Black and Blue Blu-ray Review
Score: 72
from 3 reviewers
Review Date:
A well-acted, visually and sonically excellent thriller overshadowed by a predictable plot but still offering engaging tension and high-quality technical merits.
Disc Release Date
DTS-HD MA
Video: 85
Black and Blue's 1080p Blu-ray transfer is nearly perfect, offering exceptional clarity, detailed textures, and rich colors. Digitally shot with Sony CineAlta VENICE cameras, the film showcases superb fine details, accurate skin tones, and stable black levels, despite some low light noise.
Audio: 85
Black and Blue's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track provides a robust, immersive experience with crystal clear dialogue, powerful yet balanced LFE, and expertly engineered sound effects that bring action scenes to life, from the ambient noise of a bustling police station to piercing gunfire and dynamic spatial engagement.
Extra: 33
Black and Blue’s Blu-ray extras provide insight into the film's unique use of body cameras, compelling New Orleans setting, and character dynamics through two featurettes, five deleted scenes, and preview trailers—all presented in 1080p with a Movies Anywhere digital copy included.
Movie: 60
Black and Blue transitions from a heavy-handed racial narrative into a riveting dirty cop thriller, driven by Naomie Harris’s compelling performance; despite the formulaic plot and loss of momentum in the final act, it remains a watchable and tense action-packed film with well-staged kinetic sequences.
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Video: 85
The video presentation of the Blu-ray for "Black and Blue" is near flawless. The film, shot digitally at a 2.39:1 aspect ratio using Sony CineAlta VENICE cameras, benefits from a crisp and clean 1080p AVC-encoded transfer. The picture quality is remarkable, with vivid colors that are perfectly saturated without appearing overly intense. There is a noticeable light blue and green color grading, which adds depth to darker scenes and provides a pleasing dimmed hue to daylight sequences. The black levels are consistently excellent, though some low-light noise is visible periodically.
Fine details are another standout feature of this transfer. Facial features, intricate fabric textures, and specific environmental elements are rendered with incredible clarity and sharpness. Every detail, from the nuanced braids on Alicia's head to the stitches on her bulletproof vest, is impeccably visible. This textural fidelity extends to blood, sweat, grime, and other characteristics in close-up shots, offering dense, realistic intricacies that enrich the viewing experience. Mild banding does appear occasionally but remains rare and unobtrusive. Additionally, the contrast is well-handled, enhancing both light and dark scenes without compromise while maintaining accurate skin tones and firm black levels.
The overall image clarity and saturation consistently attract praise. The digitally-shot environment of New Orleans displays stunning sharpness in long shots, assisting in creating an immersive urban atmosphere. From the perspective of technical execution, this release is exemplary and stands as another A-grade addition from Sony. While minor issues like low-light noise prevent it from achieving total perfection, it still ranks as an exceptional visual presentation that effectively draws viewers into its narrative world.
Audio: 85
The audio presentation on the Blu-ray of "Black and Blue" features a robust and dynamic 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track that provides an immersive and powerful experience. The film opens amid the bustling streets of New Orleans, where subtle sound details like the rattle of bicycles and the murmur of youth alongside roaring cars create a vibrant soundscape. Inside the police station, the track’s ambiance is filled with slamming lockers, chatter, and radio signals, grounding the viewer in the environment with stunning clarity. The mix continues to excel during intense action sequences, with gunfire resonating deeply and convincingly through powerful yet balanced LFE.
Action scenes stand as highlights of the audio experience, with the gunfire at the 19-minute mark kicking off a series of events that are matched by superbly engineered sound effects. For instance, automatic gunfire in later chapters slices through the soundstage with remarkable precision and weight. This meticulous attention to depth and spatial distribution is consistent throughout, whether it's enveloping crowd noise or exhilarating car chases. Moreover, musical fidelity and instrument separation are top-notch, enhancing the overall dramatic effect without overshadowing dialogue.
The DTS-HD MA 5.1 track's ability to blend high-intensity effects with crystal clear dialogue ensures that every spoken word is comprehensible amidst fever-pitched action. Impeccable surround engagement makes helicopters overhead and discrete background sounds come alive without becoming overbearing or boomy. Sony's implementation of this audio mix is impressive, particularly for a lower-budget feature, offering an exceptional balance between immersive environmental sounds and narrative clarity.
Extras: 33
The Blu-ray release of "Black and Blue" offers a solid selection of extras that provide deeper insights into the making of the film. The supplementary content includes featurettes focusing on the director's and actors' perspectives, contextualizing the film's setting and technical elements. While the lack of a DVD copy is a slight drawback, the inclusion of a Movies Anywhere digital copy code compensates for this. The extras are presented in high-quality 1080p, ensuring a polished viewing experience. These special features are essential for fans interested in understanding the film's unique use of body cameras and the significance of New Orleans as a character in the story.
Extras included in this disc:
- Deleted Scenes: Includes scenes like Picture Frame, Studio, We Need to Get in There, It Was Him or Us, and Message.
- Line of Fire: Director Deon Taylor and the cast discuss the film's action, story, and the use of body cameras.
- Be the Change in the Big Easy: Actors Naomie Harris and Tyrese Gibson discuss their roles and filming in New Orleans.
- Previews: Additional Sony titles.
Movie: 60
"Black and Blue" is a contemporary action thriller that aims to tackle relevant social issues while delivering a tense and engaging narrative. Set against the backdrop of New Orleans' distressed neighborhoods, the film follows rookie cop Alicia West (Naomie Harris), an Afghanistan war veteran, who becomes embroiled in a web of corruption within her own police force. After witnessing her fellow officers commit a cold-blooded murder, captured on her bodycam, she finds herself hunted by both the corrupt cops and a local gang, who have been misled to believe she’s responsible for the murder. The plot unfolds into a relentless chase where Alicia must navigate through perilous streets, seeking any ally she can find.
Director Deon Taylor crafts a film that starts with some heavy-handed messages but quickly evolves into a gripping cat-and-mouse thriller. The action is intense and relentless, with well-staged sequences that keep the audience invested. The film's depiction of the violence and corruption within the police force is stark and unyielding, painting a bleak picture of law enforcement’s darkest aspects. The narrative excels in its portrayal of Alicia’s moral struggle and determination to expose injustice. Naomie Harris delivers a powerful performance, embodying Alicia’s physical and emotional turmoil with impressive authenticity. Frank Grillo and Tyrese Gibson offer strong support, making their characters compelling in their respective roles as antagonist and reluctant ally.
While "Black and Blue" might lean on some familiar tropes and predictability, its strength lies in its energetic execution and robust performances. It tackles significant themes like racial tension and police corruption without becoming overtly preachy. The final act, though slightly lacking in momentum compared to the opening, delivers satisfactory closure with high-stakes action. Despite its occasional cookie-cutter elements, the film stands out as a well-crafted thriller that effectively balances social commentary with entertainment.
Total: 72
"Black and Blue" delivers a gripping narrative centered around corruption and violence within the police force. Directed by Deon Taylor, this film harnesses strong performances, particularly from leads Naomie Harris and Tyrese Gibson, to weave a compelling, albeit occasionally predictable, thriller. The plot treads familiar territory with its "us vs. them" theme, yet exceeds initial expectations by maintaining a tight, well-balanced storyline that holds the viewer's attention from start to finish.
From a technical perspective, Sony's Blu-ray release of "Black and Blue" is commendable. The video quality is pristine, presented in an aspect ratio of 2.39:1 AVC, capturing the film's aesthetic with impressive clarity. The audio presentation, available in English DTS-HD MA 5.1 along with several other languages, ensures an immersive experience, enhancing the tension and drama inherent in the narrative. The subtitles cover a broad range of languages, making it accessible to a diverse audience. However, the supplemental features are somewhat lacking, with absence of key extras such as a director’s commentary.
In conclusion, "Black and Blue" stands out due to its solid performances and high-quality technical execution on Blu-ray. While it doesn't redefine the corrupt cop genre, it offers a satisfying watch with a taut storyline and excellent A/V presentation. Despite the limited extras, this Blu-ray edition is worth adding to your collection for its robust cinematic merits. Highly recommended for fans of action thrillers.
AV Nirvana review by Michael ScottRead review here
Video: 90
The digitally shot film is crisp and clean, with a decidedly glossy digital sheen that just reeks of clarity and stunning details....
Audio: 90
Dialog is always crystal clear and loaded up in the front of the room, and the surrounds more than active....
Extras: 40
• Deleted Scenes • Line of Fire: Director Deon Taylor discusses his vision for the film, how it implements body cameras and what sets it apart from other police-lead thrillers • Be the Change in the Big...
Movie: 60
I was fully expecting a racial bash fest on all things cops, and while that happens a bit at the BEGINNING of the film, that fades as the film progresses and become much more of a “dirty cop vs. good people”...
Total: 70
Technical Specifications: Starring: Tyrese Gibson, Naomie Harris, Frank Grillo, Mike Colter, Reid Scott, Beau Knapp, Nafessa Williams, James Moses Black Directed by: Deon Taylor Written by: Peter A. Dowling...
Blu-ray.com review by Martin LiebmanRead review here
Video: 90
Viewers will appreciate the ease and efficiency with which complex skin, clothing, and environmental details showcase dense, realistic intricacies....
Audio: 90
The track opens to reveal pinpoint din at the police station in the first several minutes, immersing the listener into the environment as slamming lockers, chatter, radio signals, and other details breathe...
Extras: 30
Line of Fire (1080p, 4:02): Cast and crew talk up the movie's frenzied action, story, characters, locations, and the various cameras utilized in the shoot....
Movie: 80
There is no pulling punches with the title, a classic double entendre speaking to the violent nature of police work and the racial under- and overtones that fester between the men and women in uniform...
Total: 70
Black and Blue comes nowhere near to the best of the "corrupt cop" genre -- that title still belongs to Antoine Fuqua's mesmerizing Training Day -- but Deon Taylor certainly exceeds expectations with what...
Home Theater Forum review by Todd ErwinRead review here
Video: 100
Sony’s 1080p AVC-encoded transfer is simply stunning, with vivid colors that never appear overly saturated and excellent black levels with no visual crushing and strong shadow detail....
Audio: 100
From the opening titles, surrounds kick in with discrete instrumentals and other sound effects, and imaging is exceptional as unseen helicopters fly overhead....
Extras: 40
Be the Change in the Big Easy (1080p; 3:44): The cast and crew discuss how the city of New Orleans is a character in the film....
Movie: 50
Hearing gunshots, West enters the building and witnesses Narcotics Detective Terry Malone (Frank Grillo) shoot a young drug dealer in cold blood and his partner in turn shoots her point blank, taking most...
Total: 60
The performances of Naomie Harris and Tyrese Gibson almost carry Black and Blue, a predictable and mind-numbing thriller....
Director: Deon Taylor
Actors: Naomie Harris, Tyrese Gibson, Frank Grillo
PlotAlicia West, a rookie cop in New Orleans, is trying to navigate her role in a predominantly African-American neighborhood that views the police with suspicion. During one of her patrols, she inadvertently captures the murder of a young drug dealer on her body cam. The murderers turn out to be corrupt officers from her own precinct, led by Detective Malone. Realizing the severity of what she has witnessed and recorded, Alicia finds herself caught between her duty to expose the corruption and her need to survive as these officers hunt her down for the incriminating footage.
As the night progresses, Alicia is forced to rely on help from unlikely allies, including a local shop owner named Milo "Mouse" Jackson who is initially hesitant to trust her due to past experiences with the police. While dealing with betrayal from within the force and hostility from the local community, Alicia must race against time to reveal the truth, clear her name, and bring the corrupt officers to justice. Her personal journey becomes a tale of resilience as she fights to uphold her moral code and bridge the vast divide between the police and the community they serve.
Writers: Peter A. Dowling
Release Date: 25 Oct 2019
Runtime: 108 min
Rating: R
Country: United States
Language: English