Blu-ray Review: The Double

The Double
Written by: Michael Brandt and Derek Haas
Directed by: Michael Brandt
Starring:  Richard Gere, Topher Grace, Stephen Moyer, Odette Yustman, Stana Katic, Chris Marquette, Tamer Hassan, and Martin Sheen

From the box:

When a United States Senator is brutally murdered, the evidence points to a Sopviet assassin, code-named Cassius, long-thought to be dead.  Two men who know Cassius best are thrown together to catch him.  Paul Shepherdson (Richard Gere, Primal Fear) is a retired CIA operative who's spent his career tracking Cassius around the globe.  Ben Geary (Topher Grace, Spider-Man 3) is a hotshot young FBI Agent and family man who has studied the killer's every move.  Ben thinks he knows Cassius , but Paul knows he is dead wrong.  Now, time is running out to stop this merciless killing machine.  Martin Sheen (The Departed), Stephen Moyer (True Blood), Odette Yustman (Cloverfield) and Stana Katic (Castle) costar in this tense thriller that will keep you guessing until the very last shot.

The Double is a pretty interesting spy thriller, unique in that it spreads some major revelations out over the length of the film, one of which happens rather quickly. Almost too quickly.

Richard Gere plays a retired CIA agent who was obsessed with catching a killer dubbed Cassius.  Topher Grace is an up and coming agent who is now obsessed with finding the same killer, who just happens to be long thought dead.

A high profile murder brings the two together on a hunt to track down Cassius and when the truth is revealed, one of which happens rather quickly, you may find yourself shocked.  It's a well made thriller with some great performances and some good twists.

Fans of Stephen Moyer might be a little disappointed as his role is hardly more than a cameo, same for Martin Sheen.  This movie is all Richard Gere and Topher Grace.  More so Gere, who delivers a really good performance here.  He's pretty intense and it's a good reminder of his talents.  I wonder why he doesn't work quite as much as he used to.  Might be time to give him his own show.

As for the disc, the special features are a little underwhelming.  We have a featurette, trailer, and commentary from the writer and director.  Nothing really worth writing home about.  The movie itself does look nice on the format.  Really clear and crisp.  Nice mix on the sound.  No complaints there.

Overall, The Double is a tight little thriller that delivers on some nice twists with some really good performances.  Fans of spy movies and thrillers will be right at home with this one. 

The Double is available now!

The Double

Pop Culture Beast rating

7/10

RAWR(for more)

BluRay Review: Primal Fear

Primal Fear: Hard Evidence Edition
Written by: Steve Shagan and Ann Biderman, based on the novel by William Diehl
Directed by: Gregory Hoblit
Starring: Richard Gere, Laura Linney, Edward Norton, Andre Braugher, Terry O'Quinn, Frances McDormand, Alfre Woodard, and John Mahoney

BluRay Specs:
1080p High Definition
English 5.1 Dolby TrueHD/French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital
Special Features: Commentary featuring Gregory Hoblit, Ann Biderman, Producer Gary Lucchesi, Executive Producer Hawk Koch, and Casting Director Deborah Aquila. Primal Fear: The Final Verdict, Primal Fear: Star Witness - Casting Edward Norton, The Psychology of Guilt, Theatrical Trailer

Primal Fear is one of my favorite legal thrillers and it finally hits BluRay tomorrow with the Hard Evidence Edition.

How does it measure up?

Click Read More to well...



Primal Fear is the story of hot shot defense attorney Martin Vail who takes on the defense of an alter boy accused of murdering a prominent arch bishop. As the case progresses, Vail learns a troubling truth about his client and about the man he's accused of killing.

This is the movie that launched Edward Norton to stardom and his first Oscar nomination. It's perfectly crafted, tense, and beautifully acted from the entire cast. It holds up rather well 12 years later and I found myself just as riveted now as I was when I first saw it.

The BluRay release isn't exactly perfect however. The picture has a grain to it and certainly isn't as clear as more recent releases. That said, it is still an improvement over previous releases. The special features are a little light. We have some featurettes and commentary. There are no deleted scenes or alternate takes and I would have liked to see something on the illness at the center of the story as well.

All in all it's a decent release for a great film. The picture isn't as clear as it could (or should) be and it could use some padding in the features aspect, especially with the capabilities of BluRay, but it's still worth a buy, certainly for those who've never seen the film.

Primal Fear: Hard Evidence Edition will hit DVD and BluRay tomorrow, March 10.

RAWR(for more)