Blu-ray Movie Reviews

In this film, three conflicted New York City police officers are forever transformed by their involvement in a massive drug operation. Burned out veteran Eddie Dugan is just one week away from his retirement. Narcotics officer Sal Procida has discovered there's no line he won't cross to provide a better life for his long-suffering wife and seven children. And Clarence "Tango" Butler has been undercover so long his loyalties have started to shift from his fellow police officers to his prison buddy Caz, one of Brooklyn's most infamous drug dealers. With personal and work pressures bearing down on them, each man finds himself spiraling toward the same fatal crime scene and a shattering collision with destiny in this gripping crime drama from acclaimed director Antoine Fuqua.

From the director of Training Day comes a hard edged look at three different New York cops who have the weight of the world bearing down on them. This is a pretty gripping film that shows three very different tales that never really intersect. The acting is tremendous and like Training Day show a dark look at the life of cops. Anyone that is a fan of dark police drama should give this a look.

Overall this is a pretty solid Blu-ray transfer with only a few shortcomings. I noticed some mild aliasing with some of the fine detail in the film from time to time. This is also a VERY dark film that will probably frustrate some with displays that don’t feature state of the art contrast. Fine detail is good though and depth and dimension are exemplary. The soundtrack is featured in uncompressed PCM 5.1, which is a rarity these days, and packs quite the punch when it comes to dynamics. The score and ambiance of the film also add a tremendous weight to the visual message.

Anchor Bay includes a digital copy of the film and the Blu-ray includes a feature commentary with the director. You also get a behind the scenes look at the film, and some features that delve into the themes presented by it.

This one has a tremendous cast and all of them put on powerhouse performances. This is dark stuff but a gripping cop thriller nonetheless. Recommended.