6.4 | / 10 |
Users | 3.8 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
In the worst storm in living memory, one guard stands between five men and three million dollars. Severe flooding threatens an Indiana town after a massive rainstorm taxes dams to the breaking point. As part of an emergency evacuation effort, armored car driver Tom and his uncle Charlie are recruited to collect cash from the town's banks and drive it to safety. However, a gang of thieves led by Jim plan to lay siege to the truck and steal the $3 million on board. After Jim attempts to ambush the truck, Tom hides the cash and reports the attempted theft to the local sheriff. However, the sheriff's lack of honesty soon becomes apparent; he puts Tom in a lockup and sets out to take the money for himself. As the flood waters rise, Tom has to escape from jail if he is to save both the townspeople's savings and his own life. Meanwhile, Jim and the sheriff are locked in a race to see who can find the $3 million first.
Starring: Morgan Freeman, Christian Slater, Randy Quaid, Minnie Driver, Edward AsnerThriller | 100% |
Crime | 35% |
Action | 28% |
Heist | 19% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.38:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English, English SDH, Spanish
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (locked)
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 0.5 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
I came for the money.
"Good movies" need not necessarily be art-house fare, summer
blockbusters, animated epics, soulful Dramas, or other sorts of films recognized for
something-or-another that sets them apart from the crowd. 1998's Hard Rain -- a little
Action
film starring Christian Slater (He Was a Quiet
Man), Morgan Freeman (Deep Impact),
Randy Quaid (Days of Thunder),
and Minnie Driver (The Phantom of the
Opera) -- is a picture that sets its sights rather low, aiming not for awards and
accolades
but instead a basic fun factor that might leave the film existing in obscurity but nevertheless
entertains its target audience for the duration of its runtime and leaves viewers satisfied with the
return in investment. Is that a "good movie," then, one that works as-intended and within its
own little realm, even
if it has nothing to offer beyond a basic, no-frills, nuts-and-bolts, good-old-fashioned
entertainment value? The answer is a resounding "yes," and while
Hard Rain isn't a classic of its genre or even a notable picture, it succeeds in
accomplishing its rudimentary task with little additional filler, a philosophy plenty of other movies
should adopt
instead of trying to be more than is necessary to deliver the one thing movies like this are bred
for:
sheer entertainment.
Who's the quiet man now?
Hard Rain's 1080p, 2.39:1-framed transfer never has more than a cursory opportunity to sparkle in a bright-and-colorful sort of way; the picture's deliberately dreary, overcast, and dulled imagery doesn't exactly lend itself well to a breathtaking high definition image, but Lionsgate's release nevertheless offers a fairly faithful presentation. Hard Rain is a picture dominated by shades of black and gray, the nighttime setting and deluge of water drowning out any semblance of bright primary colors, but the disc nevertheless delivers a stable if not dulled palette, every hue presented accurately within the limited context. Detail is adequate and the image is consistently sharp with no egregious softening at any one point. Blacks can be slightly overwhelming at times but never appear unnaturally bright. The image is littered with scattered speckles, but not to any seriously detrimental effect. Hard Rain is one of the least visually stimulating films available on Blu-ray, but this transfer is nevertheless a solid presentation of the material.
Hard Rain's DTS-HD MA 7.1 lossless soundtrack isn't phenomenal, but it's aggressive and exciting from start to finish. Surround speakers are used throughout the picture to great effect, particularly in support of the torrential downpour that's a constant companion in practically every scene. Additionally, rolling thunder -- sometimes gently, sometimes more aggressively -- booms and drifts through the entire listening area to surprisingly realistic and enveloping effect. Still, the front three channels carry much of the payload, and while every drop of rain or clap of thunder aren't the most pronounced and realistic effects ever heard, there's still a strong sense of immersion to the track and listeners should find themselves everything but wet by the end. The other major player in Hard Rain's soundtrack is gunfire. Whether the blast of a shotgun or the cracking of a high-powered rifle that with each shot echoes wonderfully about the listening area, the soundtrack delivers a nicely-realized symphony of gunplay with ease. Music plays with suitable clarity and dialogue never misses a beat. Hard Rain proves a well-rounded soundtrack to a movie that demands an honest and immersive sound experience, and while it could stand a bit more realism and oomph, it's plenty satisfactory as-is.
This Blu-ray release of Hard Rain fails to offer a deluge of supplements; only the film's theatrical trailer (480p, 2:31) is included.
Hard Rain is a "good" movie in the basic context of the word, the picture not exactly the stuff of cinematic legend but nevertheless managing to deliver the goods within the narrow spectrum in which it exists. A straight Action film with good performances, a fairly novel setting, a couple of decent twists, and just the right dosage of comic relief, Hard Rain doesn't set out to do anything more than deliver 90 quick-paced minutes of mindless fun, and with every passing tick the movie manages to keep viewers entertained on a base level and for the duration of the picture. Lionsgate's Blu-ray release of Hard Rain isn't a stunner, but it's fairly adequate for the film it accompanies. Most important is that the Blu-ray disc delivers a solid technical presentation, but fans will be disappointed with the lack of any substantive extras. Nevertheless and considering the aggressive pricing, good technical presentation, and quality of the movie, Hard Rain comes recommended.
2012
Extreme Cut
2009
Extended Cut
2013
1998
Bastille Day
2016
2010
1995
Collector's Edition
1986
2015
2013
2017
2013
Extended Edition
2011
2013
2012
2009
2018
2005
2001
2015