Black Water Blu-ray Review

"Black Water" delivers a solid 1080p/AVC-encoded High Definition video presentation that largely belies its low-budget origins. Presented by Lionsgate Films in a 2.39:1 aspect ratio, the film's visuals display competent technical merits despite dealing with a tight budget. Detail frequently excels, capturing the nuances of the leads' rugged visages, grimy settings, uniforms, and weaponry. Pasha Patriki, serving as both director and cinematographer, employs an odd tendency to fill the frame with out-of-focus elements in the foreground, sometimes leaving the primary subjects distanced and to the side. While this approach and the murky lighting in submarine scenes can occasionally suppress fine detail, it also results in deep reds and blues lighting that evoke a distinct atmospheric tone.

The film’s digital clarity is a mixed blessing. On one hand, it enhances the appearance of otherwise subpar submarine sets and props, contributing to an overall polished aesthetic. However, it also highlights the seams in the low-budget production, making certain imperfections more noticeable. Occasional issues like fleeting noise in darker sequences and minor banding are present, yet they do not significantly detract from the overall presentation. The natural lighting scenes fare better with perky fine detail levels and a controlled palette. Maintaining focus was sometimes a struggle for the DOP, leading to a few distracting moments, but the sharpness of the remaining image prevails, offering a visually satisfying experience given the constraints.

Overall, despite some technical quirks and limitations tied to its budgetary constraints, "Black Water" manages to deliver an engaging and competent video presentation. The image remains impressively clear, reinforcing the impression of quality even amidst occasional focus issues and low-budget set design.

The audio presentation of "Black Water" on its UK Blu-ray release presents some noteworthy characteristics, though it comes with its quirks. Initially, the disc defaults to a rather restrictive 2.0 track, which diminishes the experience. However, upon manually adjusting the settings, a superior LPCM 5.1 track is revealed. This track significantly enhances the audio experience, although it is somewhat frustrating that users have to hunt for it.

The LPCM 5.1 and DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 tracks both provide a capable audio experience, although not without limitations. Dialogue remains precisely prioritized and cleanly presented across the front channels, ensuring clarity. The action sequences bring life to the soundtrack with sharp effects from automatic and silenced weapons, car screeches, and glass smashing. While the thrum of the submarine underwater resonates satisfactorily through the subwoofer and surrounds, some scenes exhibit uninspired sound design with minimal impressive surround activity. The score, albeit generic, does maintain pace effectively and is devoid of any distortion issues.

Overall, when the appropriate audio track is located, "Black Water" delivers a solid auditory experience. Yet, it leaves room for a more dynamic and engaging sound design that action enthusiasts might desire.

The Blu-ray release of "Black Water" severely under-delivers in terms of extras, offering a minimalistic approach that may disappoint collectors and film enthusiasts. Despite the main menu's claims, the only content available beyond the movie itself are trailers for other Lionsgate releases and a bookmarks feature. No making-of documentaries, cast interviews, director commentaries, or deleted scenes are included. This lack of substantial special features means there is no enriching content to provide fans with deeper behind-the-scenes insights or enhance their appreciation of the film.

Extras included in this disc:

• Trailer Gallery: Previews of other Lionsgate releases.
• Bookmarks Feature: Option to mark favorite scenes.

"Black Water," the fifth collaboration between Jean-Claude Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren, finds itself as an underwhelming low-budget homage to '80s and '90s action films. Set primarily on a nuclear submarine, the film aims for high stakes but falls short due to a lackluster script and uninspired direction from first-time helmer Pasha Patriki. Van Damme plays Scott Wheeler, a deep cover operative captured and placed in a high-tech undersea prison. The film awkwardly navigates its way through a series of disjointed flashbacks that attempt to unravel Wheeler's backstory but end up creating more confusion than intrigue. While Lundgren's appearance does provide some much-needed energy, his screen time is disappointingly minimal, making Van Damme's tired performance all the more noticeable.

The film offers a glaring lack of technical finesse, particularly in its set design and action sequences. The flimsy submarine sets fail to evoke the tension necessary for a confined-space thriller. Furthermore, the gunfire exchanges within the submarine's pressurized environment stretch plausibility, detracting from any sense of realism. Attempts at stylish cinematography and dynamic action sequences fall flat, culminating in a climactic act that feels anticlimactic and hollow. While the premise shares similarities with "Escape Plan," it lacks the inventive flair or star power to elevate it, resulting in a formulaic narrative that unfolds predictably. Plot twists are foreseeable, and character arcs do little to deviate from action thriller clichés.

Despite possessing a promising blend of espionage and action elements, "Black Water" ultimately fails to capitalize on its potential. The scenes involving Van Damme and Lundgren together highlight what could have been a more exhilarating experience but are too sparse to leave a lasting impact. Anticipation for top-tier action sequences is met with disappointment as the film meanders through uninspired set pieces. Given the talent involved, "Black Water" should have been an engaging action spectacle but ends up lost in the murky depths of its own ambitions, unworthy of any enduring appeal.

In "Black Water," Jean-Claude Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren reunite, but this collaboration, while nostalgic, falls short of their past glories. Despite Van Damme's earnest attempts to rekindle his action hero reputation over the last decade through films like "JCVD" and "Universal Soldier" sequels, this film struggles to match his more energetic and ambitious works. The trailer suggested a high-octane thriller but what we get is a predictable and formulaic B-movie that might disappoint even the most dedicated fans of these 80s/90s action icons.

The Blu-ray release of "Black Water" offers technically solid presentation. It's Region B-locked for the UK, delivering robust video and audio quality, although finding the lossless 5.1 track requires some effort. Despite the retail price making it somewhat appealing to hardcore enthusiasts, the lack of remarkable filmmaking or storytelling elements means it may not be worth the investment for casual viewers or those already wary of their action heroes’ recent streak of subpar films.

In conclusion, while "Black Water" leverages the star power of Van Damme and Lundgren, the mediocre execution makes it best suited for streaming, where the only cost is your time. The Blu-ray's solid technical features offer something to hardcore fans but for many, waiting until it’s available digitally would be a wiser choice.