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.

This gritty crime-thriller starring Mel Gibson tells the tale of two narcotics agents hunting for a cop killer during a crack epidemic. Hoping for leads, Moran (Dominic Purcell, TV’s “Prison Break”) and Thorton (Nick Stahl, Sin City) pay off a junkie informant. Then, in an attempt to provide for his wife (Kate Bosworth, Superman Returns) and son, Moran involves the stool pigeon in a deadly scheme. This causes the partners to come under the scrutiny of a suspicious internal affairs agent, leading to an epic, explosive finale.

For in-depth thoughts on Confidential Informant, please see my colleague Caillou Pettis’s review from its original theatrical release here.

Video Quality

Confidential Informant arrives on Blu-Ray with a fair 1080p presentation in its original 2.39:1 aspect ratio that delivers the aesthetically ugly looking film in high definition. The film is gauzy and lacks distinct clarity throughout thanks to some gritty digital grain and a fuzzy aesthetic that smooths over subtle textures you would otherwise find in backgrounds and clothing. There remains some amount of texture, but not much that will truly stand out. Black levels stumble a bit when it comes to depth while exhibiting some digital noise in the darker moments. Color saturation is hindered thanks to the urine yellow color grade cast over the entire film, but this disc represents that choice well. The film is not one you are going to come to in order to be visually dazzled, but it represents it as well as can be.

Audio Quality

The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track is utilized effectively to tell this story. Dialogue comes through clearly as it balances well with the competing elements. The sound design on display here is deliberate and engaging within its creative confines. This story features the sounds of gunfire and more emanating from numerous directions. The movie uses environmental sounds to establish mood and location, and the track retains robust detail even when situations get a bit chaotic. The low end does come alive in a few choice moments, but it is not going to be a showcase for your system. This track delivers what it needs to and nothing more. There are English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles provided.

Special Features

Audio Commentary: Director Michael Oblowitz, Composer Roy Hay, and Director of Photography Christopher Squires provides a steady commentary track in which they discuss how the film came about, securing the ensemble, not going for the obvious musical cues, the look of the film and more.

Trailer: The two-and-a-half minute trailer is provided here.

Final Thoughts

Confidential Informant is a pretty poor effort by all metrics. The performers seem to be sleepwalking through this uninspired script which deviates very little from crime narratives you have seen before. This would not be a dealbreaker if the other elements were lifting the experience up, but the cinematography is visually off putting and editing choices are at times disorienting and nonsensical. Lionsgate Home Entertainment has released a Blu-Ray with a fair A/V presentation and a fine commentary track. This is not even worth it if you have a fondness for the ensemble.

Confidential Informant 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: Lionsgate 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.