Movie Review

Starz delivers a mediocre Blu-ray release for a decent television Drama.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman September 7, 2009

A blank canvas and a treasure chest all in one.

What is the mark of a successful TV show? Is it a long run, like "The X-Files;" a loyal fan base even in the face of premature cancellation, like "Firefly;" a universe that comes back for more year after year like "Star Trek;" or does a show simply need to be just good enough to keep viewers interested for the next episode, like "Crash?" A 2008 production sharing the same name with and loosely based on 2006's Best Picture winner Crash, this Starz original arc-driven series follows the lives of several Angelenos that slowly converge, or "crash," as events unfold through the 13-episode first season. Taking on a gritty tone and a morally and emotionally challenging premise, the show isn't glamorous or alluring but it does develop its characters and, ultimately, overlap their stories well enough to keep up interest through to the end. Good, bad, or indifferent, that "need to know" that brings audiences back and that stems from good characterization and an intriguing premise defines both "Crash" and successful television.

Ben dreams of owning 'Crash' on Blu-ray.

"Crash" tells several varying stories that all share in common misery and some sort of decay, be it physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual. The lives of each character are forever altered through the choices they make, no matter how innocent or contrived. Ben (Dennis Hopper, Speed) is a former record company executive who's seen his life dwindle away as he downs his daily cocktail of pills and struggles with a dissolving relationship with "the doctor" (John Walcutt). Meanwhile, Ben's hired a new driver, Anthony (Jocko Sims), whom he hopes to recruit into the music business as he schemes to get back to the top of his production company that's now run by his daughter Jules (Kari Matchett). L.A. cop Kenny Battaglia finds himself in a torrid affair with the beautiful Inez (Moran Atias), whom he pursues after accidentally crashing into her car while on duty. Kenny's partner, Bebe (Arlene Tur), is herself having an affair with fellow cop Axel Finet (Nick Tarabay), a detective on the edge who's in the middle of a deep undercover operation inside the Korean mafia. Eddie Choi (Brian Tee), a former gang member with a criminal record turned EMT with hopes of attending medical school, finds himself caught in the middle of Axel's police work. Cesar Uman (Luis Chávez) is a Guatemalan national that's determined to make it into the United States illegally, even if it kills him. Lastly, Chrstine (Clare Carey) finds herself at odds with her husband Peter (D.B. Sweeney) over a costly home remodel project.

Though its title may suggest otherwise, "Crash" begins with a whimper. It seems to be headed nowhere through the course of the first few episodes, and even though the pieces slowly come together and begin to form a cohesive, semi-interesting story line, there's still little to it by the time the credits roll on the final episode. "Crash" does well enough to resolve each of the story lines in its final act, and does so by opening new doors and new possibilities that set the stage for season two. The problem, however, is that "Crash" seems like a whole lot of effort for very little payoff. The characters are moderately interesting and their stories somewhat alluring but not at all appealing. It's hard to connect with any of them, for each primary is in some way a flawed, corrupted, corruptible, or otherwise dishonorable individual. The show sees them through their descents into chaos where each lives a fractured life that continues to crumble all around them, and any reprieve from the moral quandaries and unscrupulous actions that define their lives come only by way of the most fleeting of moments that, ultimately, seem only to reinforce or redefine the negativity, hurt, and hate that abounds throughout their very beings. It can be argued, however, that "Crash" absolutely accomplishes all it sets out to do. As a positively disturbing and borderline distasteful look at the harsh realities of life in the big city, it's a success. It seems, then, that the biggest challenge facing "Crash" comes from its ability to draw an audience and sway them to stay through to the end despite its morally reprehensible array of characters and minimal value as traditional entertainment.

Tales like that served up in "Crash" seem to work better in two hour chunks on the big screen rather than dragging out the story line for an entire season's worth of 40-50 minute episodes. That mentality earned the show's namesake a Best Picture Oscar several years ago, but the television version and its need to greatly expand on each character takes its toll on the series. To the show's credit, it succeeds by painting each character and their particular tale with enough intrigue and generally well-thought out and interestingly intersecting story arcs to keep audiences on their toes and guessing as to what's in store for each individual. Though it's a bit slow out of the gate, "Crash" picks up considerably in its middle episodes as the ball gets rolling; the characters settle into their roles, story lines become established, and the pieces fall into place as to where the show is going and how one story will effect another, whether for better or worse or on a large or small scale. Still, many of the colliding stories feel superfluous and wedged into the script just for the sake of intersecting two or more character's lives, though there are a few worthwhile surprises that drastically alter character's destinies. Nevertheless, the show begins to drag in its final handful of episodes; several stories become a bit cumbersome and even threaten to collapse under their own weighty ambitions. It's not that the season is too long or the overreaching story too dull; it's just that there seems to be a bit more going on than is necessary, particularly in the Ben/Anthony, Kenny/Inez, and Axel/Bebe/Adrian/Eddie story lines. Nevertheless, it's Eddie's fate that proves the most mentally challenging, emotionally satisfying, and, ultimately, morally worrisome of the series, and his fate alone makes for reason enough to pick up with season two.

Generally, "Crash" is well-scripted and suitably interesting, and the acting generally reflects the script's strengths. The show banks on the presence of veteran Dennis Hopper, and though his story line makes for (subjectively) the least engaging of the show, his performance reflects the best effort to be found in "Crash." His character is easily the most vulnerable of the entire bunch -- emotionally, spiritually, and physically -- and he plays the part of a media mogul fallen from grace superbly. Confused but confident, addicted but in command, reclusive but enthusiastic to re-conquer the world, Hopper's effort is borderline extraordinary, particularly once his character has been sufficiently developed throughout the first few episodes, which allows the reasoning behind the quirkiness to shine through. Also impressive is Ross McCall as Kenny; his extended confession sequence in episode eight shows a true command of the character and all that plagues him, a tour-de-force moment that arguably surpasses even anything Hopper accomplishes in the show. Unfortunately, several other players deliver weak-in-compassion efforts, though in their defense their characters suffer from somewhat lesser development than either Ben or Kenny. Nick Tarabay in particular gives a sleepy-eyed, somewhat nonchalant effort as a cop caught walking the tightrope between good and evil. The character's premise is sound but the complete story and execution leave something to be desired. All said, however, "Crash" enjoys more pluses than minuses in the acting department, and for the most part, the characters are brought to vivid and borderline enthralling life thanks both to the scripted development and the sound acting to be found throughout.

Crash: The Complete First Season Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

"Crash" converges on Blu-ray with a fairly good and true-to-the-source 1080p, 1.78:1 transfer. Originally shot on 16mm film stock, the image retains a grittiness that reflects the show's downer of a tone nicely. The level of visible grain remains constant throughout, and solid-colored backgrounds are particularly abuzz. Fine detail can look rather good at times but slightly sloppy and indistinct at others; tree trunks, for example, take on a nice texture, while building interiors and several run-down locations in particular reveal plenty of small details that brings the locations to life. Facial detail isn't absolutely impressive, but the transfer does well enough to showcase the usual pores and unshaven cheeks well enough in tight shots. Black levels can waver between inky and overly bright with some fine detail crushing evident in places, and flesh tones take on a decidedly red tint. The image sometimes goes unnaturally soft or blurry whilst leaving but a small segment of the frame unaffected, though this appears to be filmmaker intent to reinforce plot points, draw attention to a particular part of the screen, or make a point not through dialogue but rather via visual manipulation. "Crash" features no apparent noise reduction, minimal edge enhancement, and some blocking in a few shots. Overall, "Crash" looks rather good within the context of its production.

Crash: The Complete First Season Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

"Crash," disappointingly enough, features no lossless soundtrack; only a Dolby Digital 5.1 mix is included. While decidedly sound on the whole, this is something of an inconsistent offering that wavers between crystal-clear and disproportionately mixed. Early on in the season, there's a conversation in a speeding police car with sirens "blaring," but more often than not it sounds as if the sirens are coming from blocks away rather than a few inches over the characters' heads. Of course, there's the necessity of allowing the dialogue to be heard in context, but not at the absolute sacrifice of the integrity of the sound field. Such problems are few and far between, however. "Crash" is a dialogue-driven drama, and rarely are there any glaring problems with dialogue delivery or discernment. Still, sound effects often disappoint. Gunshots in episode three offer virtually no power or precision; they fizzle rather than ring out with any sort of authority, sounding more like a cap gun. A subsequent shootout in episode six offers a bit more in the way of sonic activity; a few nice surround effects make it seem as if several shots are zipping through the soundstage. The track does feature a few additional scattered sound effects, for instance a buzzing helicopter across the rear half of the soundstage in episode two or some lifelike ambience as a symphony of buzzing insects infest the soundstage in a desert locale as heard in episode seven. "Crash" no doubt would have sounded better with a lossless offering, but as it is, this seems like a rather uninspired soundtrack to begin with and with only minimal room for improvement over what's offered here.

Crash: The Complete First Season Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Unfortunately, "Crash: The Complete First Season" features only a few scattered extras. Character Arc, the only extra to be found on all four discs, allows viewers to watch only their selected character's (Ben, Anthony, Kenny, or Inez) story arc. Each additional extra may be found on disc four. Behind the Scenes of 'Crash' (1080i, 19:25) is a basic piece that features cast and crew speaking on the show's origins, themes, characters, and more. Also included is an alternate ending to the season's finale (1080i, 3:39), a promo piece for season two (1080i, 0:17), and nine character bios (1080i), featuring each actor briefly speaking on their character.

Crash: The Complete First Season Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Crash" isn't superb television. It's not all that entertaining, it's not the best-scripted show out there, and it doesn't feature any truly memorable characters or story lines. Nevertheless, it works thanks to something of a morbid allure that leaves viewers eager to witness just how far from grace each character can fall and how their interactions with one another can effect the course of their lives. Just when it seems that the show's reached a point where it can't possibly go much further, it delivers a revelation or character intersection that redefines the entirety of the story and makes it almost worth re-watching with the foreknowledge of what's to come in hopes of finding any little hint that points to exactly where each character -- and "Crash" on the whole -- is headed. Hoping to draw its audience in with something of a car crash appeal, "Crash" turns out to be worth watching and leaves itself open for the possibility of a superior second season with a plate of established characters and interesting story arcs to build on. "Crash: The Complete First Season" arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Starz with a limited technical presentation. Featuring a 1080p transfer that's not all that visually appealing but seemingly true to the source, an adequate but generally dull lossy soundtrack, and only a few scattered extras, "Crash" is worth a rental for those curious about the show or wanting to catch up before the start of season two on September 18, 2009.