6.2 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 2.5 | |
Overall | 2.5 |
Dexter Cornell, an English Professor becomes embroiled in a series of murders involving people around him. Dexter has good reason to want to find the murderer but hasn't much time. He finds help and comfort from one of his student, Sydney Fuller.
Starring: Dennis Quaid, Meg Ryan, Charlotte Rampling, Daniel Stern, Jane KaczmarekThriller | Insignificant |
Mystery | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
English SDH
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region free
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 3.0 | |
Audio | 3.0 | |
Extras | 0.5 | |
Overall | 2.5 |
You look dead.
D.O.A. isn't just a cute acronym or a description of the 2012 Pittsburgh Pirate offense, but also the title of a rather snazzy Whodunit hailing
from the late 1980s, the film starring Dennis Quaid in the lead role and Meg Ryan prancing about in a "Freudian" slip. The film follows pretty basic
Mystery procedure
but goes through the motions with an uptick in urgency and, through all the chaos, weaves together a fairly taught, well-organized little Thriller that
has a little bit of everything, including murder, greed, hidden identities, and a lengthy suspect list all with their own motivations and each with secrets
to hide well beyond how they are initially constructed and far past the scope of the film's focus crime. The picture doesn't absolutely grab the audience
and suck it into an inescapably intense rush to
the truth -- it's not quite that gripping -- but the movie flows quickly and leaves nothing on the table, particularly in terms of its energy and
eagerness to tell the best tale it can in a 90-some minute window of opportunity.
Stay cool, stay alive.
D.O.A.'s 1080p transfer falls around the upper end of the Mill Creek Blu-ray picture quality spectrum. The image appears fairly detailed and nicely colored, and it's generally consistent to boot. Grain retention is evident, and ranges in visible intensity from low-to-medium-to-high. The black-and-white opening and closing segments appear rough by design, though blacks do go rather pale and a few pops and stray vertical lines are present. The bulk of the film, presented in color, yields a steady palette that's never too dim but never excessively or unnaturally vibrant, even in bright reds that push the display rather hard. Skin textures can appear somewhat smooth and pasty, but generally the image offers fair facial, clothing, and accent details. The image isn't consistently sharp and precision clarity isn't a given, but softness and murky elements are the exception rather than the rule. Black levels in the color segments are fine, though skin tones favor a slightly red and rosy appearance. Print wear isn't an issue of much concern, nor are banding or blocky backgrounds. This is a serviceable, acceptable transfer of an old catalogue title plopped onto a Blu-ray being sold at a bargain price right off the bat.
D.O.A. delivers a soundtrack that's sort of lackluster but effective, not lively but not on life support, either. Mill Creek's DTS-HD MA 2.0 lossless soundtrack serves up music that plays with suitable balance, natural smoothness, and good front-side spacing, with emphasis on a club scene that offers a more intense musical presentation with heightened volume and energy. The basic dialogue element impresses insofar as its ability to remain natural and focused in the middle portion of the soundstage. Various atmospherics give this track a larger feel, a bigger sense of space, and a more natural flair. Whether the din of a busy college quad or a Christmas party, chatter in an art gallery, the hustle and bustle of a busy city street, or specific effects like a flushing toilet or police sirens, the track reproduces the film's various surroundings and sound effects with relative ease. There's a slight crunchiness to a few effects and the strive for clarity sometimes seems to put a strain on the track, but all things considered this is a fair presentation that cannot be faulted too much given the aggressive bargain pricing.
All that's included is the D.O.A. theatrical trailer (480p, 1:50).
D.O.A. may not be the most memorable film to come out of the late 1980s, but it's a very high quality, slightly-under-the-radar experience that offers high quality direction, a fine cast and equally admirable performances, and a good sense of mystery that's actually more interesting as it concerns the surrounding plot elements, not simply the main story. It's a watchable, fast-paced, neatly-constructed little Thriller that withstands the test of time and proves superior to many bigger-budgeted pictures that lack D.O.A.'s personal intensity and edgy, high quality craftsmanship. Mill Creek's Blu-ray release of D.O.A. features suitable video and audio but no extras of note. Considering the quality of the film, the acceptable Blu-ray technical presentation, and the price, this release comes recommended.
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