Switchback Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		3.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		0.5
Overall		2.5

Switchback Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman March 1, 2022

Switchback is a twisting, turning procedural with a gritty Thriller underbelly that, unlike the methodically precise killer who is the object of pursuit in the film, grinds and gorges with some regularity. The film, from Writer/Director Jeb Stuart (writer, Die Hard, The Fugitive), is dark and visceral. It slow-drips truth and is patient in revealing character motivations. It's arguably too slow, but the methodical pacing is a key part of its stark atmosphere and plan of cinematic attack. It's not a film for audiences looking for a quick adrenaline fix, but it's a decently rewarding slow-burn experience that features several solid performances.

A sheriff's race in Amarillo, Texas, between incumbent Buck Olmstead (R. Lee Ermey) and his opponent, chief of police Jack McGinnis (William Fichtner), intensifies when a double murder proves opportunistic for each man. The investigation seems to be headed nowhere, but when FBI agent Frank LaCrosse (Dennis Quaid) arrives on the scene, armed with far more information on the killer than the police possess, it seems the case may be on the verge of cracking. That is good news for Olmstead, who is working with LaCrosse. Meanwhile, the peculiar Bob Goodall (Danny Glover) picks up hitchhiker Lane Dixon (Jared Leto) and the pair bond. However, appearances are not what they seem, and each character is secretly motivated beyond surface appearances.

In Switchback, there are many moving parts that are designed to both structurally reinforce the story and keep it churning in a manner that masks its many truths. It takes a good 50 minutes for the story to come into even a semblance of focus, when it has finally finished with its deep and complex groundwork that allows the transition to a new series of character realities and motivations to propel the story forward. The question is whether that first half is powerful enough, engaging enough, far enough removed from rote Thriller territory for its development to matter to audiences. And the answer is not entirely clear. The film is so mired in procedural and familiar beats in that first half that it risks losing the audience that is expecting a few twists but may find the film too methodical out of the gate and its own interest waning to really care. Stuart struggles to hold pace through the first half, not necessarily because the story is poorly developed, but because it's too familiar: the acting, the narrative rhythm, the cinematic structure all point to something everyone has seen before. There's little to be excited about beyond the film's ability to capture essential genre motifs.

The second half is a better film, with many of the key veils lifted and the forward momentum gaining traction to carry the picture to completion. There are a couple of key twists revealed around the 50-minute mark, which is a clear demarcation line for the flat procedural preceding it and the fresher narrative proceeding it, "fresher" relative because even in light of the new reveals there's not a lot of creative storytelling or cinema construction at work. Nevertheless, a few good pieces, expressive landscapes and backdrops, and a few worthwhile performances carry the film on to completion. Once the reveals are made, there's not a lot of wiggle room for the film to risk something out of the norm; it sticks to the playbook fairly tight but the transformative reveals, and a few solid performances from Quaid and Glover, elevate the movie just enough to label it as "worthwhile." The film also features an early career Jared Leto and a veteran R. Lee Ermey in a role that is not against type but not so far from is comfort zone as to challenge him in a meaningful way.

Switchback Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

While there are some scattered imperfections in play, this Blu-ray release of Switchback looks fairly good in the aggregate. Grain is, by-and-large, quite pleasing and organic, holding to a mostly natural, light structure that is consistent and filmic, hindered only by some mild low light spikes and some slight compression issues here and there. Details are sturdy if not wanting just a bit here and there. Core facial textures fare well enough but don't expect razor sharp intricacy and tactile intimacy. There's a mild flatness to the picture, which is not helped by a fairly depressed color grading that leaves the film lacking evident punch and vitality which does complement its essential tone. Core colors are handled well enough in that light while black level depth and skin tones hold to a fairly good and appealing level of baseline satisfaction. This is hardly a transfer worth writing home about, but it gets the job done.

Switchback Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Switchback's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack is likewise proficient though not noteworthy in any way. Baseline clarity is fine, spacing satisfies requirements, and some of the more robust action scenes offer more expansive and expressive detail and feelings for immersion. However, lifelike clarity is never achieved, but this is still a good and balanced, if not somewhat generic, listening experience. Score plays with appropriate width and detail, too. The track does a fair job with environmental immersion, but surrounds are not engaged with regularity, and neither is the subwoofer. Dialogue is adequately clear and center for focused for the duration. It is also well prioritized.

Switchback Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The only supplement included with this Blu-ray release of Switchback is the film's Theatrical Trailer (1080p upscaled, window box, 1:50). No DVD or digital copies are included with purchase. This release does not ship with a slipcover.

Switchback Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Switchback drags through rote procedural, albeit rote procedural done fairly well in a gritty, knife-twisting sort of way, and the film shifts course halfway through when a couple of reveals redefining its forward direction. This is hardly memorable moviemaking, but a solid cast and a decent foundation elevate to "worth watching." Paramount's Blu-ray is featureless beyond a trailer. Video and audio are fine. Worth a look.