6.1 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
A deeply-disturbed priest goes on a murderous night-time rampage across America's highways.
Starring: Darlanne Fluegel, James Russo, Billy Drago, Richard Belzer, Michael CallanThriller | 100% |
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 (48kHz, 16-bit)
BDInfo
None
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (locked)
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 2.5 | |
Extras | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
In the summer of 1987, there was a series of freeway shootings in Los Angeles, rattling a city already accustomed to everyday violence. Co- writer/director Francis Delia doesn’t dramatize the event and its aftermath, instead using the hysteria to inspire 1988’s “Freeway,” which details a madman prowling the streets on the hunt for new victims to blast away at close range. It’s a B-movie take on real-world fears, but Delia makes it clear he’s out for exploitation purposes, fashioning a detective tale of sorts to support sequences of roadway massacres. “Freeway” isn’t a finely knitted offering of escapism, but Delia captures a certain sense of panic and frustration, teasing a graduation to broad car-fu antics. It’s not consistent in its recklessness and features plenty of ‘80s-style leaps in characterization, but the core viewing experience is preserved, providing a reasonably compelling cat and mouse game at high speeds.
The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation is being sold as "Re-mastered in HD," and a decent refreshing welcomes viewers into this dark world of violence and nightlife. As much of the movie plays out during the early morning hours, delineation remains consistent, never slipping into solidification. Colors are true, working with ample neon signage and L.A. greenery, while period costuming handles with decent primaries. Skintones are natural. Detail is satisfying, supporting the director's love of extreme close-ups, which deliver all the facial particulars one could want. Urban jungle retains depth and concrete texture, and violence is displayed in full. Grain is fine and filmic. Source doesn't showcase much damage beyond minor speckling. Banding seeps into view on a few occasions.
The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix struggles throughout the listening experience, hit with age-related wear and tear. Dialogue exchanges are inconsistent, with crispy highs and sharp s-sounds, while overall clarity is dulled, sliding into muddiness at times. It's also a very quiet track, demanding a liberal boosting of volume to give the picture home theater authority. Music also suffers from limitations, but suspense sequences are supported with mild presence. Sound effects are unremarkable. Hiss and a few stretches of faint humming are detected.
"Freeway" does offer some western-style standoffs to goose entertainment value (and toughen Sunny), and Belzer is a nice addition to the cast, having fun with the talk radio role, which makes good use of his comedian timing. Steady thrills are missing, but the effort does a fairly good job with nightmare material, keeping Edward a demonstrative threat, scattering his murders throughout the feature. Granted, Drago's casting is a bit obvious, but the actor doesn't back down from the part, providing a maniacal kick to his section of the movie. "Freeway" could do with more chases, more hysterical behavior or steely revenge action, but Delia doesn't lose control of the effort, keeping the car-revving, trigger-squeezing antics engaging, detective work digestible, and evening threat unsettling, transitioning real-world horror to a mildly effective B-movie.
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