6.5 | / 10 |
Users | 3.9 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.7 |
When straight arrow FBI agent Roy Clayton heads up the investigation into a dangerous international conspiracy, all clues seem to lead back to former U.S. Special Operations officer, Samir Horn. A mysterious figure with a web of connections to terrorist organizations, Horn has a knack for emerging on the scene just as a major operation goes down. The inter-agency task force looking into the case meets with Carter, a veteran CIA contractor who seemingly has his own agenda and Max Archer, a fellow FBI agent. The task force links Horn to a prison break in Yemen, a bombing in Nice and a raid in London, but a tangle of contradictory evidence emerges, forcing Clayton to question whether his quarry is a disaffected former military operative -- or something far more complicated. Obsessed with discovering the truth, Clayton tracks Horn across the globe as the elusive ex-soldier burrows deeper and deeper into a world of shadows and intrigue.
Starring: Don Cheadle, Guy Pearce, Saïd Taghmaoui, Neal McDonough, Alyy KhanThriller | 100% |
Crime | 78% |
Drama | 13% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.40:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: Dolby TrueHD 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English SDH, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (1 BD, 1 DVD)
Digital copy (on disc)
BD-Live
Region A (locked)
Movie | 3.0 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 3.5 | |
Extras | 1.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
A man who is not afraid to die can never be defeated.
Traitor is one of those movies that features a great idea but only decent execution. That
doesn't mean it's not an entertaining enough ride. This globe trekking political thriller plays out
with a somewhat predictable flair with a couple of good ideas to keep it just fresh enough to make
for an entertaining, but hardly thought-provoking, experience. Nevertheless, Traitor
rewards audiences with a plot that plays as grittier, more dangerous, and easily more timely than
fluffier, more audience-friendly race-against-time spy thrillers with clear-cut heroes and villains.
Traitor tries to be more complex, and though it doesn't always achieve that end, the
means by which it attempts to get there makes it at least moderately compelling. If for no other
reason, Traitor is worth watching for its partial role reversal, placing a name actor in a
lead role that is unconventional and surprising to say the least. Traitor favors the
uninitiated viewer, and while it may hold some replay value as viewers search for clues as to its
none-to-surprising twist, those with the least amount of knowledge as to the film's plot will be the
most richly rewarded going in, so with that, anyone who will be seeing it for the first time
may be best served by skipping to the technical section of this review.
Traitor: Incognito.
Traitor infiltrates Blu-ray with a high quality 1080p, 2.35:1-framed transfer. The film features that bright, overblown, washed out look that so many newer films, particularly those dealing with the Middle East (like The Kingdom) seem to employ. Also like these other films, the look transfers well to Blu-ray. Some detail is washed out, but many shots exhibit an almost breathtaking level. Many of the unkempt, dirty exteriors of Yemen seen early in the film absolutely sparkle with lifelike translation on 1080p Blu-ray; worn doors, broken tile, cracked mortar, and chipped paint, all make for a pleasing, high quality watch that adds to the tension and gritty nature of the film. A sometimes non-too-subtle layer of grain also aids in creating the intended look. Close-up shots of actors also reveal an excellent level of detail and texture. Several overhead cityscape shots, for example one of Chicago in chapter nine, offers breathtaking clarity; the shot could not have looked any better if the viewer were flying overhead in real life. The darkest corners of various frames feature excellent blacks, though some of the film's darker scenes buzz with plenty of noise. All in all, Traitor is another fabulous looking disc from Starz.
Starz sends Traitor to Blu-ray with a quality Dolby TrueHD 5.1 lossless soundtrack. The track is never over-the-top explosive nor finely tuned with the most subtle nuances pouring into the listening area, but it is more than sufficient where it needs to be. An explosion in the opening moments of the film just might scare listeners out of their seats; it packs a volatile punch that rattles the chest cavity and scatters the pets for good measure. Most of the film's bass is limited to a few select action sequences, but it delivers when called upon. An assault on the Yemeni prison camp in chapter seven offers excellent directional effects, real-sounding (and feeling) explosions, and an accompanying score that plays to excellent effect over the front with a bit of support from the back. Much of the movie is front- and dialogue-heavy, which is delivered naturally and cleanly from the center. There is not much in the way of rear-channel environmental support, though the front speakers carry a nice bit of outdoor atmospherics; blowing wind, chirping birds, and passing cars in the distance help to bring several scenes to life, though there is never a sense of total immersion. All told, the track is above average, but lacks the last bit of detail to take it over the top.
This Blu-ray release of Traitor features several average extras. First up is a commentary track with writer/director Jeffrey Nachmanoff and actor Don Cheadle. The pair is affable and interesting, describing the origins of particular scenes, the look the film employs, filming locations, technical details behind the filmmaking process, and more. Both are well-versed and proud of their craft, and they make this commentary track one of the better available. Two featurettes are next. Action! (1080p, 4:39) looks at how action fits into the film with interview snippets and behind-the-scenes footage. International Espionage (1080p, 5:13) briefly examines the numerous filming locations. Also included is the film's theatrical trailer (1080p, 2:11) and additional trailers for Henry Poole is Here, The Visitor, and Sleepwalking. The disc also features BD-Live (Blu-ray profile 2.0) functionality. At time of writing, only trailers for Traitor, The Visitor, and Mad Money were available. Disc two of this set contains a digital copy of the film. Unfortunately, it is not Mac compatible, a trend with recent Starz digital copies that will hopefully be remedied with future digital copies.
Traitor plays out a bit better than it should, thanks in large part Don Cheadle's first-class performance. The film suffers from predictability, though several scenarios play out well enough to veil the limited script. Once the film's big revelation is made known halfway through the film, Traitor loses steam and becomes a far-too-average thriller that is just good enough to keep audiences watching through to the end, but doesn't engage them in any way. As such, Traitor is a film worth watching, but at days end it's just another thriller, perhaps standing slightly taller than the competition. Starz presents Traitor on Blu-ray with an exceptional video transfer, a fine lossless soundtrack, and a couple of generic supplements. While Traitor might make a nice addition to a burgeoning Blu-ray library, it's limited replay value makes it better suited as a rental until the price comes down.
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