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Tokarev
[Blu-ray]
Blu-ray B - United Kingdom - Anchor Bay Entertainment Review written by and copyright: Samuel Scott (16th September 2014). |
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The Film
 ***This is a technical review only. For reviews on the movie from various critics, we recommend visiting HERE.*** The past never stays dead. After a life of crime in his younger years Paul Maguire (Cage - Kick Ass, Leaving Las Vegas), now lives a charmed life. Fully reformed from his old ways, he is now a successful businessman, with a nice house, a lovely wife Vanessa (Rachel Nichols - Star Trek, Conan The Barbarian) and a wonderful daughter Caitlin (Aubrey Peeples - Nashville, Sharknado), who he dotes on. But all that is set to change when his daughter is kidnapped and killed. Hell bent on revenge, nothing will stop Paul in his search to find those responsible. One night Paul and Vanessa head out to a charity dinner, leaving Caitlin at home with her friends Evan and Michael (Max Fowler - The Killing, May Day), however the next time Paul sees his daughter is in a body bag. Detective Peter St. John (Danny Glover - Lethal Weapon, Saw) is assigned to the case and is told by the two boys that a gang of Russian men stormed the house and took Caitlin, leaving destruction in their wake.
Video
Anchor Bay Entertainment have released the low budget Nicolas Cage vehicle "Tokarev" (AKA "Rage") on to Blu-ray in the United Kingdom, using the original aspect ratio of 2.35:1. The transfer is 1080p and uses an AVC-MPEG-4 encode. It's a solid presentation, with only a couple of minor flaws that can be easily overlooked. Cinematographer Andrzej Sekula (better known for his efforts on Tarantino movies) filmed the feature on digital using a Red One Camera. The film makes several tonal changes in regards to the palette, most notably getting darker, the further the run time goes on. Colours are strong for the majority, with blacks inky and deep, and the odd splash of lighter colour adding a bit of depth to the picture. I did find that skin tones felt a little warm in some scenes, but were generally accurate and natural. Details are strong throughout, especially mid range items in the various darkened locations. Close-ups also impress with great clarity in facial blemishes and in hair/stubble. Shadow details are above average with notable detail in clothing peaking through darker elements. Unfortunately, there was some noticeable aliasing in several scenes, including along jacket zips at 20:49, and on building windows in the long shots at 77:04. There are no major problems with compression, or with damage in the transfer though. The feature is uncut, and runs 98:04.
Audio
Two audio options are included: - English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 - English LPCM 2.0 Stereo For my viewing, I opted for the English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, but do note the LPCM 2.0 Stereo track plays by default, so be sure to select the 5.1 via the menu screens before hitting play. The track is as punchy as you would expect a DTV movie of this ilk to be, with good use of the surrounds and the LFE. There are several action scenes that utilise the sound field well, with a short chase scene being the highlight. The occasional line of dialogue felt a little unclear, but 99% of the time, dialogue shows good clarity. Channel separation is good, with average directionality. Volume levels are consistent, and there are no signs of damage to the track such as drop outs or scratches. Unfortunately, no subtitles have been included.
Extras
We start the extras with some deleted scenes (6:43): - "After the Press Conference" (0:41) - "Your Dad is a Gangster" (0:59) - "Alternate Ending" (3:22) - "Extended Ending Shot" (1:31) These scenes are only selectable as a play all option, and don't really offer much to the feature in general. The second scene is unfinished, lacking the digital trickery to enable us to see the video the guys are showing on the smart phone, but does add a little background to Nicolas Cage's character. The alternate ending is not as good as the one that made the final cut in my opinion, so the decision to not opt for it, was a correct one. The only other extra is a theatrical trailer (2:38).
Packaging
Initial pressings come packaged with a slipcover.
Overall
Gone are the glory days for Nicolas Cage, but this is an enjoyable enough movie that fans may enjoy, on a technically solid disc.
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