The Trigger Effect Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		2.0
Audio		3.5
Extras		0.5
Overall		2.5

The Trigger Effect Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman June 24, 2019

'The Trigger Effect' is currently only available as part of a two film bundle that also includes 'Body Count.'

Matthew (Kyle MacLachlan) and Annie (Elisabeth Shue) are parents to a beautiful young baby girl who is suffering from a serious ear infection that is presenting with a high grade fever and quickly spiraling out of control. When the power goes out for a prolonged period with no end in sight -- not just locally but across the city and perhaps the entire state, country, or world -- and even the radios and phones go on the fritz, the couple, along with family friend Joe (Dermot Mulroney), are forced to make difficult choices in order to save the baby and survive the chaos of the crumbling world around them.

The Trigger Effect Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The image is clearly sourced from an older, dated master that unquestionably dates back to the DVD era. It appears heavily processed and artificial. It's flat, smooth, and inorganic. Edge enhancement is commonplace; chapters seven and eight, during some lengthy daytime exteriors, are particularly egregious. The image is texturally unappealing but does offer enough essential detail and clarity thanks to the 1080p resolution to scrape on by. Colors are likewise simple and not particularly jazzy but also not entirely flat and dull. There's enough essential pop to clothes, natural greenery, and other hues seen in daytime exteriors to satisfy essential requirements. Skin tones are decent and black levels are not too prone to crush. The image is watchable but not much more.

The Trigger Effect Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The Trigger Effect's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack offer sporadic amounts of background activity, including helicopters flying through the back, crowd din in a hospital and pharmacy that offer full and fairly detailed feels for location density, and background insect ambience along long stretches of open highway in chapters seven and eight. A blaring car alarm, barking dogs, and several gunshots offer some of the more interesting, but not necessarily intense and deep, sound elements in the movie. Music offers good front side stretch and fair clarity. Dialogue presents with quality detail and prioritization from a natural front-center location.

The Trigger Effect Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

All that's included is a Theatrical Trailer (480i, 2:07) for The Trigger Effect.

The Trigger Effect Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Civil unrest and movies about the collapse of society allow audiences to experience a dangerous, unusual, and unpredictable situation from the comfort of all of the creature comfort the characters no longer enjoy. The Trigger Effect is not compelling, but it's an interesting exercise in exploring what might happen when the world must suddenly cope with the loss of basic infrastructure and the dwindling of humanity itself. Mill Creek's Blu-ray is sourced from a dated master that does not look very good. Audio is decent. No extras beyond a trailer are included. Worth a look more so for the movie than for its Blu-ray presentation.