6.1 | / 10 |
Users | 2.5 | |
Reviewer | 2.5 | |
Overall | 2.5 |
On a family trip in the African desert, a research scientist unintentionally travels off course and is brutally murdered by an arms dealer. His girlfriend is put to the ultimate survival test as she attempts to evade the killers and protect his teenage daughter.
Starring: Maisie Williams, Stephen Dorff, Peter Stormare, Svetlana Metkina, Warrick GrierThriller | 100% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.24:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: Dolby Digital 5.1 (448 kbps)
None
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (C untested)
Movie | 2.5 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 2.5 | |
Extras | 0.0 | |
Overall | 2.5 |
The heat is on in Heatstroke, a simple little survival-themed Thriller from Director Evelyn Purcell and based on the novel Leave No Trace by Hannah Nyala. The picture brings nothing new to the table but proves a serviceable, and frequently baseline enjoyable, little romp through dangerous, wide-open country where fear lurks across the plains: fear of man, fear of beast, fear of starvation and dehydration. While the film never fully pulls the audience into its world -- never does it really convey a sense of unbearable heat, unquenchable thirst, heart-stopping danger, and gut-punching emotion -- it serves up enough basic feeling to keep the audience involved, even as the film marches to a rather predictable beat. It's satisfying entertainment that's not destined to become a classic but that enjoys enough technical polish in support of a solid generalized story to keep its audience engaged, though not on the edge of the seat, on through to the end.
Phase 4 has burned Heatstroke onto Blu-ray with a capable 1080p transfer. Though the image frequently sports blacks that favor a purple shade and some slight banding across wide-open sky shots, the image mostly satisfies. Details are crisp and nicely defined. Whether a roughly textured safari hat, human skin details, or rough African terrain, there's a clarity of image and accuracy of texture that helps the transfer settle into a comfort zone of quality. Colors are bold and crisp, with solidly reproduced primaries that stand nicely apart from the near constant backdrop of earthy shades that dominate most every frame. Phase 4's transfer, aside from a few bugaboos, suits the material well and presents viewers with a satisfying watch that is, unfortunately, not equalled by its well below-par audio track.
Heatstroke's Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack fails to set sound systems ablaze. It's disappointingly puny and flat, finding little vigor or realism in anything it does. Its best asset is its ability to lightly immerse the listening audience into the African plains. The surround speakers frequently come to life with the mixed sounds of nature in a suitably enveloping and satisfying presence. Another plus is solid-front-center dialogue reproduction. However, most every other element falls flat. Gunshots are particularly disappointing. There's no sense of weight, power, or even volume. There's no crack, no open-world reverberation, nothing. Every shot is flat and lacking even a semblance of realism. Other assorted action sound effects are likewise disturbingly dull and lifeless. Music is suitably reproduced but lacks that crisp nuance around the range that defines the best tracks. Overall, this is a serviceable listen but nothing more.
This Blu-ray release of Heatstroke contains no bonus content. The main menu screen offers only selections for "play movie" and "scene selections."
Heatstroke is by no means a terrible movie. It's just a generic movie. No doubt the character dynamics and story work better in Nyala's written work, where there's more space to breathe and explore. In 90-some minutes, Heatstroke really has no choice but to maneuver around simplicity, to build a capable story but one that lacks dramatic nuance and heart. It's viable short-term entertainment but viewers looking for something deep and new should seek out another title. Phase 4's Blu-ray release of Heatstroke delivers solid video, disappointingly bland audio, and no supplements. Rent it on a slow night.
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