This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the movie being covered here wouldn’t exist.
After meeting under extraordinary life-and-death circumstances, a Chicago police officer (Lopez) and a lost soul named Catch (Caviezel) fall in love. While uncovering the truth about Catch, she is forced to deal with the secrets of her own past.
For thoughts on Angel Eyes, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:
Video Quality
Angel Eyes debuts on Blu-Ray in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio from an older master that could definitely use a refresh. Sony handles the remastering of all of their titles, and we suspect that this is a master that was prepared during the DVD era. We are glad to have this one out of the realm of standard definition, but we wish a bit more care had been taken with it. The film has a slightly processed look which scrubs away some of the film grain. This is not a consistent issue throughout, as some discrete details shine through. There is room for a greater level of detail in clothing and elements of the production design. Colors fare a bit better in their depth throughout the environment. Black levels are acceptable without egregious blocking or compression artifacts. This Blu-Ray is an improvement over the DVD, but it is a bit rough considering the high price tag.
Audio Quality
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment brings us a Blu-Ray with a much more enjoyable DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track that handles the material well. Dialogue comes through clearly without being overwhelmed by any of the music or sound effects. The score from Marco Beltrami does a nice job of establishing the mood of the film as it is given a nice depth within the mix. The environmental effects are defined pretty well and given the appropriate placement throughout the speakers. The sounds of the city and some of the weather effects such as rain bring robust life to the rear speakers. The track will not bring the house down, but it serves the movie effectively. Sony has done an admirable job with this side of things. There are optional English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles provided.
Special Features
There are no special features provided on this disc.
Final Thoughts
Angel Eyes is a fairly engaging drama about how we process trauma and how forming human connections can help guide us through difficult moments. The narrative is often overly melodramatic or unnecessarily mysterious, but you do tend to care about the relationship between the two main characters. Neither lead performer is turning in career-best work, but they accomplish what they need to. The film is somewhat forgettable, but it passes the time well enough when you are watching it. Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has released a Blu-Ray with a fair presentation and nothing in the way of special features. Fans will be happy to finally have this available in high definition, even if it deserves slightly better.
Angel Eyes can be purchased directly through MovieZyng or through various other online retailers.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.