It took Victor Rosa a lifetime to build his criminal empire and one moment to risk it all. John Leguizamo stars in an unforgettable performance as Victor, a brilliant drug lord from the Bronx who dreams of turning his ill-gotten fortune into a better life for himself and his girlfriend Carmen (Delilah Cotto) in Empire. When a charming investment banker (Peter Sarsgaard) promises to turn Victor’s drug money into legitimate wealth, Victor soon learns that the world’s most vicious gangsters are the ones wearing suits and ties. Denise Richards and Isabella Rossellini also star in this action-packed crime drama about greed, vengeance, and the true meaning of power.

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

[youtube https://youtu.be/oIMXO-PMrZQ?t=837]

Video Quality

Empire comes to Blu-Ray courtesy of Universal with a 1080p transfer that does provide a solid step up in quality from the dated DVD from 20 years ago. While there are no specific details provided about the transfer, it is apparent this is derived from a solid older master which could be improved upon, but it does what it needs to do well enough. There are moments when the transfer looks stunningly clear and detailed, yet there are others where the stylized picture looks a bit soft and undefined. The transfer retains its naturally filmic look which never looks excessively noisy or clumpy. This allows for some notable detail in the glitzy production design and textures of the clothing.

While not as aggressively graded with blown out highlights, Empire appears to be somewhat informed aesthetically by Steven Soderbergh’s Traffic from a few years earlier. Colors lack maximum saturation, but the grading that is implemented is showcased well. Black levels could use a bit more depth and detail, as there is some evidence of crush in the darkest corners. Highlights are mostly tame, but some moments verge on blooming. There are no major signs of print damage present in the transfer. While we would not pass up a 4K UHD release in the future, this Blu-Ray holds up well for this one.

Audio Quality

Universal Home Entertainment brings us this Blu-Ray with a lossless DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio mix that hits pretty hard. One of the most memorable aspects of this movie is how its soundtrack complements the narrative, and it holds up with great fidelity. From the opening moments, the movie springs to life with some tunes, a powerful narration and the sounds of the city bringing vital life to the surround and rear speakers. The dialogue comes through clearly without being overshadowed by the music or sound effects. The environmental effects are delineated effectively and given the proper placement throughout the speakers. The film features some shootouts and other moments of violence which allows the low end to make itself known. This track holds up this movie without issue. There are optional English SDH subtitles provided for the film.

Special Features

*This disc does not have a main menu, but you can locate the special features using the Pop Up Menu button on your remote.

Audio Commentary: Director Franc Reyes and director of photography Kramer Morgenthau deliver a very informative commentary track which explores the creation of this film from the background details of the development to various aspects of the production. While listening you come to understand many of the inspirations for various moments, the way in which the city is a fleshed out character, how they crafted the look of the film, the process of working with the performers and more.

The Making of Empire: A pretty solid 22-minute piece in which the cast and creative team discuss the authentic nature of the narrative, the direction of Franc Reyes, the process of filming in the Bronx, the background of the characters and more.

Deleted Scenes: This disc provides 29 minutes of unused material in standard definition featuring some fairly engaging material that was cut for time and pacing.

The Los Angeles Premiere Of Empire: A four-minute featurette which finds the cast and creative team discussing the movie on the red carpet.

Final Thoughts

Empire does not blaze a new trail in the “ambitious gangster” subgenre, but it proves to be a fairly engaging narrative thanks to the care put into it by its creative team. Director Franc Reyes knows this culture and shows some talent behind the camera in his debut, but unfortunately the system did not support him to a more robust career after this. John Leguizamo brings a lot of charisma to the protagonist, and the supporting ensemble are just good enough to get a pass for what this movie is trying to accomplish. Peter Sarsgaard feels like the only supporting player actively working to elevate this picture to something somewhat special. Universal Home Entertainment has released a Blu-Ray with a pretty solid A/V presentation and a decent assortment of legacy special features. If you are a sucker for gangster films, this one is worth a watch if you are not expecting a classic. Recommended

Empire 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: 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.