Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.5

Narc Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov April 26, 2023

Joe Carnahan's "Narc" (2002) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Via Vision Entertainment. The supplemental features on the release include new program with Joe Carnahan; new program with Jason Patric; new program with composer Cliff Martinez; archival programs with cast and crew interviews; original trailer; and more. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

The opening segment belongs in Kathryn Bigelow’s Strange Days. It is unbearably fast and nauseating, too real, like those illegal videos Lenny sells in the dystopian future. But Nick Tellis (Jason Patric) is not using one of Lenny’s portable devices, so what he sees and experiences during the drug-busting operation is one hundred percent real. Then, in a matter of seconds, Nick’s brain gets scarred for life.

Eighteen months after he is kicked out of Detroit P.D., Nick is brought back and offered a deal. If he helps his former colleagues nab the killer of an undercover narc, he gets a clean record and a safe desk job. At first, Nick refuses the deal and exposes the dealmakers as the hypocritical bureaucrats they are, but later changes his mind. Henry Oak (Ray Liotta), who used to work with the dead narc, becomes his partner.

Nick and Henry immediately begin hitting the layers of some of the shadiest drug dealers in Detroit, hoping that they would supply them with valuable information, but instead of making progress sink deep into a swamp that has swallowed the city’s poorest and most disillusioned residents. On the verge of giving up, Nick then accidentally makes a crucial discovery in an old police report that redirects the investigation and produces leads that appear to be legit.

Without the kinetic energy, which is stimulated by Joe Carnahan’s preference for shaky-cam movement, Narc would have been extremely easy to place in the company of the many great gritty police dramas the 1970s produced. Indeed, Narc does not like using filters and hits just as hard as these older films did.

The other interesting similarity is in the characterizations, though this is the area where Narc does a couple of things differently that provide it with a contemporary identity as well. The two cops very easily convince that the dark side of Detroit has irreversibly altered their system of beliefs, so their understanding of success and its relationship with morality, for instance, is undeniably old-fashioned. This is what makes them appear genuinely fearless in a retro way, too. They are not just tracking down and busting drug dealers and killers, they are cutting out the cancer that has spread throughout Detroit. In the great gritty police dramas that the 1970s produced, the cops entered similarly dangerous places with the exact same mindset.

However, while managing the characterizations, Carnahan does plenty of stylization work that occasionally feels overdone. This stylization work is supposed to make Narc look even edgier than it already is and, in several areas, clearly hurts its authenticity.

Most of the key developments in Narc are seen through Patric’s eyes while he struggles to balance his work and responsibilities as a father and husband. Patric is good but in a couple of episodes where the past and present begin to overlap his performance becomes too melodramatic. Liotta is outstanding. This should not be surprising given his many unforgettable transformations over the years, but it must be said that the anxiety, pain, and unbridled anger of his character look and feel very authentic.

Carnahan’s director of photography was Alex Nepomniaschy, who early in his career collaborated with Gary Sherman on the similarly intense action thriller Wanted: Dead or Alive. While a production of the 1980s, Wanted: Dead or Alive has the fearless genes of a cop thriller from the 1970s as well.

Narc Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Narc arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Via Vision Entertainment.

The master that was used to produce this release is clearly not new. However, despite some limitations, I think that Narc looks quite good, often even very good in high-definition. I would concede that the stylization work that is present in the film hides some of the limitations of this master, but there aren't any serious digital anomalies and this helps even more. What are some of these limitations? In some darker areas, delineation and depth could be better (see screencapture #4). However, in the same areas, as well as in daylight footage, plenty of the stylization work intentionally manipulates highlights and introduces some black crush, so while a brand new 4K master will produce superior detail and depth, it will retain fluctuations that may seem like weaknesses on the current master. Color balance is very good. I suspect that some of the primaries and nuances can appear better saturated and balanced, but not by much. The overall dynamic range of the visuals can be improved quite a bit, so this is one of the main areas that can make a notable difference. Image stability is very good. There is room for minor encoding optimizations, but the entire film looks very pleasing even on a larger screen. My score is 4.25/5.00. (Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray release. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your player regardless of your geographical location).

Narc Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are two standard audio tracks on this Blu-ray release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and English LPCM 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

I viewed the entire film with the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track. I would be very surprised if in the future Narc is presented on Blu-ray or 4K Blu-ray with a better audio track. I just do not see where there could be any meaningful improvements. Clarity, sharpness, and depth are outstanding. Plus, the range of nuanced dynamics is very impressive. This film has a lot of serious spikes in dynamic activity too, so the quality of the 5.1 track is impossible to misjudge. I did not encounter any encoding anomalies to report in our review.

Narc Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• "Over the Top" - in this exclusive new program, director Joe Carnahan discusses his interest in cop films -- and specifically the 1970s films -- the profound impact The Thin Blue Line had on him, and the conception and production of Narc. Mr. Carnahan also comments on how his career progressed. In English, not subtitled. (20 min).

• "Chasing Ghosts" - in this exclusive new program, actor Jason Patric discusses his preparation for the character he plays in Narc and the demons he struggles. Also, there are plenty of interesting comments about the exact moment Narc came across in his career, his work with Joe Carnahan, and the impact of William Friedkin's The French Connection has had on him over the years. In English, not subtitled. (18 min).

• A Conversation with Composer Cliff Martinez - in this exclusive new program, composer Cliff Martinez explains how he became interested in film music, and discusses his consequential encounter with Steven Soderbergh (his first soundtrack was the one he created for Sex, Lies, and Videotape), work with Joe Carnahan on Narc, and the type of music he created for the film. Apparently, Mr. Carnahan liked the minimalistic style and qualities of the soundtrack Mr. Martinez created for Traffic. In English, not subtitled. (16 min).

• Interview with Ray Liotta - in this archival program, Ray Liotta explains how he became involved with Narc and discusses the type of characters that populate it, including the angry cop he plays, Henry Oak. Mr. Liotta also discusses his preparation work, which required that he gains approximately twenty-five pounds for his part, and Joe Carnahan's working methods. In English, not subtitled. (15 min).

• "Narc: Making the Deal" - this archival program examines the conception and production of Narc. Included in it are clips from interviews with Joe Carnahan, Ray Liotta, and Jason Patric. In English, not subtitled. (14 min).

• "Narc: Shooting Up" - this archival program further examines the style and personality of Narc as well as its pursuit of authenticity. Included in it are additional interviews with executive producer Paula Wagner, Joe Carnahan, Ray Liotta, and Jason Patric. In English, not subtitled. (20 min).

• "Narc: The Visual Trip" - this archival program further examines the visual appearance of Narc. Included in it are additional interviews with director of photography Alex Nepomniaschy and Joe Carnahan. In English, not subtitled. (13 min).

• "The Friedkin Connection" - in this archival program, William Friedkin recalls his first encounter with Narc and comments on some of its similarities to The French Connection. There are some particularly good comments on the existence of good and evil in these films as well. In English, not subtitled. (10 min).

• Commentary - this archival audio commentary was recorded by Joe Carnahan and editor John Gilroy. The commentary was also included on Paramount's R1 DVD release of Narc.

• Trailer - an original U.S. trailer for Narc. In English, not subtitled. (3 min).

• Booklet - 60-page illustrated booklet with writings on the films in Via Vision Entertainment's After Dark: Neo Noir Cinema Collection Two box set.

Narc Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

It is so, so easy to tell that Joe Carnahan grew up watching and admiring the great cop films the 1970s left us. While Narc has a style and personality of its own, Carnahan uses it to pay tribute to these great cop films with a sincerity that is impossible to misinterpret. This, I assure you, is the reason William Friedkin instantly became a big fan of Narc, too. Via Vision Entertainment's release is sourced from an older but solid organic master that was supplied by Paramount Pictures and has an outstanding selection of exclusive new and archival bonus features. It is included in After Dark: Neo Noir Cinema Collection Two, a seven-disc box set. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.