Blu-ray Disc REVIEW |
 THE BANK JOB BLU-RAY 2-DISC SPECIAL EDITION  Studio: Lionsgate Film Year: 2008 Film Length: 1 hour 50 minutes Genre: Heist Thriller Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 BD Resolution: 1080p BD Video Codec: AVC @ over 25 mbps (on average) Color/B&W: Color Audio:
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Release Date: July 15, 2008 Film Rating: 4/5 Starring: Jason Statham, Saffron Burrows, Stephen Campbell Moore, Daniel Mays and David Suchet Written by Dick Clement & Ian La Frenais Directed by: Roger Donaldson The Bank Job is a thrilling take on a 1971 bank vault heist in England. Directed by Roger Donaldson (Smash Palace and Thirteen Days) in top form, and starring a relatively quiet Jason Statham, the film puts the viewer in the midst of a group of very low level criminals who are handed the job of breaking into the safe deposit vault of a temporarily unsecured bank (the motion sensors are off). The first half of the film is an exhilarating ride, as the excitement of the heist builds and the proceedings are appropriately upbeat. The second half of the film ratchets up the tension as the little group realizes who it is on both sides of the law they are stealing from. Without spoiling any details, I can safely say it’s a thoroughly entertaining film, with solid performances and a tight rock-oriented score. Fans of Jason Statham get to see his most layered performance to date, although I should note no film of his is complete without at least one good head-breaking scene, and this movie does not disappoint on that count. The Bank Job was released on standard definition DVD and Blu-ray on the same day. The special features are identical between the releases, but the Blu-ray release has a superior 1080p AVC transfer with 7.1 DTS HD sound, with deleted scenes presented in 1080i HD. If you have the choice between the two editions, I absolutely recommend going with the Blu-ray for the picture and sound. And I’m delighted to recommend this film for anyone looking for a great diversion and a solid thriller.  VIDEO QUALITY: 4/5  The Bank Job is presented in a 1080p AVC transfer that averages over 25 mbps and shows an impressive depth of detail and texture. The 70’s setting allows the HD cameras to focus on everything from an assortment of paisley outfits and heavy coats to the bucketfuls of dirt and concrete that the robbers pile up as they tunnel into the vault. At the same time, the various makeups and hairpieces blend well enough that they don’t call attention to themselves, even under the higher definition of detail. AUDIO QUALITY: 4/5The Bank Job is presented in a 2.5 mbps 7.1 DTS HD Master Audio mix in English and a 5.1 Dolby Digital mix in French. Between the music and the heavy machinery at work in the heist, this is a full-throated mix, with plenty of surround effects and a fairly good workout for the subwoofer. This mix is a genuine pleasure to hear. The one issue here is that some of the dialogue can be a bit hard to understand, given the British dialects – but I have to be fair and account that to my own inability to discern the accents rather than to a problem with the mix. SPECIAL FEATURES: 3 ½/5 ½The Blu-Ray presentation of The Bank Job includes all the special features from the standard definition release, but with the added bonus that the deleted scenes are presented in 1080i and the various trailers are presented in 1080p.
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It's funny how scenes in certain films (even films of suspect quality) can make such an impact! 
