Blu-ray Movie Reviews

Walter Garber is a New York City subway dispatcher whose ordinary day is thrown into chaos by an audacious crime: the hijacking of a subway train. Ryder, the criminal mastermind behind the hijacking and leader of a highly-armed gang of four, threatens to execute the train's passengers unless a large ransom is paid within one hour. As the tension mounts beneath his feet, Garber employs his vast knowledge of the subway system in a battle to outwit Ryder and save the hostages. But there's one riddle Garber can't solve: even if the thieves get the money, how can they possibly escape.

I almost skipped this one in theaters due to the trailers. It seemed like every movie had a long trailer for this film before it was released and the trailers felt like the Cliff notes with every twist and turn revealed. This seems to be an ongoing trend with trailers lately. Once I gave it a chance though, I really enjoyed it. This is a tight thriller and Tony Scott’s stylish direction makes for a gripping and fun ride. The acting is solid and the film never really bogs down. If you like a slick fast paced thriller, this is one to catch.

Sony is probably the most consistent studio out there for great A/V presentations and this is no exception. The detail on this Blu-ray is outstanding and Tony Scott’s stylized palette looks gorgeous with rich color and contrast in every scene. The movie has plenty of deep blacks and the dimensionality is impressive. The DTS-HD Master Audio mix is also of reference caliber with intense dynamic range, plenty of great surround use and perfect balance within the soundstage. A solid presentation in every way.

Sony has included a digital copy of the film with this release along with BD-Live connectivity so you can chat with buddies while you watch the film. You also get some features on the making of the film and its exhaustive marketing along with some feature commentaries from the director and writer.

If the marketing for this one turned you off like it did me, give it a chance. Tony Scott rarely disappoints with films and this one is a pretty intense thrill ride with solid performances and plenty of thrills. Sony delivers an outstanding presentation for Blu-ray making this one an easy recommendation for fans of Scott and the genre.