The Take – Blu-Ray Movie Review

Synopsis

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

Commentary

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.

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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.

Technical

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.

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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.

Extras

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

Chris Eberle

Chris' passion for audio began when he took up playing the bassoon at age 12. During his third year at the New England Conservatory of Music, he won a position with the West Point Band where he served for 26 years as principal bassoonist. He retired from the Army in 2013 and is now writing full time and performing as a freelance musician in Central Florida. As an avid movie lover, Chris was unable to turn away the 50-inch Samsung DLP TV that arrived at his door one day, thus launching him irrevocably into an obsession with home theater. Dissatisfied with the image quality of his new acquisition, Chris trained with the Imaging Science Foundation in 2006 and became a professional display calibrator. His ultimate theater desires were realized when he completed construction of a dedicated cinema/listening room in his home. Chris is extremely fortunate that his need for quality audio and video is shared and supported by his wife of over 25 years. In his spare time he enjoys riding his recumbent trike at least 100 miles per week, trying out new restaurants, going to theme parks and spending as much time as possible watching movies and listening to music. Chris enjoys bringing his observations and discoveries about every kind of home theater product to as many curious and well-informed readers as possible. He is proud to be a part of the Team and hopes to help everyone enjoy their AV experiences to the fullest.