Jude Law stars as an unemployed submariner at the end of his ropes, who leads a group of fellow out of work navy men on a quest for gold believed to be aboard a sunken U-boat. Part Das Boot and part Treasure of the Sierra Madre, Black Sea is an engaging thriller from director Kevin Macdonald (The Last King of Scotland).
Studio: Universal
Distributed By: N/A
Video Resolution and Encode: 1080P/AVC
Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1
Audio: English 5.1 DTS-HDMA
Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish, French
Rating: R
Run Time: 1 Hr. 55 Min.
Package Includes: Blu-ray, DVD, Digital Copy, UltraViolet
2-disc Blu-ray keepcase with outer sleeveDisc Type: BD50 (dual layer), DVD-9 (dual layer)
Region: A, 1
Release Date: 05/05/2015
MSRP: $34.98
The Production Rating: 3.5/5
Black Sea is by no means a perfect film, but it is an entertaining one, despite some rather convenient plot devices (particularly a major double cross that comes just before the third act). Writer Dennis Kelly’s set up of how the gold made its way on to the sunken U-boat is a convincing one, even if it is pure fiction backed by historical events. Director Kevin Macdonald and Cinematographer Christopher Ross make good use of the cramped and claustrophobic setting of a submarine to convey the tensions running on board, and the convincing cast helps tremendously, especially Jude Law who is cast against type as the submarine captain, Bobby Schofield as Tobin, the 18 year old soon to be father whom Robinson hires as a last minute replacement for Kurston, and Konstantin Khabensky as Blackie, the leader of the Russian team. Black Sea never quite reaches the level of Hunt for Red October, Das Boot, or Treasure of the Sierra Madre, even though it shares many of the same qualities of those films, but comes very close.
Video Rating: 4/5 3D Rating: NA
Audio Rating: 4/5
Special Features Rating: 3/5
A Dive into the Black Sea (1080p; 5:15): An all too brief look at the making of the film.
DVD Copy: The movie in 480p, trailers for Maps to the Stars, Bates Motel, The Man with the Iron Fists 2, and the same set of Special Features as on the Blu-ray version.
Digital HD Copy: An insert contains a code to redeem a digital copy through both Ultraviolet partners and iTunes. The code is subject to expiration, but no expiration date was provided.
Overall Rating: 3.5/5
Reviewed By: Todd Erwin
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