The Film
Director Tony Scott's retelling of the classic heist film trips a red signal almost out of the station. Where the original featured a seemingly solid plan that kept you guessing, this one tries to go another route to throw you off and instead derails practically from the beginning. In part this is because the film has too many quick-cuts while Scott throws in too much style with little substance -- and to show that this is current, drops endless "F Bombs" while also using an entirely inappropriate hip hop laced musical soundtrack.
Besides being a remake, the fact that John Travolta has played an over-the-top hostage taker with snappy dialog (Swordfish) and Denzel Washington has played the not-quite-up-to-the-task hostage negotiator in New York City who is under investigation from his superiors (Inside Man) makes this film just seem so much like it's going down the same old path - much like the trains on the New York subway.
For another take on this one, check out Mark Grady's review of the film.
The Picture
There is no denying that Blu-ray can make even bad movies look good, and this one is no exception. Presented in 2.40:1 1080p widescreen, this one brings out the grittiness of the MTA, while still getting the various colors to pop - notably on the large tracking boards that the dispatchers watch to see train movement. The stylistic cuts are overkill at times, and while Tony Scott throws in a needless police race with the money, it looks mighty fine.
The Sound
Anyone who has ever been in the subway knows that moment of the train arriving in the station, with the brakes squealing, and this Blu-ray brings all that home. So much so that you might even cover your ears without even thinking about it. The 5.1 DTS Master Audio soundtrack is excellent: the dialog comes through super clear, while the various sound effects including the aforementioned train noises and gun fire can be almost shatteringly loud. Ambient noises nicely immerse you in the experience, so much so that you might feel like you're practically riding the rails.
The Extras
This heist film didn't try to make off with the goods, and Sony offers enough bonus material that this feels like a deluxe edition (or would that be express edition?). This includes a making of featurette, a short documentary on the actual New York subways (just don't try this heist for real), a bonus feature on the characters, information on the marketing campaign, and finally two commentary tracks - one with director Scott, and one with the writer Brian Helgeland and producer Todd Black. There are also previews of other Sony titles, and the usual cinechat on-screen message feature, and the movieIQ trivia stuff, plus a digital copy for PCs and iPods. This makes for enough stuff that it is worth the transfer.
Final Thoughts
It is hard to remake a classic - and actually this one was already remade as a TV movie - but the real reason this one derails so badly isn't just the fact that the original was so original. This movie suffers from numerous plot holes, poor pacing and a predictable outcome, but the worst of it is that having played virtually the same roles the two leads just go through the motions: 1, 2, 3.
Product Details
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