The Courier Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		2.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.5
Overall		3.5

The Courier Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf April 28, 2020

Olga Kurylenko has participated in a number of action films (“Quantum of Solace,” “Centurion”), but she’s never been offered the opportunity to be the main attraction in bruiser entertainment. Kurylenko’s wish is granted with “The Courier,” which tracks a game of survival for a woman caught in a dangerous international incident. The actress is clearly the best thing in the production, displaying admirable commitment to all sorts of physical entanglements and bloody makeup. The rest of “The Courier” can’t live up to her energy level, with co-writer/director Zackary Adler stumbling with a poorly plotted endeavor that plays into most VOD cliches, including the hiring of a major actor (in this case, Gary Oldman) to stand around, bark a few lines, and collect a fat paycheck.

Feared arms dealer Ezekiel (Gary Oldman) has finally been captured after years of destructive underworld activity. Placed on house arrest in London, Ezekiel continues to conduct business while being guarded, relying on his daughter, Alys (Calli Taylor), for support. Under government protection is Nick (Amit Shah), Ezekiel’s ex-employee and a skittish man who witnessed the gangster murder a subordinate, scooped up by Special Agent Robert (Dermot Mulroney), who wants to use this testimony to put the bad man away for the rest of his life. On her way to Nick’s hotel with a special courtroom camera is The Courier (Olga Kurylenko), an enigmatic motorcycle-riding professional who’s the best at what she does. Arriving at the destination to drop off the equipment, The Courier soon realizes she’s in the middle of an assassination attempt, with ringleader Bryant (William Moseley) attempting to kill Nick. Saving the frightened man’s life, The Courier tries to lead Nick out of the building, only to end up in a standoff with Bryant’s goons inside a parking garage.

Ezekiel is not the main protagonist in “The Courier.” Oldman isn’t about to commit to that kind of work schedule, instead slipping on an eye patch and warming up some old screaming leftovers from “The Professional” to play the puppet master, who spends most of the movie in a chair. House arrest isn’t easy on Ezekiel, and Oldman fans will find little to be excited about, as the actor’s screen time is limited, along with his movement, preferring to deliver cold-stare close-ups and trade lines with Taylor, who’s not the most seasoned scene partner. Bryant is actually the prime baddie in “The Courier,” monitoring the central assassination attempt, which uses the camera device The Courier has brought to the hotel to fill the room with poison gas, effectively slaughtering everyone attached to this witness protection plan. Luckily for The Courier, her instincts and use of a bulletproof vest keeps her alive after the deadly delivery, setting up the central chase as she escapes with Nick, inspiring Bryant to send in waves of hired goons to take out the pair and grant Ezekiel freedom.

While it might read as potential excitement, “The Courier” mostly takes place in the parking garage. Sure, the opening of the movie whisks viewers to America and zooms around London, but this is just a tease, as The Courier’s battle for survival takes place inside the dull, gray concrete confines of the garage, which is certainly a way for Adler to keep his budget as low as possible. The film (which opens with a painfully unnecessary flash- forward, ruining any future suspense) basically details Ezekiel getting mad at people during his house arrest and The Courier dodging detection in the garage, mostly hiding behind cars, bantering with Nick, who’s meant to be the comic relief of the effort. To keep the character interesting, The Courier is assigned a stained military past, which also helps to explain her fight skills, as the delivery woman goes up against mercenaries, a sniper, and even a drone, which zips around, hunting for the elusive twosome.

The Courier Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (2.39:1 aspect ratio) presentation secures a textured look at the world of "The Courier," dealing with two very different environments. For Ezekiel's world inside his apartment, detail enjoys bright lighting, which illuminates the frame in full, offering a look at interior design and building architecture, and facial particulars are most distinct here, examining the villain's scarred face. The Courier's side of the picture remains in a parking garage, and the concrete bunker-like feel for her adventure is preserved, with limited light and rough walls. Colors are acceptable, capturing stylish costuming and washes of red for emergency lighting. Skintones are natural. Delineation has its struggles with solidification, but nothing carries throughout the viewing experience. Mild banding is detected.

The Courier Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA sound mix favors a more frontal position for the action. Surrounds are engaged for atmospherics and garage tone, along with London tours. Dialogue exchanges are crisp, securing argumentative dialogue and breathless chases. Scoring is compelling, offering a heavier synth throb at times. Low-end embraces action beats with heaviness, and motorcycle rides offer a welcome rumble. Sound effects handle expectedly, with snappy gunfire and metallic destruction.

The Courier Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features co-writer/director Zackary Adler and co-writer/composer James Edward Barker.

• A Trailer (2:28, HD) has been included.

The Courier Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"The Courier" is bland, but it does get violent, with Adler ramping up bodily harm whenever he can. The Courier goes into Rambo mode on a few occasions, and the rage fits Kurylenko's feral acting style, giving the movie some needed fury. However, the rest of the picture is ridiculous and limited in scope, finding the parking garage providing few options for variation as the characters scramble around the building. The screenplay tries to jazz things up with a few plot turns to keep viewers guessing, and The Courier is in possession of a high-tech helmet, making her a real-world Iron Man, using it to her advantage. There's potential here for a tight, tense actioner, but "The Courier" is only interested in formula, with Adler spending most of the feature short-sheeting potential for suspense.