BLU-RAY
REVIEW: SABOTAGE
07/20/2014
OVERVIEW: Arnold Schwarzenegger (Expendables 2, the Terminator series) stars as the leader of an elite DEA task force whose members are targeted by a mysterious killer in Sabotage, an edge-of-your-seat action thriller coming to Blu-ray™ Combo Pack, including Blu-ray™, DVD and Digital HD with UltraViolet™ and On Demand on July 22, 2014 from Universal Studios Home Entertainment. Sabotage will also be available on Digital HD on July 8, 2014.
SYNOPSIS: Arnold Schwarzenegger stars in the pulse-pounding action film Sabotage, from the director of End of Watch and the writer of Training Day. When DEA task force leader Breacher Wharton (Schwarzenegger) storms a heavily armed cartel safe house, rogue members of his team use it as a cover to steal $10 million in cash. But just when they think their secret is safe, agents are killed off one-by-one, and everyone is a suspect, including the squad itself. Co-starring Sam Worthington, Olivia Williams, Terrence Howard, Joe Manganiello, Josh Holloway and Mireille Enos, Sabotage is an explosive tale of betrayal and trust that critics call “a tense, action-packed thrill ride!” (Mark DeCarlo, ABC-TV’s Windy City LIVE)
FILM REVIEW: The
moment Sabotage begins, it's quite obvious that
co-writer/director David Ayer has something horrid in mind for
audiences. However, it's only once you've settled in and spent
some time indulging, that the truly sleazy temperament of the
movie becomes clear. This flick is set in a world where everyone
is a giant piece of sh!*t, (with the exception of the two lead
investigators) and even the perceived hero of the movie is a
horrible person. A corrupt and broken law enforcer that is
incapable of recognizing justice, much less dispensing it.
Olivia Williams (Anna Karenina, 2012), on the other hand, shows
up as one half of the investigating duo charged with seeking
justice for the murders of the various members of Arnold's
squad. She unapologetically makes interesting impedance for
Schwarzeneggers corrupted character, in the long run.
What ultimately works with this latest Schwarzenegger effort is
the way it so unabashedly plays rough, the eclectic hardened
characters that are sworn to protect and serve, and the caliber
of talent playing those roles. And if one is going to tell a
story involving Arnold, then it certainly can't be done halfway.
You've got to give it up to a film that is so deeply Arnold
Schwarzenegger-centric, and in doing so, giving him credit for
attempting to shake up his own image so thoroughly at a time
where he could easily just be coasting. The story and all the
other elements are a frame for such an effort. Arguably
Schwarzenegger himself has somehow, over the years, become
interesting in a sorta nostalgic sorta way (to some extent).
Though this movie doesnt entirely show his ability to morph into
the 21st century-style film-making.
On that same token, in place of lucidity and consistency,
Sabotage mainly offers up the usual spectacular Schwarzenegger
style, with big guns, lots of machismo to go around and action
with buckets of blood. So much so that the former Governator
should be advised that his 80s/90s style action sequences in
films are no longer relevant in todays environment: an
environment that caters more to the smooth, swift action hero
with less muscles, but more wit and pizazz.
There's probably a small element of a story here where key roles
offer up the big spectacle of characters in collision. It's
Schwarzenegger and Williams in a dance, sometimes working
together, sometimes clashing, pursuing their own interests,
coming together and coming apart. Everything else can be thrown
out. So needless to say, Sabotage cannot be called a great movie
(at least not with a straight face), but more like a decent
Arnold Schwarzenegger flick if you are the sentimental type. It
is not a movie worth the theater tickets and popcorn, but would
be a cool action flick for DVD and pay-per-view. I do believe
three and a half out of five stars is a fair assessment here.
Review
By Movi-Man Stan
BLU-RAY:
The film is
presented in widescreen in a 1.85:1 aspect ration preserving its
theatrical format. The picture is just flawless. Not only the
picture looks great in this release, also the sound it is good,
a 5.1 Dolby Digital in English that provides a good complement
to the picture. It also includes English,
French
and Spanish subtitles.
VIDEO:
Widescreen (1.85:1) 16x9
AUDIO:
English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1/DVS2 2.0 and Dolby Digital 2.0, Spanish and French DTS Digital Surround 5.1
Subtitles - English Spanish
French
SPECIAL
FEATURES:
Blu-ray™ unleashes the power of your HDTV and is the best way to watch movies at home; featuring 6X the picture resolution of DVD, exclusive extras and theater-quality surround sound.
DVD offers the flexibility and convenience of playing movies in more places, both at home and away.
DIGITAL HD with Ultraviolet™ lets fans watch movies anywhere on their favorite devices. Users can instantly stream or download movies to watch on iPad®, iPhone®, Android™, smart TVs, connected Blu-ray players, game consoles, and more.
Making Sabotage – a behind-the-scenes look at the production.
Alternate Endings
Deleted Scenes