4.9 | / 10 |
Users | 3.5 | |
Reviewer | 2.0 | |
Overall | 2.8 |
Sequel to the 2013 film that featured a security expert named Ray Breslin, who used his skills to test out the reliability of maximum security prisons.
Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Dave Bautista, Xiaoming Huang, Jesse Metcalfe, Curtis JacksonAction | 100% |
Thriller | 39% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
English, English SDH, Spanish
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (1 BD, 1 DVD)
Digital copy
DVD copy
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 2.0 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 2.0 | |
Overall | 2.0 |
The original Escape Plan may have been an agreeable enough “popcorn flick”, even if not an unabashed classic, but when a studio is looking at a $137 million dollar box office take on a budget a little bit more than one third of that figure, it’s not hard to figure out what’s coming next: another agreeable enough “popcorn flick”, albeit this time one consigned to a direct to video release regimen. It’s notable that Lionsgate was evidently never really interested in “officially” promoting Escape Plan 2: Hades, at least in my own personal experience, with this particular reviewer never receiving one word of PR hype about it, let alone a review disc provided by the label. That may indicate as well as anything that those associated with Escape Plan 2: Hades knew they had a project that would probably connect with enough fans of the first film that they didn’t need to worry about any perceived critical take on the proceedings. What some of those nasty critics may have pointed out is the fact that, while top billed, Sylvester Stallone (reprising his role as security expert Ray Breslin) is largely shunted to the sidelines in this follow up, leaving a lot of the heavy lifting (and/or butt kicking) to other, younger, types.
Escape Plan 2: Hades is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Lionsgate Films with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 2.39:1. The IMDb lists various Arri Alexa models as having captured the imagery, with a 2K DI. As can probably be gleaned from several of the screenshots accompanying this review, this is a presentation bathed in blue and green tones, and some of the more aggressive grading and/or lighting choices can mean fine detail levels can ebb and flow, at times rather noticeably. The bulk of the interior prison sequences tends to play out in shadows anyway, though a prevalence of close-ups probably helps to mitigate things, and fine detail is at least reasonably intact throughout. A couple of scenes featuring Stallone are graded more toward yellow, which helps to elevate detail levels, though it appears that Sly may have been shot in soft focus some of the time.
Escape Plan 2: Hades features an intermittently effective DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track. The kind of weirdly echo-y confines of the prison are well rendered on this track, with some good discrete channelization of individual effects like clanging doors or the whir of machinery. Dialogue is cleanly presented throughout. There are occasional bursts of LFE, and decent surround activity with regard to ambient environmental effects, but the sound design here may be another example of this entry's less than fulsome budget.
Escape Plan 2: Hades is in some ways really not that much of a "real" sequel to the original Escape Plan, and I'm almost wondering if it would have worked better as a standalone property without any sign of Ray Breslin (or some of the other returning players from the first film). It's obviously done on a much smaller scale than the first film, and Stallone's kind of intermittent presence means this sequel doesn't even have the same consistent level of star power going for it. Technical merits are generally solid for those considering a purchase.
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