Ex-special forces operative Ryan Logan (Sam Worthington) has a sharply honed set of survival skills that have allowed him to walk the line between courage and fear. But after a personal tragedy shatters his family and sends his teenaged son, Billy, into a world of drugs and delinquency, he is pushed to the edge. Desperate to make a new life for Billy, Ryan plunges into the criminal underground for one final mission in this muscular, emotionally charged thriller.
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[youtube https://youtu.be/Yu2JUdAc27w?t=1972]
Video Quality
Transfusion arrives on Blu-Ray with a terrific 1080p presentation in its original 2.39:1 aspect ratio that wows in high definition. Color saturation is really good with the reserved color palette presenting moments exactly as intended. Some instances feature striking shots of nature that pop off the screen, while other areas of the palette are more hazy and unsteady to complement Ryan’s mental state. Skin tones are natural overall with some exposed skin showing off grime, bruises and scars.
The clarity throughout is very impressive with subtle textures in the backgrounds and in the different costumes and production design coming through perfectly. Black levels have a solid amount of depth and do not fall victim to notable digital noise or banding outside of a handful of shadowy moments. Lionsgate Home Entertainment has delivered a commendable high definition presentation here.
Audio Quality
The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track brings this story to life exactly as intended. Dialogue comes through clearly as it balances well with the score and the sound effects. This narrative is not an all-out action film as it plays things more interior, but the low end does come alive during a few altercations and through other fleeting elements. This story features stretches of silence and self-reflection which puts a greater emphasis on the sounds of the world around the characters, which the soundscape disseminates from numerous directions. The movie uses environmental sounds very effectively, and the track never fails to bring it to life. This track holds up by every conceivable standard. There are English SDH and Spanish subtitles provided.
Special Features
There are no special features provided on this disc.
Final Thoughts
Transfusion does not appear to be a film with the largest profile, but it is one to certainly have on your radar. Sam Worthington delivers one of his finest dramatic performances to date, and the narrative wisely does not turn this into another mind-numbing Taken derivative. The film delivers some pulse-pounding moments, but largely this story is a very personal affair about reckoning with grief and trying to find your purpose to keep on living. Lionsgate Home Entertainment has released a Blu-Ray with a very strong A/V presentation but nothing in the way of supplemental features. Don’t let this one get lost in a sea of straight-to-VOD efforts being released every week. Recommended
Transfusion 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.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
