- Aspect Ratio: 2:35:1
- Video Codec: AVC/MPEG-4
- Resolution: 1080p/24 (23.976Hz)
- Audio Codec: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
- Subtitles: English
- Region: A (Region-Locked)
- Rating: R
- Run Time: 98 Mins.
- Discs: 1 (1 x Blu-ray )
- Studio: Image Entertainment
- Blu-ray Release Date: January 31st, 2012
- List Price: $29.99
[amazon-product]B005NKIPWC[/amazon-product]
Purchase The Double on Blu-ray at CD Universe
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Overall
[Rating:2.5/5]
The Film
[Rating:3/5]
Video Quality
[Rating:4/5]
Audio Quality
[Rating:4/5]
Supplemental Materials
[Rating:1/5]
Click thumbnails for high-resolution 1920X1080p screen captures
(All TheaterByte screen captures are lightly compressed with lossy JPEG at 100% quality setting and are meant as a general representation of the content. They do not fully reveal the capabilities of the Blu-ray format)
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The Film
[Rating:3/5]
The Double tells a story that has quite a few twists and is fairly entertaining. After a U.S. Senator is brutally murdered, retired CIA operative Ben Shepherdson (Richard Gere) is brought to help find a man he had previously thought was dead….a man named Cassius. Teaming up with Ben Geary, a young, hotshot FBI agent, the two must now set aside any differences they may have in hopes of finally tracking down this deadly killer. But as the two dig deeper and deeper into Cassius and his motives, everything they thought they knew, just may not be so.
I’ll easily admit that The Double is an intriguing film, with the kind of plot that the viewer has to pay attention to until the very last moments. The film’s being billed as from the writers of Wanted and 3:10 to Yuma, two films that are far better than this. Not that the writing is bad per se, but it’s more the performances that make The Double what it is.
While the main villain is revealed quicker than I might have expected, the performances make the story rise above something that may have been ultimately disappointing. Richard Gere, in particular, delivers yet another great performance. Gere has always just had that kind of style and deliverance to his acting that just makes me believe what I’m seeing. He reminded me very much of his role in The Jackal, a similar film in that Gere is also hunting for a dangerous killer. Topher Grace, who everyone seems to hate ever since Spider-Man 3, is a solid second to Gere in that he plans a man who wants to find Cassius but struggles with balancing his love for his family and his determination solve this case.
The Double is far from perfect, but is still a fairly entertaining film. The performances help to make this one we would normally want to skip into something that I’m going to recommend you give a rent.
Video Quality
[Rating:4/5]
The 2:35:1 framed, AVC/MPEG-4 encoded transfer is quite good at times. The film’s color palette features mostly solid colors. Darks are deep and inky, but a bit too much for my taste. It’s during some of these darker moments that detail is lost making us lose focus on a certain character. Minus the darker sequences, brighter scenes are handled better. Sky blues and a wider range of colors dominate the rest of the film (the few flashbacks do have a muted palette meant to capture the time). Grain is kept in check with a slight layer occasionally. The film’s print is in fine condition with no instance of damage, edge enhancement, DNR or any other anomalies. All in all, minus the grip I had with the dark scenes, this is a solid effort from Image.
Audio Quality
[Rating:4/5]
The film’s provided DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track serves the film quite well. Dialogue is well reproduced throughout via the center channel. Even though dialogue does take up a majority of the film’s sound design, there are still quite a few instances where the track is given some breathing room. The film’s score by John Debney adds in a nice sense of atmosphere as well as solid low-end giving us a nice, action packed mix. Atmosphere, as noted, creates a 360-degree sound field that helps to bring the idea of mystery home into our theaters. There isn’t as much overall impact as I had initially expected but Image has still put together a fine DTS-HD mix.
Supplemental Materials
[Rating:1/5]
The provided supplements are shown in HD:
- Audio Commentary with Writer/Director Michael Brandt & Writer/Producer Derek Haas
- Making Of – This runs 7:47 and glances into the making of the film. Behind-the-scenes production is shown as are a few cast interviews.
The Definitive Word
Overall:
[Rating:2.5/5]
I’m mixed on The Double. While I definitely enjoyed the performances, the film just isn’t as good as I had expected. I’d say the best bet is for you to give this one a rent and judge for yourself.
Additional Screen Captures
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[amazon-product]B005NKIPWC[/amazon-product]
Purchase The Double on Blu-ray at CD Universe
Shop for More Blu-ray Titles at Amazon.com
Overall
[Rating:2.5/5]
The Film
[Rating:3/5]
Video Quality
[Rating:4/5]
Audio Quality
[Rating:4/5]
Supplemental Materials
[Rating:1/5]
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