6.3 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 2.5 | |
Overall | 2.5 |
A S.W.A.T. compound comes under fire from an international terrorist who relentlessly and violently pursues a mystery man who was apprehended by Seattle S.W.A.T. after a raid went horribly wrong.
Starring: Adrianne Palicki, Michael Jai White, Pascale Hutton, Kyra Zagorsky, Ty OlssonAction | 100% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.78:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
English: Dolby Digital 5.1
Hungarian: Dolby Digital 5.1
Russian: Dolby Digital 5.1
Russian VO
English, English SDH, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Arabic, Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Estonian, Finnish, Greek, Hebrew, Hungarian, Icelandic, Korean, Latvian, Lithuanian, Mandarin (Traditional), Norwegian, Romanian, Russian, Serbian, Slovak, Slovenian, Swedish, Thai, Turkish
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 2.5 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 0.0 | |
Overall | 2.5 |
If ever there was a movie that defined the absolute midlevel direct-to-video Action flick, it would have to be S.W.A.T.: Under Siege. This one's got it all. It's a film that has nothing to do with the original or the direct-to-video film that followed. It features a name actor in career-winding-down role. Plot is basic, gunplay is generic, sets are bland, characters are flat. It even features an unremarkable twist at the end and a wife with a transparent secret she's hiding from the hero. Random plot holes, second-rate moviemaking, clearly fake props, actors who don't even pretend to know how to handle a gun, and the list of problems and annoyances goes on. There's no way this isn't the world's most generic DTV action flick, but for all its mediocrity it works just well enough as an effectively mindless time killer, a movie with no redeeming value after the fact but passable enough to waste 90 minutes on. In short, the films delivers exactly what's expected of it, never going above and beyond but never stumbling too far down into the gutter, either.
S.W.A.T.: Under Siege's 1080p transfer is just fine, handling the film's simple visuals well enough. Much of the film is comprised of basic character close-ups that reveal enough texturing to please. Faces and skin showcase a format-average level of complexity. S.W.A.T. tactical gear is revealing of webbing, nylon, and other surface details with impressive depth and clarity. Environments are largely dull, but core support qualities are adequately sharp. Colors are very neutral. No bleak blue and gray push, no excess warmth, no funky color timing: it's a very neutral palette that presents everything in fine working order. Black levels are fine, as are flesh tones. Banding is occasionally evident, particularly early along bright skies. Noise and aliasing are nearly non-factors.
S.W.A.T.: Under Siege features a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack that, like the video, is just fine and representative of the baseline for a good general Action flick track. Gunfire is potent with some impressive distinction between weapon types and calibers audible through the din of fire. Heavy machine guns blast at two points in the film with startling punch and push through the stage. Bullets fly about with a good sense of place. Explosions are nicely heavy, as are some support effects, like a handful of large SUVs rumbling through the soundstage. Music is capable, offering good front-side push and separation of instrumental elements. High to low, clarity and presentation are fine. Dialogue is likewise fine, playing with natural front-center placement, good clarity, and effortless prioritization.
S.W.A.T.: Under Siege contains no supplements beyond previews for additional Sony titles. No DVD or digital copies are included, either.
S.W.A.T.: Under Siege is clearly not trying particularly hard, but it's not so poorly made as to embarrass itself. For its flaws -- which are many from the top-down -- there's a sense that the film accomplishes its goals, meager as they may be, which include delivering simple, uncreative entertainment that's not even for the masses but rather the DTV aficionado who is just looking for another movie to kill some time. It works well in that role, and coming into it with zero expectations will yield a passable experience. Sony's featureless Blu-ray does deliver solid enough video and audio. Worth a rental on a slow day.
(Still not reliable for this title)
2015
Warner Archive Collection
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