Trust, identity, and the danger of unchecked power push a covert operative to the edge in BLACKLIGHT. Travis Block (Neeson) lives and fights in the shadows. A freelance government “fixer,” Block is a dangerous man whose assignments have included extracting agents out of deep-cover situations. He knows his hands are dirty, but he’s aiming to change. When an agent is killed after infiltrating a group espousing violent societal upheaval, Block discovers a shadowy program called Operation Unity is striking down ordinary citizens for reasons known only to Block’s boss, FBI chief Robinson (Quinn). As Block gets closer to the truth, he enlists the help of a journalist (Raver-Lampman), but his past and present collide when his daughter and granddaughter are threatened, and in saving them, he could save himself. Now, Block needs to rescue the people he loves and expose the truth for a shot at redemption. Nothing and no one is safe when secrets are hidden in BLACKLIGHT.

For thoughts on Blacklight, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:

[youtube https://youtu.be/62niJvBQlxo?t=47]

Video Quality

Blacklight comes to Blu-Ray in a stunning 1080p presentation in its 2:39.1 OAR that truly wows in high definition. The clarity throughout is truly outstanding with subtle flourishes of the locations and clothing coming through crystal clear. Color saturation is great with the moody color palette consistently represented throughout. Skin tones are natural, although a lot of exposed skin is covered in all manner of cuts and bruises. There is a lot of activity in urban environments, which provides a lot of opportunity for fine detail and a metallic sheen to pop off the screen. Black levels are pretty deep and do not fall victim to any noticeable digital noise or errors of the sort. Universal Pictures Home Entertainment has knocked this one out of the park!

Audio Quality

The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track is up to the high standards of the video quality. There is pretty consistent activity in this briskly paced film from jump, which gives ample opportunity to engage the speakers. This film has some pretty decent action with some beat downs and gunshots that pack a punch to keep you awake. Dialogue comes through clearly and never gets stepped on by any sound effects or the score. All of the sounds have an accurate sense of direction within the mix with noises such as footsteps moving around the speakers in compelling ways. There are moments with some vehicular destruction which allows for some good activity in the low end. This mix is extremely immersive in a way that benefits the viewing experience immensely.

Special Features

Blacklight – Behind The Scenes: A quick three-minute piece in which the cast and crew discuss the story and their characters while you catch glimpses of on-set footage.

Shooting Blacklight: Another nearly three-minute piece which oddly spends a lot of time listing the credits of the creatives involved before delving a bit into the advances in technology that allow them to create the film safely and efficiently.

Final Thoughts

Blacklight is another Liam Neeson action-thriller, and your reaction to that statement will probably gauge your enjoyment of this particular film. The man is simply cashing a paycheck as he tackles familiar situations with just the slightest deviations from film to film. The cycle has become a bit exhausting, but those who have enjoyed his past work in this genre will likely find this one passably entertaining. Universal Pictures Home Entertainment has released a Blu-Ray with an excellent A/V presentation and a couple of fluffy features. Even if you like Neeson, most will be able to admit this is among the more forgettable efforts from the star.

Blacklight is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray, DVD and Digital.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Universal 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.