Blu-Ray Review:
Whiteout
By Jason Gillard
*Screenshots are not from the Blu-Ray source.
Movie
Current Rottentomatoes.com score 7% Fresh: 7 Rotten: 98
Antarctica...
The most isolated landmass on Earth
90 S. latitude, zero E. longitude
Six million square miles of ice
Six months of darkness
Temperatures at minus-120 degrees
Winds at 100 miles per hour
Nature never intended you to survive here.
For U.S. Marshal Carrie Stetko, things are about to get even more dangerous. The only law enforcement in this unforgiving territory, she has just been sent to investigate a body on the ice. Antarctica's first homicide. A shocking discovery in itself, it will plunge her into an even more bizarre mystery and the revelation of secrets long-buried under the endless ice...secrets that someone believes are still worth killing for. As Stetko races to find the killer before he finds her, winter is already closing in. In the deadly Antarctic whiteout, she won't see him till he's a breath away. --© Warner Bros
I am not going to have much to say about this movie, because it really is a bad film. Not only does it have every cliche in the book but it also put me to sleep. Those are two combinations you don't want to have in a movie. When you read Warner Bros plot synopsis above it sounds really cool. But I think they paid the person who wrote that more than they did for the person who wrote the script. One problem that you have with a movie like this is that all of the main characters end up wearing parkas with hoods and goggles and it's hard to distinguish who is who. The other problem I had with this movie is the pace....it's soooo slow! I expected Global Warming to happen and everything to melt before we got to the end of this film. The actors I think try to do their best with what they are given, but since the script is filled with so many plot holes they can't do much. I also thought that some of the CG in the movie looked pretty cheap. The best thing about the movie are some of the nature shots at the beginning of the film. Do yourself a favor and skip this one at all costs!
2 out of 10
Video
Whiteout arrives on Blu-ray in it's original aspect ratio of 2:39.1. This 1080p transfer is a mixed bag at best. Detail is not very good. With a movie that takes place in a blizzard I sort of expected that, but there are interior shots that don't look very good either. Black levels are strong though, but since this movie is mostly brighter colours it doesn't come into play that often. One thing I found really strange and I had to go back to check a second time is, when there is a close-up of two actors talking, the one face will be sharp and defined, worthy of HD the other will be soft and murky, which is quite weird. Film grain is present, but just like everything else it seems to be in one scene and not in others. Colours are for the most part good. But in certain scenes the white snowstorms have been reduced to a murky gray. The transfer is passable but just barely, but it seems like they tried to clean certain things up but what they were left with is an uneven transfer.
5 out of 10
Audio
For Whiteout Warner has given us a Dolby TrueHD 5.1 track that is definitely better than the video. The rear channels are active with whipping winds and snow flying everywhere. They also add a lot of ambiance enveloping the listener with sound. The dialogue for the most part is clear and identifiable. There were a few spots where it got muffled by the effects. The LFE channel is also present giving the blizzards extra weight while providing the rumbling to giant arctic slow plows. Pan's from channel to channel are smooth and realistic. The score is the type of score where the music is used to add tension, having you go "what's going to happen next?" It succeeds on that front, but for me the score was pretty unforgettable. Overall Warner has done a good technical job with this and fans, if there are any, should be happy.
8 out of 10
Extras
Here is what there is in the way of extras!
"The Coldest Thriller Ever"
"From Page to Screen"
"Deleted Scenes"
As you can see there isn't much here to write about. "The Coldest Thriller Ever" has the cast and crew discussing what it was like shooting in these cold endowments. "From Page to Screen" examines the original graphic novel. Unfortunately not in very much detail. The deleted scenes are forgettable and don't really add anything. It would have been interesting to have a commentary with the director, he could explain some of his decisions and if he would have done anything different.
1 out of 10
Overall
I am going to have to say pass on this disc. The movie is not very good, the video transfer is nothing special and the extras are non-existent. The audio is the only thing passable on this disc.
5 out of 10