6.2 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 2.5 | |
Overall | 2.5 |
In the shadow of Manhattan, the lives of three ambitious men intersect when Sully, a dim-witted septic tank cleaner, decides to rob $50,000 from the local mob boss.
Starring: Ethan Hawke, Vincent D'Onofrio, Seymour Cassel, Julianne Nicholson, Adrian MartinezThriller | 100% |
Crime | 86% |
Drama | 19% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080i
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English: Dolby Digital 5.1 (448 kbps)
English SDH, Spanish
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A, B (C untested)
Movie | 2.5 | |
Video | 2.5 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 2.0 | |
Overall | 2.5 |
I’m not exactly up on my Staten Island history, but if you listen to the introduction to the latest film about the fifth borough of New York City, you’ll end up with a picture that’s not what I’d consider a glowing report. It would seem Staten Island is somewhat notorious for the role the mafia has played in the New York suburb over the years, which led to the assumption that the borough is a dumping ground for bodies of those that crossed various members of the mob. Digging into film history over the past few decades, it appears Staten Island is also the chosen filming location for the mafia genre, having played host to The Godfather, Goodfellas, and Donnie Brasco. I suppose it was only a matter of time before somebody decided to revisit the island for another stab at the genre, so it seems fitting that the man behind a film titled Staten Island also happens to be a New York City native. For those who’ve never heard of writer/director James DeMonaco, he was the man behind the screenplay of the Assault on Precinct 13 remake starring Ethan Hawke (he also co-wrote The Negotiator starring Samuel L. Jackson). Stepping into the director’s chair for his first outing, DeMonaco has crafted a film that feels a bit too familiar for its own good, but still manages to offer an entertaining experience.
Creepy or endearing? You be the judge.
Presented in 1080i utilizing the AVC codec (at an average bitrate of 18Mbps), Staten Island is somewhat hit-or-miss on Blu-ray. The primary area of inconsistency is the level of clarity, which rarely displays texturing on facial features, the fabric of clothing, or fine strands of hair. Given the lack of film grain throughout the production, I'd conclude the lack of precise textures is due to an overuse of DNR to filter out "unwanted" aspects of the source material. Unfortunately, the negative effects of DNR far outweigh the positives, damaging the proficiency of fine object detail in the process. The second problem with the transfer is the presence of what appears to be brightness boosting, which affects the depth of black levels and wreaks havoc on contrast. The problem is most apparent in darker scenes, where shadow details blend together into large clusters of black. On the positive side, the color spectrum looks quite good (especially during scenes in the daylight), and I rarely noticed any compression artifacts or digital anomalies (which usually plague 1080i offerings).
At first impression, the lossless surround mix for Staten Island may seem a touch on the weak side, since the majority of the audio elements are delivered through the front sound field. However, as the film played out, I found a new sense of respect for the unique sound design. For instance, there's a robbery scene about halfway through the second story in the film (introducing the septic collector), where one of the thieves hears a gunshot within the house and moves toward the room where an elderly resident was watching television. As he gets closer and closer to his destination, the muffled sound of the television program rises in volume throughout the entire surround field, delivering an outstanding sense of immersion. Another great audio sequence features Seymour Cassel in his role as the deaf-mute deli attendant, who's tasked with completing a less-than-savory side job for the mafia. During one particular scene, a body is brought in, and the audience is treated to an audio experience that replicates Jasper's inability to hear sounds or voices. It's similar to the effect you occasionally hear in war films when an explosion occurs near a soldier and they temporarily lose their sense of hearing. What makes the effect more impressive in Staten Island is the realization that he's able to hear one cringe-inducing aspect of his deli job, which involves the use of a saw (you'll have to see the film to truly appreciate what I'm referring to). Aside from the creative audio inclusions previously mentioned, this is a laid back mix that lacks the aggressive nature of an action-heavy mix, but still suits the material just fine.
Interview with Vincent D'Onofrio (480p, Dolby Digital 2.0, 2.19 min): This extremely short interview shows the actor joking about Staten Island, and discussing the themes he was striving for in his role as Parmie Tarzo.
Deleted Scenes (480p, Dolby Digital 2.0, 2:36 min): The two deleted scenes included offer little worth in the context of the film, so it's understandable they were cut from the final product.
Rounding out the extras, we have a 480p trailer for Staten Island, and an audio commentary with writer/director James DeMonaco, who's joined by actors Ethan Hawke and Vincent D'Onofrio. The commentary track is fairly interesting if you're a fan of Hawke or D'Onofrio, since they spend a good deal of time discussing their individual roles, and offering acting advice.
Despite enjoying certain aspects of Staten Island, I found it difficult to offer more than a lukewarm rental recommendation. The film itself is entertaining enough for a single viewing, but like so many other entries in the "converging stories" sub-genre, it fails to leave a lasting impression. As a result, the replay value takes a tremendous hit, since I can't imagine many viewers choosing to sit through a film when they already know the telegraphed manner in which it ends. I really wish I could give DeMonaco's first directorial outing a higher overall score, but he just barely missed the mark. Purely from a technical standpoint, I was disappointed to find a newly released Blu-ray encoded in the inferior 1080i resolution, and the audio experience doesn't go far enough to rectify the downgrades on the transfer. Stick with a rental, or wait for the film to hit the lower end of your Blu-ray budget.
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