‘Ride’ (2024) Blu-Ray Review – Melodramatic Western Family Crime Drama Is Fleeting Entertainment

Desperate to raise money for his daughter’s cancer treatment, a retired bull rider teams up with his estranged son and resorts to robbery to secure payment before time runs out. But after the heist goes awry, keeping the money—and their freedom—requires the duo to outwit a dogged pair of local law enforcement officers, including a justice-minded sheriff who soon suspects that the key to her case may lie uncomfortably close to home.

For in-depth thoughts on Ride, please see my colleague Will Bjarnar’s review from its original theatrical debut here. 

Video Quality

Ride comes to Blu-Ray with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in its original aspect ratio that looks very good. The film employs a warmer, earthy aesthetic which this transfer brings to life without a hitch. The transfer reveals an impressive level of detail in some of the discrete aspects of the clothing and production design. This allows for a vital sense of texture that is deftly defined here. The picture is largely clear with only brief instances of banding in certain gradients. Black levels could be a bit more full, but there is not much in the way of crush, and highlights don’t fall victim to banding. Skin tones are warm and natural throughout. Well Go USA has done fine work with this one. 

Audio Quality

The film comes to Blu-Ray with a strong DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track that brings this to life as you want. Dialogue and sound effects are properly balanced with the music where nothing feels lost in the track. Surround channels get some lively activity with some of the bull riding scenes and other key noises. The movie delivers a unique soundscape with environmental elements that yield an immersive atmosphere for the story. The low end of the track is especially active during pivotal moments that need to dig deep. This track is a winner and will be appreciated by fans who pick up this disc. Optional English SDH and French subtitles are provided. 

Special Features

• Interviews with the Cast: A pretty great collection of interviews is provided with the cast discussing their characters, what drew them to the film, their experiences on set, the bonding between the ensemble, and more. 

• • Annabeth Gish – Monica Hawkins (11:27)

• • C. Thomas Howell – John Hawkins (10:13)

• • Forrie J. Smith – Al (9:06)

• • Jake Allyn – Peter (6:38)

• • Josh Plasse – Noah Hawkins (6:05)

• • Laci Kaye Booth – Libby (4:15)

• • Zia Carlock – Virginia Hawkins (3:32)

• Trailer: The two-and-a-half-minute trailer is provided for Ride. There are also trailers provided for Sting, Monolith, and The Last Stop In Yuma County.  

Final Thoughts

Ride is a pretty decent family crime drama that never quite gets past the feeling of being a high-quality “made for TNT” movie. The movie has some grit to it, but the editing choices and the dialogue conjure a manufactured quality that holds it back. The performers do a nice job with what they are given, and the journey is not an unpleasant one, but it all feels a bit forgettable in the end. Well Go USA Entertainment has delivered a solid A/V presentation and a rich selection of interviews. If the premise sounds promising to you or you are a fan of the cast members, this is not a bad viewing experience. 

Ride will be available to purchase on Blu-Ray and DVD on August 27, 2024. 

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

Disclaimer: Well Go USA 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.