5.9 | / 10 |
Users | 2.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
A State Department employee newly posted to the American embassy in London is charged with stopping terrorists from getting into the U.S. That puts her right in the line of fire and she is targeted for death and framed for crimes. Discredited, she is forced to go on the run while she tries to clear her name and stop a large-scale terrorist attack set for New Year's Eve in Times Square.
Starring: Milla Jovovich, Pierce Brosnan, Dylan McDermott, Angela Bassett, Robert ForsterThriller | 100% |
Action | 96% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: Dolby Digital 5.1 (448 kbps)
English: Dolby Digital 2.0 (192 kbps)
English SDH, Spanish
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A (C untested)
Movie | 2.5 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 1.5 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
If there are three perfect little words to describe Survivor, they would be "dime-a-dozen." The film, from Director James McTeigue -- best known for the fight-the-system favorite V for Vendetta -- is a lackluster affair at best, on one hand a nicely polished and technically sound movie but, on the other, a fully unoriginal thing that dares not defy convention. The movie moves along swiftly enough, its relatively brisk 90-some-odd-minute runtime just perfect for a film with nothing new to offer. As characters physically maneuver around busy streets and mentally maneuver through the minefield of cat-and-mouse escapades, the picture maneuvers through predictable, threadbare plot devices, stale action scenes, and see-them-coming revelations that are finely honed just enough to keep audience attention but not make anything novel or exciting out of them. Survivor, then, represents the classic "time filler" movie, something that's well made and reasonably entertaining but hardly a thing of any noteworthy artistic merit, hefty dramatic purpose, or memorable character development. "Dime-a-dozen" indeed.
Run Abbot Run
Survivor's 1080p transfer satisfies in all areas of concern. Details are precise and consistently so. Close-up skin textures reveal minor flaws and heavy aging lines alike. Applied makeup, too, is subtly visible. Basic image clarity excels, allowing both broad details, such as storefronts and streets in London, and more up-close features, like clothing lines, to appear crisp and naturally defined. Colors are balanced and accurate with no apparent dullness and no over compensation by way of excess brightness or garishness. Black levels are attractively deep and flesh tones appear to mirror real-life complexions. The picture does show some mild banding across a few backgrounds but never to any sort of troublesome extent. This is a fine all-around image from Alchemy.
Note: The disc's menu advertises a Dolby TrueHD 5.1 lossless soundtrack, but a Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack is included in its place. The review
has been updated to reflect the discrepancy.
Survivor's Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack is continuously active and alive. There's plenty for the track to do, from thundering explosions
to subtle atmospherics, all of which are handled professionally and with pinpoint polish. The film begins with a war sequence that produces thick
gunfire, swooshing rockets, and rumbly helicopters zipping around the stage. Throughout the rest of the film, away from the war zone but sometimes
nearly as chaotic, there's ample opportunity for the track to send potent explosions and weighty gunfire into the listening area, which it does regularly
and dynamically. Additionally, there's a wide range of ambient effects, from very subtle details like shuffling papers and train station din to more
pronounced and obvious elements like passing London traffic and wailing alarms. Dialogue never gets lost in the mix and enjoys good center
placement
and effortless clarity.
Survivor contains a featurette and deleted scenes.
Survivor doesn't push any limits. Its story lacks creativity, its characters aren't unique or particularly interesting, and its action is as routine as it gets. But it does everything well enough; there are no gaping holes, no glaring oversights. It's a technically sound movie, lacking to be sure but never an embarrassment to anyone involved or the cinematic craft in a broader sense. Audiences should enjoy it well enough given that expectations are kept in check, i.e. never expecting anything more than a modest diversion. In that sense the movie delivers. It's classic "filler," and at the end of the day there's really nothing wrong with that. Alchemy's Blu-ray release of Survivor does boast high quality video and audio. Supplements are limited to a short feature and deleted scenes, about what one would expect from a Blu-ray release of a movie of this caliber. Easily worth a rental or a buy at a low price.
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