Fuel Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		1.5
Video		2.0
Audio		2.0
Extras		1.5
Overall		1.5

Fuel Blu-ray Movie Review

“How do you sum up a life in ten seconds?”

Reviewed by Dustin Somner April 12, 2010

If there’s one aspect that always frustrates me about the marketing engine in the film business, it’s the misleading manner in which some productions are presented. In the case of Fuel, we’re given a cover image that implies we’re about to watch a sports-themed picture centered on a young man with marathon dreams. I suppose the recent success of The Blind Side paved the way for other inspirational films about young athletes, so my expectations were at least partially defined at the outset. Sadly, it didn’t take long to realize this is anything but an inspirational story, and all the themes that revolve around track and field are quickly squashed by the harsh tone of the primary storyline. Most of you are aware of the age old line “don’t judge a book by its cover”, but we rarely see the concept displayed in such a blatant manner. If you’re still interested in the film at this point, take another couple minutes to soak up the rest of this review and I’ll paint a more accurate picture of what you can expect.

The sport of running is merely an afterthought in the plot of the film.

Hoping for a better life in the United States, Gina (Janelle Taylor) packed her car and traded her dead-end existence in Mexico for a relationship with an aging mechanic named Frank (Billy Maddox). Her son Emilio (Shiloh Selassie/Michael Esparza) is reluctantly pulled along for the ride, and quickly driven to despise Frank’s slave-driver demeanor. Fortunately, he quickly strikes up a friendship with the neighbor girl named Sandy, who’s constantly victimized by her perverted grandfather. The two friends find comfort in their mutual feelings of loneliness and neglect, vowing to one day escape their current existence. As the years pass, Emilio witnesses the mistreatment of his mother at Frank’s hands, and endures significant exposure to noxious gasoline fumes while cleaning auto parts (in exchange for Frank allowing him to live under his roof). As a senior in high school, Emilio is treated like a mentally-challenged outcast by his fellow classmates, and remains a distant memory to his childhood friend Sandy. In addition to the loneliness that naturally permeates his life, Emilio has developed a short fuse when picked on, leading to school officials giving him the option of quitting the track team or going on prescription medication. Since running track is one of the only rewarding activities in his life, Emilio accepts the medication, and suddenly becomes a hot commodity for Sandy and her group of junkie friends. In the following months, Sandy and Emilio gradually reconnect with one another, as Emilio struggles to avoid trouble long enough to obtain a scholarship and leave his unhappy life behind.

Despite winning several minor awards during the 2009 festival circuit, Fuel is not what I’d consider a well-done film. Literally half of the running time is chock full of in-your-face scenarios that incite rage at the torment these characters are put through. From the implied sexual molestation of an 8-year-old girl, to the verbal and physical abuse of Emilio and his mother, this is not an easy film to watch. Issues like these don’t normally bother me if they’re presented within the context of real-life, but the primary problem with Fuel is the over-the-top incorporation of the unsavory elements. By the last twenty minutes of the film, I began to suspect writer/director Oktay Ortabasi was merely playing with viewer’s emotions during his rollercoaster of highs and lows. Every time something marginally uplifting took place, we’re immediately presented with a new obstacle that dashes the dreams of the main couple. Additionally, many of the elements within the story are either clichéd or overly convenient, presenting scenarios most viewers will see coming a mile away. I kept hoping the plot would get better, or the ending would justify the plodding journey, but all we end up with is a meek stab at an overly depressing conclusion.

Digging into the production values of the film, those with an appreciation for low-budget, independent offerings might find director Oktay Ortabasi’s style endearing in a “glass half full” outlook. However, this is one case where I couldn’t bring myself to spin the cinematography, acting, or directing in a positive manner. Oktay Ortabasi has made his career as a cinematographer on various reality television series (culminating in a long stint with “Celebrity Fit Club”), but it appears he’s turning his attention to writer/director duties going forward. Since Fuel is his first stab at true filmmaking, we could likely cut him a little slack for the amateur nature of this initial production. What’s interesting about watching Fuel in the context of Mr. Ortabasi’s prior work in reality TV is the similarity between the emotional ploys of a typical reality series, and the heart-wrenching scenarios he uses within the construct of the story. Likewise, the nature of the cinematography appears more aligned with the filming of a television show than a polished theatrical production, demonstrating the mountain he’ll need to climb as a director. In the interest of being fair, I do recognize the difficulties that accompany budgetary constraints on independent productions, so I’m not placing all of the blame solely on one man’s shoulders, but I do have some doubts regarding the level of improvement we might have witnessed with a multi-million dollar budget.

Fuel Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in 1080p utilizing the MPEG-2 codec (at an average bitrate of 22Mbps), Fuel struggles with underwhelming visuals right from the outset. Even if you excuse the amateurish nature of the cinematography, it soon becomes grating to witness the lack of detail within aspects of the image. I suspect part of the problem is related to post-production DNR application (most noticeable within facial textures), but there also appears to be a lack of proper lens focus in some scenes, leaving a residual hazy quality on the surface of the picture. Colors fare slightly better than the level of clarity, with naturalistic tones that convey subtle gradients in the spectrum. The only times I felt disappointed in the coloring happened during several nighttime segments, where weaknesses in contrast struggle to establish sufficient differentiation between shadows and the true coloring of the environment. This problem results in a loss of depth, leaving viewers with an image that continually struggles with lost proficiency. This certainly isn't the worst Blu-ray transfer I've viewed, but stacked up next to other high-definition offerings, Fuel ranks near the bottom of the pile.

Fuel Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The only audio option included on the disc is a Dolby Digital 5.0 track, in the native language of English. Similar to the visual style of the film, the audio presentation feels altogether uninspired. Dialog is easily deciphered, but lacks the precision and richness of a well-recorded lossless mix. The soundtrack and musical score add a decent element to the overall sound design, but fail to achieve a robust delivery that fully utilizes your home theater environment. Likewise, there's a disappointing level of obtrusive environmental effects within the rear surround field. When I say obtrusive, I'm referring to a feeling that the sound shouldn't be there, or doesn't enhance the nuances of the setting. For instance, there's a sequence late in the film where Emilio and Sandy are sitting in a parked car in the middle of the forest, and you'll periodically hear what appears to be a creepy female voice in the background. There's obviously no woman in the film (after all, this isn't a horror film), but the presence of the weird noise drew me out of a profound scene within the film. I didn't notice the problem as much through the rest of the film, but there's still an underlying sense of weak sound design that permeates the audio mix.

Fuel Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Behind the Scenes: Fueling the Movie (1080p, Dolby Digital 2.0, 6:24 min): Designed as a simple piece of marketing fluff, this featurette provides little insight into the themes of the film.

Gag Reel: A Lot of Gas (1080p, Dolby Digital 2.0, 1:58 min): This brief collection of outtakes includes a couple gems, but isn't exactly a gut-busting affair.

Rounding out the meager extras, we have a high-definition trailer for Fuel, and a music video of "Can You Hear Me?" by Michael Hunter.

Fuel Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Fuel is an extremely difficult film to watch on many levels. Real-life depictions of atrocities committed toward children are never something I'd consider entertaining, but finding value in productions that tackle such subject matter depends on the film's ability to move you in some way. Sadly, Fuel is not profound or touching, and eventually descends into territory that feels far too forced. Add in a weak technical presentation, and I'd recommend you skip this Blu-ray offering altogether.