Starring Morgan Freeman (Million Dollar Baby), Jaimie Alexander (Thor), and Cole Hauser (“Yellowstone”), this sexy, riveting noir thriller will keep you guessing. After a shady small-town stockbroker begins dating a shy waitress, a shocking murder takes place — and one of them may be responsible. As word spreads that there’s money behind the killing, every criminal in town wants their share of the cash. One shocking plot twist follows another, and a bloody showdown leads to a mind-blowing finale.

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Video Quality

The Minute You Wake Up Dead arrives on Blu-Ray with a fair 1080p presentation in its original 2.39:1 aspect ratio that delivers the aesthetically dull looking film in high definition. The film lacks distinct clarity throughout thanks to some gritty digital grain and a fuzzy aesthetic that suppresses subtle textures you would otherwise find in backgrounds and clothing. There is still some amount of texture, but not much that will truly impress. Black levels struggle a bit when it comes to depth while exhibiting some digital noise in the darker moments. Color saturation is hindered thanks to the cooler color grade cast over the entire film, but this disc represents that choice well. Skin tones are natural, and exposed skin begins to show off bruises and scars as the story goes along. 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 well to tell this story. Dialogue comes through perfectly clear as it balances well with the competing elements. The sound design on display here is pronounced within its creative confines. This story features the sounds of car crashes, gunfire and more emanating from numerous directions. The movie uses environmental sounds to establish mood and location, and the track retains strong detail even when situations come unraveled. The low end does come alive in a few key moments, but it is not going to be a showcase for your system. This track does everything that is expected of it. There are English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles provided.

Special Features

Trailer: The two-minute trailer is provided here.

Final Thoughts

The Minute You Wake Up Dead is slightly better than your typical straight-to-video content put out by the company, but it is still not something you need to take great pains to see. The performances are perfectly in line with the production, but the narrative itself is a bit light on execution and convoluted. It is a bit disappointing to see Morgan Freeman slip away from higher profile projects in favor of easy paychecks. Lionsgate Home Entertainment has released a Blu-Ray with a decent A/V presentation but next to nothing in the way of supplemental features. If you are curious about the subject or the cast, feel free to give it a shot, but this will not be something that sticks with you.

The Minute You Wake Up Dead 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.