Broken City Blu-ray Review

The Blu-ray presentation of "Broken City" by Fox offers a commendable high-definition rendering with a wealth of fine detail and sharp edges that enhance the viewing experience. Close-ups are particularly striking, revealing intricate textures on actors' faces and clothing, such as Mark Wahlberg's stubble and Catherine Zeta-Jones' gauzy shawl. The film's use of Arri Alexa HD cameras delivers a gritty, textured, and almost film-like quality, complemented by the 1080p/AVC encode, even though it tends to exhibit a digital sheen in some sequences.

Colors vary significantly, oscillating from warm, vivid hues to cooler, more restrained tones. This deliberate color grading, favoring yellows and blues, contributes to the visual narrative and aesthetic. Night scenes, while mostly effective, occasionally show increased noise and crushed shadows, arguably aligning with the film's neo-noir style. Blacks are consistently rich and deep with a slight contrast boost that adds a dynamic dimension without sacrificing detail. However, some low-lit scenes do show a marginal loss of detail but this is far from disruptive.

Overall, the transfer maintains a high level of quality with minimal artifacts. Issues such as compression, digital noise reduction, or edge enhancement are negligible. The aerial shots of New York and its bridges look stunning, although the overall digital aesthetic may not fully satisfy those who prefer a more traditionally filmic look. Nevertheless, it remains an impressive and visually engaging high-definition transfer that should meet most viewers' expectations.

The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix on the Blu-ray of "Broken City" is a technically adept presentation that effectively upholds the film's predominantly dialogue-driven design. The soundtrack delivers excellent speech intelligibility, with voices displaying discernible inflectional character and a thorough room penetration. The subtleties of low-level details are well-captured, ensuring even the faintest spoken passages or background ambient sounds remain distinct. This predominantly front-oriented soundstage sporadically opens up to incorporate orchestrated music and deliberate sound effects, thereby broadening the depth of the mix when necessitated by the narrative.

Despite being fundamentally reserved, the sound mix does display some moments of heightened activity, particularly in the more energetic action scenes involving car chases and fights. The rear channels are effectively deployed to create an immersive audio environment with accurate ambient sounds and directional effects. For instance, the environmental acoustics such as crowd jeers outside a courthouse, the clinking of flatware in a restaurant, and echoing thwacks in a racquetball court are rendered with precision. A notable highlight includes a sequence where overlapping, disembodied voices reflect the protagonist's descent into a night-long bender, demonstrating an engaging auditory experience.

The subwoofer comes into play during action sequences, providing satisfying crashing bass during car chases and deep rolling bass that complements the melancholic noir soundtrack composed by Atticus Ross. Although dialogue delivery is generally clear, there are minor inconsistencies; certain characters' lines, particularly some of Catherine Zeta-Jones' whispers and Russell Crowe's growls, occasionally lack the same clarity as the rest. Nonetheless, the overall audio presentation is robust and effective, successfully leveraging the entire system to enhance the film's storytelling through sound.

The Blu-ray extras for "Broken City" feature a comprehensive suite of additional content that will appeal to fans and cinephiles. Noteworthy is the documentary "Putting It All Together," which spans approximately 35 minutes, delving deeply into the film’s production elements from scripting and casting to cinematography and directorial insights. This thorough feature offers a rich mix of behind-the-scenes footage and interviews. The disc also includes six deleted scenes, an alternate ending, and the theatrical trailer. Supplementary materials such as a bonus DVD, Digital Copy, and Ultraviolet Digital Copy are also provided, adding further value.

Extras included in this disc:

• 6 Deleted Scenes: Includes an unremarkable alternate ending.
• Putting it all together: A comprehensive making-of documentary.
• Theatrical Trailer: The original trailer for the film.
• Sneak Peek: Previews of upcoming 20th Century Fox titles.
• Bonus DVD
• Digital Copy
• Ultraviolet Digital Copy

In "Broken City," ex-cop Billy Taggart (Mark Wahlberg) seeks redemption in a city rife with treachery. Double-crossed and framed by Mayor Hostetler (an over-the-top Russell Crowe), Taggart's thirst for justice drives the convoluted plot. Despite the neo-noir ambitions, the screenplay by Brian Tucker feels like a throwback rather than a fresh take on the genre. The story's multiple twists—ranging from political corruption to personal vendettas—overwhelm instead of intrigue, and are bogged down by cliched dialogue and over-the-top performances, particularly from Catherine Zeta-Jones, whose portrayal of Cathleen Hostetler fails to inject the needed mystique.

The film's strongest asset is Wahlberg's gritty portrayal of Taggart, an ex-cop turned struggling private investigator. Initially engaging, the film quickly unravels into a predictable sequence of noir tropes: a corrupt mayoral race, an infidelity plot, and a dubious land development scheme. Although director Allen Hughes tries to evoke classics like "Chinatown," the effort often falls flat with heavy-handed exposition and redundant subplots, such as Taggart's girlfriend's acting career, that dilute the tension.

Supporting roles provide some relief; Jeffrey Wright delivers a solid performance as an enigmatic police chief while Barry Pepper and Kyle Chandler add gravitas to their respective roles. The film grapples with an overcrowded storyline, which complicates rather than complements its noir aspirations. While "Broken City" boasts moments that capture the genre's essence, it ultimately feels like a missed opportunity—a familiar yet falteringly executed dirty politics thriller better suited for passive viewing than active engagement.

"Broken City," despite a promising premise in the neo-noir genre, struggles to leave a lasting impression due to its predictability and reliance on well-trodden tropes. The film attempts to channel the dark, suspenseful atmosphere of classic noir but falls short, offering a narrative that feels more convoluted and less impactful than its inspirations. While Mark Wahlberg delivers a commendable performance, his portrayal of the tough-guy protagonist is overshadowed by the film's overall forgettable storyline. Crime thriller enthusiasts may find the movie a passable diversion, but it ultimately lacks the innovation needed to stand out in a crowded field of superior films.

Technically, the Blu-ray release from 20th Century Fox is impressive, showcasing excellent audio and video quality. The cinematography, while not groundbreaking, is rendered crisply, with high-definition clarity that brings the urban decay of "Broken City" to life. The audio mix balances dialogue and ambient sound effectively, enhancing the viewing experience. Additional features included in the Blu-ray package, though not exhaustive, provide some added value, making it a well-rounded purchase for those particularly interested in film presentation quality.

In conclusion, "Broken City" serves as a modest distraction but fails to deliver the memorable punch expected from a top-tier crime thriller. Its derivative plot and lack of originality may deter some viewers from investing time into it. However, for those intrigued by solid technical executions in home media, this Blu-ray edition offers superb audio-visual fidelity and decent supplementary materials. An ideal choice for a rental rather than a must-buy, unless you are a dedicated collector.