Faster Blu-ray Review

4.6 Stars (out of 5)

Synopsis:

On the very day he's released from a 10-year prison sentence, convicted bank robber Driver (Dwayne Johnson) hits the streets to take revenge on the men who bungled the job that got him busted and his beloved brother killed. But close on Driver's tail are a driven cop (Billy Bob Thornton) on the one hand and a flamboyant contract killer (Oliver Jackson-Cohen) on the other. (Buy Now $19.99)

Starring:

Dwayne Johnson, Billy Bob Thornton, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Moon Bloodgood, Maggie Grace, Tom Berenger, Carla Gugino, Mike Epps, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Matt Gerald

Director:

George Tillman Jr.

Blu-ray Release Date:

March 1, 2011

Subtitles:

English, English SDH, Spanish

Rating:

Overall rating weighted as follows:
Audio 40%, Video 40%, Special Features 20%, Movie - its just our opinion so take it with a grain of salt

Audio 4.9 Stars (out of 5)

Dolby and DTS Demo Discs used as basis for comparison

• Subwoofer – 5.0 Stars
• Dialog – 5.0 Stars
• Surround Effects – 5.0 Stars
• Dynamic Range – 4.5 Stars

English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1

I was very impressed with the audio performance of this film. The deep revving engines of the classic muscle cars made me feel like a wimp for driving a mini van. Dwayne Johnson’s heavy and intimidating footsteps of made me want to hit the gym. Sounds of gun-play and bullets passing by my couch almost had me joining the NRA. If you haven’t figured it out by now, the audio in this movie is very manly and a little bit exaggerated. It fits the movie perfectly. That’s not all it has going for it either, dialog was never muddy and the directional effects were impressive.

Video  4.7 Stars (out of 5)

Spears & Munsil Benchmark Blu Ray Edition used as basis for comparison

• Color Accuracy  - 4.0 Stars
• Shadow detail – 5.0 Stars
• Clarity – 5.0 Stars
• Skin tones – 4.5 Stars
• Compression – 5.0 Stars

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC, Resolution: 1080p, Aspect ratio: 2.40:1, Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1

Dwayne Johnson’s hairline is receding. It was easy to notice since this crystal clear blu-ray showed every tiny stubble on his sweaty head. There were several dark scenes and they were displayed without loss of any details. Some scenes in the beginning that seamed a little pale, but the rest of film’s video performance makes up for it.

Bonus Features 4.0 Stars (out of 5)

• "Alternate Ending" (12:42)
• "Deleted Scenes" (10:50) can be viewed with or without introductions from the director.
• "Criminals and Cops" (12:12) director Tillman, Jr. and the cast discuss the film.
• "Weapons and Wheels" (11:54) information from the prop masters and tech advisors.
• "Animatics" (12:22) collection of four scenes of storyboards.

Movie – 3.5 Stars (out of 5)

Review:

This is the kind of movie I’ve wanted to see Dwayne Johnson in. A movie where he shoots guns, fights, bleeds, and that wasn’t made for my kids. Don’t get me wrong, Tooth Fairy and Race to Witch Mountain were cute, but I want to see “The Rock” kick some butt, old school action hero style. That’s exactly what this movie gives you. This is a straight forward revenge movie that does not disappoint. There are several plot holes, and silly characters but it makes up for it with fast cars, sweat, bullets, muscles, and meanness. It’s not a great movie, in fact it’s silly at times, but if you know what you’re in for, it’s very fun to watch.

This movie has major similarities to the old western, The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. In fact just like the western, you don’t learn the names the characters Driver, Cop, and the Killer. During one moment in the movie I turned to my wife and said, “This is just like the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.” Then a character’s phone rang with the theme song from the famous western. It was then I knew that this was no accident. I realized that this movie had it’s tongue firmly planted in it’s cheek, and then I let go and enjoyed the ride.