The Take – Blu-Ray Movie Review

Michael Mason is an American living in Paris earning his living as a pick-pocket. One night, he steals a woman’s bag not knowing it contains a bomb. When it goes off, four people are killed and he becomes the prime suspect. CIA agent Sean Briar is on the case and as he investigates, uncovers a far deeper plot that leads to corruption and dissent in the highest levels of the Paris police force. Briar has to go on his own without support from the agency. With Mason’s help, he goes up against the criminals to save the city from chaos and bloodshed.

Specifications

Universal
2016, Color, Rated R, 1 Hr 32 mins
DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1, 2.40:1 Aspect Ratio
Starring: Idris Elba, Richard Madden, Charlotte Le Bon
Directed by James Watkins

Rating

Entertainment:

Video:

Audio:

Extras:

Violence: Yes
Sex: Nudity
Language: Yes

This is a fairly basic action flick. The best part is Idris Elba who has the tough-guy action-hero thing down pat. He’s very entertaining to watch. Richard Madden does a decent job as the local thief who finds himself in the classic wrong-time-wrong-place scenario. The story is predictable for the most part but there are a few plot twists that keep the film from becoming too derivative. Action scenes are choreographed well with some dynamite foot chases that surely tested the skills of more than a few Hollywood stunt performers. Fans of the TV-series 24 will recognize the look and feel of The Take.

Agent Briar, like Jack Bauer, finds himself without support from the CIA. He’s the only one who understands what’s at stake and what’s really happening. Of course, the bad guys work from the inside and the whole thing winds up becoming a crime caper rather than a terrorist plot. It’s still an enjoyable 90 minutes and should have no trouble getting you through a bowl or two of popcorn.

The image is shot with extremely high contrast and a gritty feel. The grit is presented in sharp detail and fast-moving action is mostly free of blur. Highlight and shadow detail are occasionally clipped to maintain the film’s harsh appearance. The color palette covers a wide range of warm and cold hues but never strays too far from the natural.

Audio is clean and detailed with good use of the sub and surrounds. My only complaint is that the mix is polite. It didn’t really move me in a way suggested by the on-screen action. Turning up the volume helps a little but the track really needs more punch and dynamic range.

The lone bonus feature is a two-minute making-of featurette.