Marauders – Blu-ray Movie Review

Cincinnati is the target for a professional group of bank robbers who seem to have more on their agenda than simply stealing money. The FBI investigates the crime along with local police who only manage to get in the way. As the crimes escalate and specific individuals are murdered, a deeper plot is uncovered that goes all the way to the top of the bank’s executive chain. Special Agent in Charge Montgomery and his team not only have to battle the criminals, they find themselves at odds with local police detective Mims who has some secrets of his own. As Montgomery gets closer to the truth, he must decide between upholding the law and doing what’s right.

Specifications

Lionsgate
2016, Color, Rated R, 1 Hr 47 mins
DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, 2.40:1 Aspect Ratio
Starring: Bruce Willis, Christopher Meloni, Dave Bautista
Directed by Steven C. Miller

Rating

Entertainment:

Video:

Audio:

Extras:

Violence: Yes
Sex: No
Language: Yes

Marauders is best described as a gritty crime drama. The plot takes a few twists and turns, none of which are especially surprising. It also gets a little confusing at times though it’s all made clear by the end. To me, the movie felt more like a TV show than a feature film though its violence and language would relegate it to one of the premium networks. There are copious f-bombs throughout and the violence, though not pervasive, can be extreme at times.

Overall production quality is good though it seems the director wants us to believe that Cincinnati is a city where it is always a cold blue outside and it rains 24 hours a day. I don’t think the sun, or a dry street appeared once the entire time. For fans of WWE star-turned-actor Dave Bautista, this is the first time I’ve seen him in a dramatic role. He isn’t quite at the level of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson but given time, he may shine. Christopher Meloni and his broodish personality are the standout here. He plays up the cop-in-conflict role well and ultimately rises to the occasion when presented with difficult decisions. I also enjoyed Adrian Grenier as Agent Wells. He definitely has something to hide from the get-go but you don’t quite know what it is until reveal time.

Marauders is an entertaining film that should satisfy those looking for an interesting crime drama that doesn’t require too much figuring out. The action is a bit sparse but well-done and the story has a good ending. This Blu-ray is definitely worth a rental.

Aside from the aforementioned blue exteriors, image quality is decent if not stellar. Interior shots are presented in a warm color palette with rich red, orange and yellow hues. Fleshtones remain accurate which is surprising given the extreme blue seen in outdoor scenes. It looks like that material was all shot on the same day. Clarity is also good but not great as there is a bit of softness here and there. Film grain is used well and it imparts a grit that’s completely appropriate.

The DTS-HD Master Audio mix is the best thing about this Blu-ray. A 5.1 channel encode delivers full rich sound with lots of dynamic range and impact. Ambient sound effects appear in all channels and create a good sense of immersion. The sub is blended in beautifully adding plenty of low-end oomph without overpowering the scene. Music is also well-done thanks to an excellent score by Ryan Dodson.

Bonus features total about one hour and include a short making-of featurette, 32 minutes of cast interviews, deleted scenes and a trailer.