The Rundown Blu-ray Review

Mill Creek's Blu-ray release of The Rundown mirrors the transfer previously issued by Universal, with no apparent updates or enhancements. The transfer exhibits significant shortcomings in both color grading and resolution, leading to a suboptimal visual presentation. Black levels are notably crushed, heavily compromising shadow detail and resulting in a loss of depth and overall fidelity. This hyper-contrasted grading approach, reminiscent of techniques employed by Tony Scott or Michael Bay, is overdone here—immersing indoor and outdoor scenes alike in overwhelming darkness. Additionally, there is an excessive warmth applied to the color spectrum, resulting in vibrant but unnatural flesh tones and overly warm greens within jungle scenes, symptomatic of early digital color grading practices.

While close-up details remain reasonably sharp, allowing for notable facial definition, mid-range and wide shots suffer due to poor resolution. Environmental elements struggle to maintain clarity, with low-resolution material further impaired by compression issues, including visible banding. As a result, the overall image appears soft and lacks the refined detail expected from modern transfers. Despite these issues, the transfer does retain some depth in proximate scenes, but it falls short when the camera pulls back. The visual degradation becomes particularly evident, indicating a need for meticulous remastering to bring the film's visual quality up to current standards. For those seeking a superior viewing experience, a comprehensive remaster is essential to address these persistent deficiencies.

The Blu Ray of "The Rundown" showcases an engaging audio presentation delivered through a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack. Both the Mill Creek release and the Universal disc feature this same audio format, with the Universal disc having a slightly higher average bitrate. However, upon comparison, these differences are barely perceptible, making the overall auditory experience similar in terms of volume and depth. Notably, the Mill Creek disc does not include the alternate French and Spanish language and subtitle tracks that the Universal release offers.

The DTS-HD 5.1 track masterfully utilizes the soundstage, ensuring consistent and effective use of space. Throughout the movie, precise mixing keeps scenes lively and immersive. Ambient sounds populate small town scenes, while more dynamic moments like the club opening scatter music and dialogue across channels. Action sequences are impressively detailed; gunfire and vehicle movements are well-separated, with vehicles panning smoothly in ways that surpass some modern mixes. A standout cave sequence engages every channel effectively, creating a vivid auditory experience with falling boulders and splintering wood.

While the bass tends to overdrive occasionally, leading to a somewhat puffy output, this is an infrequent occurrence. Punches and kicks deliver a satisfying thickness, enhancing the physicality of Johnson’s performance. The rumbling stampede sequence and explosive moments are particularly robust and satisfying. Overall, the audio presentation significantly enhances the film's dynamic and adventurous nature while maintaining clarity and precise sound distribution.

Mill Creek's Blu-ray of "The Rundown" disappoints in the extras department compared to Universal’s earlier release. Despite including a DVD copy, it lacks previously available features such as commentary tracks, deleted scenes, and engaging featurettes, providing nothing beyond basic subtitle options. This release offers minimal additional content, stripping down considerably from its predecessor, which boasted a more comprehensive array of supplements tailored for fans and collectors.

Extras included in this disc:

• DVD Copy: Only additional offering in this Blu-ray release.

Mill Creek's release of "The Rundown" on Blu-ray retains the high-quality video and audio presentations seen in previous Universal releases, though it excludes additional content. This Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson vehicle maintains sharp visuals and impressive audio fidelity, highlighting both the heart-racing action sequences and the lush Amazonian setting. The film serves as an effective showcase for Johnson's burgeoning action star persona, benefitting from his then-recent professional wrestling fame and physical prowess.

The narrative follows Beck (Johnson), a bounty hunter with culinary aspirations who undertakes one final mission to secure financial freedom. Tasked with retrieving his boss’s wayward son, Travis (Seann William Scott), Beck ventures into the Amazon only to embroil himself in a perilous hunt for a rare artifact, alongside outmaneuvering the film’s antagonist, Hatcher (Christopher Walken). Walken's performance adds a layer of dark humor, effectively portraying a despotic mine owner exploiting the locals. The dynamic between Beck's no-nonsense demeanor and Travis's sarcastic quips generates both tension and comedy, contributing to the film’s engaging buddy-action formula.

"The Rundown" navigates between explosive action and comedy with finesse, though it doesn't shy away from addressing exploitative capitalism through its villain's actions. The final act, featuring Beck reluctantly adopting firearms, underscores his transformation while delivering intense, choreographed gunfights. Walken's character, embodying the oblivious greed of an oppressor, meets his end in a climactic showdown that intertwines humor and gravity. Despite some clichéd elements, the film’s vibrant energy and Johnson’s charismatic performance ensure it remains an enjoyable action-comedy experience.

Mill Creek's Blu-ray release of "The Rundown" largely mirrors the audio and visual quality of the previously issued Universal disc, both of which perform impressively in these areas. The Blu-ray's 1080p transfer renders the exotic Brazilian locales vividly, showcasing vibrant colors and detailed textures, while maintaining consistent clarity throughout the film. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack delivers a robust auditory experience with clear sound effects and rousing musical scores, accentuating the film's high-octane action sequences.

Despite its solid A/V performance, Mill Creek’s edition falls short compared to the Universal disc due to its lack of supplementary content and fewer language options. The absence of extras such as behind-the-scenes footage and director commentaries is particularly noticeable for avid movie buffs and fans who appreciate in-depth explorations of film production. Although this may be a deal-breaker for some, viewers solely focused on the film itself will not be significantly disadvantaged by this omission.

In conclusion, while the Mill Creek Blu-ray release of "The Rundown" replicates the Universal disc's excellent audio-visual presentation, it skims on additional features and language diversity. For dedicated collectors and fans valuing comprehensive content, the Universal disc remains the preferable choice given that both versions are similarly priced. However, for casual viewers or those primarily interested in reliving Dwayne Johnson’s engaging early action sequences, Mill Creek’s edition serves as an adequate and enjoyable alternative.