Plot: What’s it about?
It could be argued that the last few movies that Sandra Bullock has been in haven’t been…well, that good. It’s very unlikely that she’ll re-capture the fame she had with her hat trick of movies in the mid 90’s (Speed, While You Were Sleeping and A Time to Kill), then again in Hollywood–anything can happen! After Speed 2 became one of the biggest jokes at the box office (and critically), we didn’t see her for a while. Personally I enjoyed the "clean and sober" 28 Days and she found new life with the ultra chick flick The Diving Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, but its with this latest video effort that seems a bit forced and dull. Predictable to say the least.
Sandra Bullock plays homicide detective Cassie Mayweather, a tough, saavy and seemingly aloof crime-scene specialist, whose incredible instincts for the job are discomforted by eerie flashbacks to the puzzling demons of her past. When two bored little rich kids û one a brilliant mind well-learned in forensics and the other an extremely cunning charmer û decide to ôfree their mindsö by creating the perfect crime, Mayweather and her wet-behind-the-ears partner Sam Kennedy (Ben Chaplin) must use every trick in the book to solve the gruesome crime.
The film seemingly borrows from every other suspense-thriller that has come before it, and is so predictable at times itÆs almost shocking. That’s not to say there aren’t some thrilling moments, but the predicament Cassie goes through in the case — that sometimes clues fit together too nicely û is exactly the same predicament plaguing ôMurder by Numbers.ö ItÆs a film that fits together so nicely that its predictable stereotypes can be seen well in advance.
Bullock shows her versatility in a solid performance, while Ben Chaplin (ôThe Thin Red Lineö) seems a bit lost in the role, overrun in many scenes by BullockÆs strong screen presence. Director Barbet Schroeder has never been consistent in the thriller department, helming the effective ôReversal of Fortuneö and ôOur Lady of Assassinsö and the forgettable ôDesperate Measures.ö As for ôMurder by Numbers,ö chalk another one up as dead in the water.
Video: How does it look?
For a movie brand new to DVD and released by Warner, the transfer isn’t that appealing. Warner, usually known for their good effort on transfers (especially new to DVD titles), its lacking here. The scenes during the daytime are almost muddy and filled with some light artifacting. I wouldn’t say that the transfer is bad, but it could be a lot better. Also, Warner has chosen to release this in two different versions (widescreen and full-frame). The 1.85:1 anamorphic image does look very good in some scenes, but for a movie less than a year old, it’s just not what we’ve come to expect. Fleshtones are natural and the edge enhancement is almost non-existent, but I was still let down.
Audio: How does it sound?
The audio is a shade better than the video, but the Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack doesn’t deliver on as many levels as one might think. There are some scenes in which the dialogue dominates and we don’t notice the discrete effects coming out of the rear channels. But, at the same time, this isn’t a mix that screams out to be noticed either. In a movie comparable to "The Bone Collector", the sound is about par here as it was way above par there. No distortion is present and aside from a few ticks here and there, its a good soundtrack.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This seems to be a fairly standard issue here, a commentary plus some cast bios and a trailer. The commentary track features Director Barbet Schroder and Editor Lee Percy as they talk on about the movie. This is more of a technical commentary and though it does have its down time, its interesting if you’re really into the film (they obviously are). Not much else is included here, but perhaps the supplements were included to entice you to buy the disc?! I’d give it a rental first, as I’m not sure if the film merits many repeat viewings…
