Blu-ray Movie Reviews

During an historic counter-terrorism summit in Spain the President of the United States is struck down by an assassin's bullet. Eight strangers have a perfect view of the kill but what did they really see? As the minutes leading up to the fatal shot are replayed through the eyes of each eyewitness the reality of the assassination takes shape. But just when you think you know the answer the shattering final truth is revealed.

Despite the rather lukewarm reception I really ended up enjoying this one. It doesn’t bring anything real new to the table but its pacing and flair for intense action made it a fun ride. The film plays out from different points of view until the end when you see the culmination of events unfold. There are a few bumps along the way in acting and storyline but they didn’t detract from the fun. Anyone who enjoys a good action thrill ride should definitely give this one a look.

Sony has really delivered on this presentation on both fronts. The HD picture is incredible with razor sharp imagery and amazing depth of field. Close-ups show some of the finest detail that I’ve seen on Blu-ray and the strong use of contrast and color make for an incredibly dimensional image. I did see a few spots when the image was a bit inconsistent in detail but they were short-lived and barely a blip in this otherwise gorgeous Blu-ray transfer.

The Dolby TrueHD 5.1 soundtrack is also first rate right from the get go. The film’s score does a great job of setting the tone with its ominous bass lines and great atmospheric overtones. The front soundstage is incredible in depth and width and the surrounds do a great job with the frantic action and rich soundfield. Dynamic range is exceptional during the more chaotic sequences and the soundtrack has some impressive infrasonics during the intense car chases and from some of the explosions. My only gripe was the balance of dialogue with the film’s score. There were a few instances where the score was a bit high and made it hard to hear what was being said. Thankfully I only noticed this in one key sequence and the rest of the time I was really enjoying the rich soundstage.

Sony takes advantage of the Bonus View features of Blu-ray and incorporates a GPS tracker that runs during the film. The tracker has a sky view of the area and shows you the locations of the key players during the events and also includes their footage running simultaneously with the main film. Some production features are also included and cover the spectacular car chase sequence and creating the story. There is also a feature commentary and interviews with the cast and crew.

This one was a lot more fun than I was expecting and Sony’s outstanding A/V presentation made it even better. A solid thriller that is definitely worth a look on Blu-ray.