The Film
Good looks, good body, and a good stare; Mark Wahlberg has all of the makings of an action star. So why are so many of his action flicks so mediocre?
Contraband is another notch is Wahlberg's action utility belt. It's not a horrible flick, but it's certainly not indicative of what the guy could and should be pulling off -- especially when he's armed to the teeth with an all-star supporting cast. Somehow this film manages to squeeze in Kate Beckinsale, Giovanni Ribisi, Ben Foster, J.K. Simmons, Diego Luna and Lukas Haas, and you'll still find yourself struggling to pay attention.
Wahlberg plays Chris Farraday, an ex-smuggler dragged back into the business to pay off the debts of his brother-in-law Andy (Caleb Landry Jones). Ribisi is the piper in need of payment, Beckinsale is a complete waste as Chris' wife, and Foster is ex-partner Sebastian.
Contraband is a remake of the 2008 Icelandic film Reykjavík-Rotterdam, which actually stars Contraband director Baltasar Kormákur. This Hollywood update has bigger stars and a bigger budget, but it's riddled with more cliches than bullets. That wouldn't even matter, though, if it weren't so slow.
The Picture
If you're going to subject yourself to almost 2 full hours of Contraband, you'll at least be treated to a gorgeous image. This 2.35:1 transfer is dark, gritty and pretty darn great. Black levels are perfect, and even though the film is very dark, detail is surprisingly sharp. Colors are on the darker side, but still spot-on.
The Sound
Contraband's criminals aren't the only ones that feel surrounded. This DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 knows how to immerse the audience, whether the action is slow or filled with rapid gunfire. The film has some pretty great directional sounds, from the very first scene all the way to the climax. Helicopters fly across the soundfield, engines rev high, cars crunch, and boats lap against the waves. Of course, there's a ton of bullets whizzing as well. Enjoy.
The Extras
Universal has tossed in fairly typical extras for this release. All of the cast is absent for the audio commentary, with U-Control offering separate picture-in-picture behind-the-scenes snippets throughout the movie. There are deleted scenes and a short about the stunts. "Under the Radar" is a short making-of featurette, which quickly covers the story, the action, and well... the action.
Final Thoughts
Contraband isn't really a good movie, but it is a good-looking movie. If you're going to turn off your brain for a few hours (and you'll need to do that), know that you'll be treated to some pretty pictures and killer audio to match. Just don't get too excited about the actual movie. Given the cast, it just should have been a lot better.
Product Details
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