Alex Cross Blu-ray Review

"Alex Cross" arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Summit Entertainment and Lionsgate Films with a 1080p AVC encoded transfer in the 2.39:1 aspect ratio. Director Rob Cohen's choice to shoot on film instead of digital pays off significantly, as it imparts an exceptional visual flair. The transfer showcases impressive fine detail in both midrange and close-up shots, with the film's gritty Detroit locations utilized to their maximum visual effect. Despite the film's frequent usage of shrouded environments, the contrast remains robust, and shadow detail is impressively maintained, offering a naturally filmlike appearance that is sharp and crystal clear.

The cinematography employs a dynamic palette ranging from cool to warm hues, adaptable to the narrative's tone shifts. The transfer maintains high contrast while never overpowering the image, ensuring a satisfying sense of dimension. Black levels are deep and inky, yet retain adequate shadow delineation. Apart from a few establishing shots potentially sourced from stock footage, which appear slightly ragged with noticeable digital noise, the presentation is pristine, with a light layer of natural grain enhancing its filmic quality. Free from compression artifacts, the image exudes a sleek, polished finish that does not particularly stand out but ensures an engaging viewing experience with considerable pop and depth.

"Alex Cross" features a superb DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 mix, presenting an immersive soundscape without sacrificing nuance during both high-octane action sequences and quieter dialogue moments. The urban locations are brought to life with precise channelization—the opening chase sequence, for instance, exhibits remarkable placement of footsteps, and the climactic car scene with Fox showcases excellent panning. The track serves up notable bursts of LFE, not confined solely to gunshots, complementing the film’s more subdued scenes. A standout example is in the crowded police station, where directional dialogue between principals is crisply conveyed against the background clamor spilling into the surrounds, demonstrating an excellent dynamic range and fidelity.

The audio presentation also includes an English Dolby Digital 2.0 track and a Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1 track, with optional English SDH, English, and Spanish subtitles. This mix is punchy and immersive, offering a wide dynamic range that ensures clear, full dialogue balanced seamlessly throughout. The enveloping soundscape adds effective layers of ambiance, enhancing both action-packed set pieces and quieter moments. Directional dispersion is particularly impressive, such as the snapping cameras at crime scenes or creaking floorboards during tense climaxes. The surround channels engage effectively during shootouts, with ricocheting bullet fire traversing the front and rear speakers. Powerful sound effects including gunshots, punches, and roaring engines drive home the mix's robust auditory texture, with explosive sequences delivering room-thumping bass activity.

Overall, while the audio mix is impressive and impactful—particularly suited for action enthusiasts—it might lack a certain nuanced finesse that distinguishes the very best soundtracks. Nonetheless, its flashy effects and engaging design ensure a compelling auditory experience that will undoubtedly give your audio system a satisfying workout.

The Blu-ray extras for "Alex Cross" are well-curated, providing a mix of insightful and promotional content. Director Rob Cohen delivers a comprehensive commentary, discussing technical nuances like special effects and the bold casting decisions involving Tyler Perry. His commentary includes the movie's origins and highlights production trivia. However, Cohen occasionally veers into plot summarization, possibly recorded before the film's critical reception. The "Psychologist and the Butcher" featurette shines with interviews from author James Patterson and others, discussing the adaptation process and offering some behind-the-scenes glimpses. The deleted scenes, presented in 1080p with timecodes, add some minor, though interesting, nuances to the plot but are mostly expendable.

Extras included in this disc:

• Director Commentary: Rob Cohen provides technical insights and discusses casting decisions.
• The Psychologist and the Butcher: Adapting and Filming Alex Cross: Interviews with James Patterson and the film's cast/crew.
• Deleted Scenes: Four scenes with minimal impact on the overall narrative.

Tyler Perry steps into the shoes of Alex Cross, a Detroit detective and psychologist, in this adaptation of James Patterson's novel, 'Cross.' Despite Perry's earnest effort to break away from his well-known comedic roles, he struggles to bring the necessary gravitas to the character once inhabited by Morgan Freeman. The film sets an unlikely tone, veering between a gritty urban procedural and a cartoonishly over-the-top supervillain narrative. This tonal dissonance greatly undermines its storytelling efficacy, rendering it more of an unsettling roller coaster ride than a cohesive thriller.

The plot revolves around Cross and his partner Tom Kane (Edward Burns) as they investigate a series of gruesome murders orchestrated by a sadistic assassin known as Picasso (Matthew Fox). Picasso's modus operandi includes leaving behind cubist portraits of his victims, an eccentric characteristic that aligns more with a comic book villain than a realistic murderer. The chase becomes intensely personal as Cross grapples with personal loss, a clichéd yet predictable narrative device that offers little in terms of innovation or depth. The film's attempt at recreating a Sherlock Holmes-like investigative process often falls flat, plagued by logic-defying sequences and contrived plot points.

Director Rob Cohen's penchant for bombastic action sequences and stylistic flourishes often overshadows the film's serious undertones. The action set pieces, although occasionally exciting, are undermined by poor scriptwriting and shallow character development. Both Perry and Fox deliver physically committed but ultimately unconvincing performances. Perry's portrayal remains unconvincing in its intensity, while Fox’s unnerving physical transformation and exaggerated demeanor result in an over-the-top villain that lacks credible menace. Although 'Alex Cross' capitalizes on its Detroit and Cleveland settings for visual flair, these strengths do little to compensate for its fundamental narrative flaws and lack of thematic coherence.

"Alex Cross" struggles to find its footing, striking a problematic balance between grounded realism and exaggerated villainy. Tyler Perry’s portrayal of the titular detective exceeds expectations with a more nuanced performance than his usual roles, although Matthew Fox's intense and unnerving depiction of the unhinged antagonist far outshines Perry. However, this dichotomy leads to a disjointed cinematic experience, where the narrative feels less like a battle of wits between contemporaries and more akin to a mismatched showdown between Sherlock Holmes and Magneto.

Technically, the Blu-ray excels with a robust video transfer that captures the film’s sleek visuals, complemented by an impressive audio mix that heightens the film's tension. The supplementary content, such as the commentary, featurette, and deleted scenes, while not exhaustive, provides some additional value for viewers who choose to delve deeper into the film's production. Despite these merits, the directing and writing fail to coalesce, resulting in a movie that offers only sporadic moments of entertainment.

In conclusion, "Alex Cross" is not the outright disaster it has been labeled as by some critics, but it falls short of being compelling. Fans of James Patterson’s novels may find some curiosity in this adaptation, yet it lacks the compelling draw to satisfy Perry’s regular fan base. While the Blu-ray presentation is technically solid, it isn't enough to redeem a fundamentally flawed film. Evaluation leans toward recommending it as a rental for those invested in the source material, rather than a definitive purchase.