5.7 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
Alone and trapped in a locked-down hospital isolation ward overnight, an injured young woman must escape a pair of vicious killers who are after the only piece of evidence that can implicate them in a grisly murder - the bullet in her leg. Luckily, a veteran cop is assigned to protect her, and he becomes her protector as the night grows more dangerous.
Starring: Nicky Whelan, Bruce Willis, Tito Ortiz, Texas Battle, Catherine DavisThriller | 100% |
Action | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
English SDH, Spanish
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Digital copy
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 2.5 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 1.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
Run times are climbing steadily in today’s marketplace, with productions seemingly locked in battle to inflate theater sits just to be considered substantial, possibly justifying ticket prices while overloading storytelling requirements. And then there’s “Trauma Center,” which is 81-minutes long and isn’t about anything of note. Such a picture begs the question: would you rather sit through an extended movie that’s trying too hard or a slight endeavor that has nothing to share? “Trauma Center” has brevity, which is appealing, but writer Paul Da Silva and director Matt Eskandari don’t have much else for their contained thriller, which could easily transform into a taut cat-and-mouse game set inside of a hospital, but the filmmakers don’t share that ambition, taking things slowly to no particular destination, allowing cliché to support the whole feature.
There's not a lot of visual firepower to "Trauma Center," which offers an AVC encoded image (2.39:1 aspect ratio) presentation. The action is contained to hospital rooms and hallways, which offers a dimly lit playground for the hunt, while colors mostly favor the softer white and green medical paint scheme of the building. Cutting through the image are shots of deep red blood and Whelan's ice blue eyes, which the cinematography emphasizes as much as it can. Brighter exterior shots deliver appealing greenery and golden sunshine. Costuming has occasional pep, and skintones are natural. Detail handles close-ups with sharpness, securing facial surfaces, and hospital interiors showcase the textures of metallic and plastic machinery. Delineation is acceptable, with minimal solidification. Banding flares up periodically.
The 5.1 DTS-HD MA mix isn't dealing with a hard-charging movie, as much of "Trauma Center" is explored in silence, with the lead character trying to escape trouble as quietly as possible. Dialogue exchanges are crisp, securing the lumpy expositional needs of the movie, and there's distinct breathing on the track as Madison exhausts herself as she remains one step ahead of her pursuers. Scoring is supportive with adequate instrumentation. Surrounds aren't explosive, primarily used for hospital atmospherics and room tone. Some mild panning effects are noted. Low-end has power with sudden acts of violence.
"Trauma Center" tries to get something going with shifting possession of a memory card that exposes everything, and Willis is a little more wide-eyed than usual, giving his nothing part some atypical emphasis. Whelan also puts in a bit of effort, going through a range of grunting as Madison limps around the building, eventually forced to perform self-surgery to stay alive. But these little blips of energy do nothing to get "Trauma Center" moving. There's nothing original about the endeavor, and the production has no interest in creating something scrappy. "Trauma Center" is short, but hopelessly bland, better at inspiring frustration than unearthing thrills.
2014
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