Triple
9 (2016/Universal Blu-ray)
Picture:
B+ Sound: B+ Extras: C+ Film: C+
Universal's
new urban gangster film Triple 9 (2016) boasts an impressive
all star cast and realistic action sequences similar to Ben Affleck's
The Town. Powerfully directed by John Hilcoat (Proposition,
The Road), the film stars Norman Reedus, Woody Harrelson,
Casey Affleck, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Aaron Paul, Gal Gadot, Teresa
Palmer, and Kate Winslet.
In
Atlanta, a crew of corrupt cops and career criminals consisting of
Marcus Belmont (Mackie), Franco Rodriguez (Clifton Collins), and Gabe
and Russell Welch (Paul and Reedus) are blackmailed by the Russian
Mob to rob a highly fortified bank in broad daylight. This opening
sequence is visually spectacular when a red powder is released on the
escaping criminals, covering their black ski masks and body armor in
red.
Terrell
Thompkins (Ejiofor), an ex-special forces operator is none too
pleased when a mob boss named Irina Vaslov (expertly played by Kate
Winslet), kidnaps his family, blackmailing him to rob a Special
Forces safe house that contains secret government files that she
wants. He must figure out a way to create a 999, police code for
officer down and frame a new rookie cop named Chris Allen (Affleck).
Things go south when Allen survives an attack and seeks to expose
them all and its every man and woman for themselves in a explosive
finale.
While
the film has a high production value and nice cinematography, the
pacing is sometimes slow and ominous, heavy on drama. The film
doesn't allow too much humor and stays on its straight path of gritty
and serious drama that works for a certain older audience. If you're
a fan of cop thrillers like The Departed, then this is
probably a film that you will enjoy. I found it to be well made and
not without its entertaining moments but ultimately not a film I
would watch more than once.
Presented
in 1080p high definition with a pristine widescreen presentation of
2:39:1 and a lossless English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track that
sounds fantastic throughout. There is also a digital copy of the
film including for your tablet or smartphone if you watch your movies
on the go.
Special
Features:
-
Deleted Scenes
-
Under the Gun: The acclaimed cast of Triple 9 offers an
in-depth look at its characters and the pulse-pounding twists and
turns at the heart of the film.
-
Authentic World: Director John Hillcoat and the cast of Triple 9
discuss how their grounded approach to filmmaking helped highlight
the film's gritty, authentic look and feel.
-
James Lockhart
https://www.facebook.com/jamesharlandlockhartv/
