Perfect Stranger Blu-ray Review
Score: 48
from 3 reviewers
Review Date:
Flawed acting & plots in films with decent tech quality but not worth investing time or money.
Disc Release Date
Video: 59
The Blu-ray presentations of these films boast stunning, immaculate picture quality with a few minor flaws, capturing a visually striking palette and sharp detail, despite lacking in extraordinary wow factors.
Audio: 56
Perfect Stranger features a detailed PCM 5.1 soundtrack with clear dialogue and ambient effects, emphasizing atmosphere over action, with a noteworthy score by Antonio Pinto.
Extra: 26
The disc's extras disappoint, featuring a brief making-of and few trailers in 1080p HD, highlighting the unintentional comedy of 'Perfect Stranger' and its lackluster attempt at depth.
Movie: 30
'Perfect Stranger' fails as a thriller, but its absurdity offers odd, campy enjoyment; strong performances in a poorly executed plot.
Video: 59
"Perfect Stranger" arrives on Blu-ray sporting a 2.40:1 aspect ratio, presented in 1080p via the AVC MPEG-4 codec, delivering an image quality that ranges from striking to near-perfect. This release showcases an exceptionally clean and sharp picture throughout, free from any evident video noise or compression artifacts. The film's color palette shines, with blacks that are described as rock solid and skin tones that appear perfectly balanced, contributing to an overall immaculate visual presentation. The carefully chosen contrast of warm Earth tones against cooler, more industrial colors—described by the film's production team as a "Hot Fudge Sundae" aesthetic—is rendered in fine detail, offering a distinct visual style that enhances the cinematic experience, despite the occasional loss of shadow detail.
Interestingly, the transfer marries technical excellence with stylistic choices that emphasize the movie's glossy, somewhat monochromatic look, punctuated by vibrant splashes of color, particularly notable in scenes featuring bright, striking colors against shiny, silver backgrounds. These elements are presented with superb clarity, contrast, and depth, making for an image that is consistently sharp and defined, with flesh tones rendered naturally. The source quality is pristine, reflecting the high standards expected from recent releases.
While "Perfect Stranger" may not be destined to become a quintessential high-definition demo disc due to its lack of a distinctive "wow factor," it stands firmly among the top-tier Blu-ray releases in terms of video quality. The meticulous AVC video encoding ensures that even the subtlest textures, from the specific makeup choices to the sleek architectural backgrounds, are crisply captured, making this release a commendable showcase of the film's unique visual style and the capabilities of the Blu-ray format.
Audio: 56
"Perfect Stranger" presents an audio experience that is polished and precise, delivered through an uncompressed PCM 5.1 soundtrack at 48kHz/16bit, a choice that stands out for its clarity and quality on this Blu-ray release. The sound engineering is exemplary, avoiding the pitfalls of overpowering action sequences in favor of a more nuanced auditory landscape. Dialogue is consistently clear, firmly anchored in the center channel, ensuring that the spoken word is never lost amidst the backdrop of ambient sounds that fill the city and office scenes with life. The surround channels are utilized with subtlety, enhancing the atmosphere without commanding undue attention, embodying a soundtrack that serves its purpose with understated confidence.
Antonio Pinto’s original score is a highlight within this audio mix, offering a nuanced layer of emotional depth that elevates the entire listening experience. Its placement in the mix demonstrates a thoughtful application of dynamics, allowing for moments of auditory breathing room where the music can truly shine. This aspect of the soundtrack is commendably balanced - the low bass and crystal-clear highs maintain a crisp dynamic range without ever becoming intrusive, proving that a thriller's audio design can be both atmospheric and engaging without relying on excessive sound effects.
While not laden with the explosive dynamics often associated with action-packed blockbusters, "Perfect Stranger" showcases an audio presentation that is commendably well-produced, showcasing meticulous attention to detail. The use of surrounds and the sparing application of LFE channels contribute to a soundscape that is immersive yet unobtrusive, asserting an effective use of audio elements to support the film's suspenseful narrative. The result is a sonic experience that complements the movie’s intent perfectly, making it a solid example of how to execute a thriller's audio track with skill and restraint.
Extras: 26
The Blu-ray edition of "Perfect Stranger" showcases its extras in a lackluster package that paradoxically shines through its high-definition presentation. The singular bonus feature, a making-of documentary titled "Virtual Lives: The Making of Perfect Stranger," stretches thinly over 12 minutes. It includes interviews with the cast and crew, who provide commendable, if overly enthusiastic, insights into the film's production and thematic ambitions. Despite its brief and somewhat superficial coverage, the featurette benefits from a high-quality 1080p/MPEG-2 video presentation, ensuring that Halle Berry and Bruce Willis appear in crisp detail as they discuss their experiences on set. Accompanying this are trailers for other Sony titles in high definition, which, although unrelated to the film's content, add a touch of variety to the offerings. This extras package may disappoint those seeking a deep dive into the film's creation, but for what it offers, it's a visually polished yet minimalistic complement to the movie.
Extras included in this disc:
- Virtual Lives: The Making of Perfect Stranger: A short documentary featuring cast and crew interviews, presented in 1080p High Definition.
- Coming to Blu-ray: Trailer collection including "Premonition," "Reign Over Me," "Vacancy," and "Ghost Rider."
Movie: 30
"Perfect Stranger," directed by James Foley and starring Halle Berry, Bruce Willis, and Giovanni Ribisi, is a supposed psychological thriller that unfortunately fails to live up to its genre. Berry shines as Rowena Ro Price, an investigative reporter who delves into the mysterious death of her friend, supposedly connected to Willis's character, Harrison Hill, a high-flying advertising executive. Despite the potential for a gripping narrative, the film is consistently let down by its meandering plot and lack of genuine suspense. Transitioning the production from New Orleans to New York City post-Hurricane Katrina offered a backdrop change, but not even this could salvage the flailing storyline which struggles to maintain coherence and intrigue.
The performances by Berry and Ribisi are commendable, with both actors bringing a level of dedication to their roles that is deserving of better material. However, Bruce Willis's portrayal of Hill misses the mark, leaning more towards his action-hero persona than the suave executive the role called for. The narrative attempts to weave in technological elements and undercover espionage in a bid to update the thriller motif, but these aspects feel outdated and fail to add any real tension or excitement. The film’s climax, aiming for a shocking twist, feels contrived and hastily executed, leaving viewers more perplexed than pleasantly surprised.
Despite its attempts to create a compelling thriller through a blend of sleek visuals and a premise that hints at dark industry secrets and digital voyeurism, "Perfect Stranger" struggles under the weight of its underdeveloped plot and character dynamics. While there might be a perverse enjoyment found in its unintentionally laughable moments for aficionados of bad cinema, it ultimately serves as a stark reminder of the misfires possible even with a cast of esteemed actors and a seasoned director at the helm. The movie's reliance on worn clichés and lackluster execution makes it difficult to recommend, underscoring a missed opportunity to deliver a memorable addition to the thriller genre.
Total: 48
"Perfect Stranger" on Blu-ray presents an intriguing paradox, balancing stellar technical presentation with a movie that, unfortunately, doesn't seem to live up to its visual and auditory quality. The film itself is marred by what many have described as unconvincing acting performances from its leads, with a particularly notable miscasting of Bruce Willis. Despite strong efforts from Halle Berry and Giovanni Ribisi, the thriller fails to deliver the suspense and twists it promises, culminating in a plot twist that has been labeled as far-fetched and insulting to the audience's intelligence.
Technically, the Blu-ray excels with its reference-quality picture and an uncompressed PCM 5.1 soundtrack that is well recorded, though it suffers from a lack of dynamic movement. The excellent AVC encoding showcases the high standard of the Blu-ray format, yet this high-quality audio-visual experience seems almost wasted on a film whose content has been widely criticized. The extras provided are minimal and underwhelming, featuring a short featurette that does little to add value or insight into the film's production, leaving much to be desired for those looking for a comprehensive home theater experience.
In conclusion, while "Perfect Stranger" on Blu-ray stands out for its technical merits, it ultimately falls short as a compelling or satisfying thriller. The disconnect between the film's quality of presentation and the quality of its content is stark. This release might appeal to those with a penchant for high-definition picture and sound who are less concerned with narrative achievement. However, for viewers seeking a thriller that is as engaging story-wise as it is technically sound, this Blu-ray might not be the investment they're looking for.
avforums review by AVForumsRead review here
Video: 80
Presented in a theatrically correct 2.40:1 aspect ratio and coded at 1080P using the AVC MPEG4 codec, the picture quality on this Blu-ray disc is simply stunning....
Audio: 80
The surrounds are used to good effect in the city and office scenes to provide ambient effects and the occasional burst from the score....
Extras: 30
Halle and Bruce go on about how great it was to work with each other and the surprising thing is, it actually appears that they believe they have made a work of art...and try and kid us that it's actually...
Movie: 20
Make no odds about it, Perfect Stranger is one of the worst films I have ever had the misfortune to sit through....
Total: 50
If they saw the script before shooting began, they both need to have a serious rethink about which way their respective careers are going to go....
Blu-ray.com review by Brandon A. DuHamelRead review here
Video: 80
Perfect Stranger will most likely not become a high definition demonstration disc, but it is overall a fine AVC video encoding with only a few minor flaws....
Audio: 70
Though overall the soundtrack is well recorded, dialogue is always clear, and it is easy to listen to, its lack of movement and dynamics lead to an end result similar the entire movie in general, that...
Extras: 30
The brief, and scarcely informative making of featurette, Virtual Lives: The Making of Perfect Stranger, is only worth looking at for its wonderful high bit rate MPEG-2, 1.78:1, 1080p video presentation,...
Movie: 40
There are some mild clues thrown in here and there that maybe someone else was Grace's killer, like, perhaps Harrison's wife, but ultimately, the boredom that is this movie is nearly impossible to overcome....
Total: 60
Perfect Stranger contains strong, but sadly wasted performances by Halle Berry and Giovanni Ribisi, and a miscast Bruce Willis in this far-fetched snooze fest that not only lacks any thrills or suspense,...
High-Def DigestRead review here
Video: 80
In short, even though the image is flawless on its own terms, there's nothing extra-special to this presentation to give it the true wow factor of the very best high-def material....
Audio: 80
There is some minor but consistent use of subtle discrete sounds to give some nice sustained ambiance, and the jittery, vaguely electro-score by Antonio Pinto is nicely deployed around the entire soundfield....
Extras: 0
There's lots of "character analysis," plot recap and discussion of the film's visual style, but seeing how poorly received the movie came to be, it all plays like unintentional camp....
Movie: 40
Granted, this film comes from the director of the famously profane 'Glengarry Glen Ross,' but given the minimal amount of onscreen violence or nudity, there's really no reason 'Perfect Stranger' would...
Total: 60
From a technical perspective, the Blu-ray release is undeniably strong -- perhaps stronger than the flick deserves....
Director: James Foley
Actors: Halle Berry, Bruce Willis, Giovanni Ribisi
PlotRowena Price, a skilled investigative reporter, stumbles upon a potential career-defining story when a friend confides in her about having an affair with a powerful advertising executive, Harrison Hill. After her friend's sudden, mysterious death, Rowena grows suspicious of foul play and is determined to bring the truth to light. Using her investigative prowess, she goes undercover, adopting a dual identity; as a temp at Hill’s advertising firm under the alias Katherine, and as a provocative flirt, Veronica, in the online spaces Hill frequents. Her dual personas are designed to infiltrate Hill's professional and personal life, gathering evidence to prove his involvement in her friend's death.
Navigating the treacherous waters of deception, Rowena's quest for justice gets increasingly complicated as she uncloaks layers of intrigue. Assisted by her tech-savvy colleague, Miles Haley, she delves deeper into the ambiguous world of corporate and personal secrets. As she gets closer to unraveling the mystery, the stakes get higher, not only exposing her to the perilous balance between her fabricated identities and her real self but also uncovering a web of lies that threatens to pull her under. Determined, yet dangerously exposed, she fights to keep her investigation alive, challenging the boundaries of trust, deceit, and the daunting truth hidden within perfect facades.
Writers: Todd Komarnicki, Jon Bokenkamp
Release Date: 13 Apr 2007
Runtime: 109 min
Rating: R
Country: United States
Language: English