Rating summary

Movie		1.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		1.5
Overall		2.0

McCanick Blu-ray Movie Review

Needs a tune-up.

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman May 22, 2014

It probably doesn’t matter that many will see McCanick as one of the more cynical cash grabs to come out recently, for despite the film’s supposed “allure” of being the last feature film Cory Monteith made before his untimely death, there’s so little here to recommend the film that (to twist the opening of this review) very few will probably ever actually see McCanick. The ironic thing is that those who do deign to view the film based on Monteith’s involvement will probably be disappointed that the actor, while playing a character whose presence provides the motivating force for much of the ostensible drama, actually has precious little actual screen time.

Relentlessly predictable even as it attempts to be deliberately obfuscating and discursive, McCanick deals with the titular cop (played by David Morse) who has a long and convoluted history with Monteith’s character, a criminal named Simon Weeks. Screenwriter Daniel Noah and director Josh C. Waller divulge the over convoluted interwoven backstories of both these characters through a series of supposedly increasingly revelatory flashbacks, but there’s very little here that will warrant even a raised eyebrow, let along a gasp of surprise. The acting is fine all around (including Monteith, miles away from his Glee persona), but the story is so hackneyed and ultimately flat out ridiculous that it’s all largely for naught.

McCanick Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Whatever McCanick's dramatic inadequacies, this new Blu-ray from Well Go USA boasts a virtually flawless AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 2.39:1. While obvious color grading is once again in evidence, this time it's frequently a sickly yellow sheen rather than the typical blue crime thrillers like this usually exploit. Perhaps surprisingly, little if any detail and sharpness is compromised with these palette choices. Contrast is strong and consistent, and this Red Epic shot feature offers excellent clarity and precision.

McCanick Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Similarly, McCanick's lossless DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 provides nicely consistent surround activity courtesy of a bustling urban environment and some action sequences. Dialogue is very cleanly presented with excellent fidelity. Dynamic range is extremely wide.

McCanick Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Behind the Scenes (480i; 10:13)


• Deleted and Extended Scenes (480i; 16:31).


• Trailer (1080p; 1:45)

McCanick Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Monteith fans may be willing to overlook some of this film's manifest shortcomings in order to catch one last glimpse of the actor, but there's probably little else of interest here, despite an impressive cast. Those who are interested in this title due to Monteith or another cast member should be very pleased with the technical merits of this release.