Plot: What’s it about?
When it comes to serial killers, these men usually have a method to their murders, but the newest series of deaths is the strangest ever. A string of murders has left behind a lot of sociopaths, criminals, and murderers, which is an unusual selection for a serial killer. Due to the choice of victims, this almost seems like a positive spin, but in truth, those responsible need to be stopped before things go too far and innocent people start to be killed. It also seems to have some undercurrent involved, which means some secret must be buried in the deaths, which someone has to uncover. The man who must lead the investigation is agent Jason Chandler (Patrick Muldoon), who is one of the FBI’s finest field agents. But even Chandler’s skills need to pushed to their limits to solve this case, which could go deeper than he ever imagined.
It seems as though a wave of direct to video serial killers flicks has arrived, but as we all know, quantity does not equal quality. So in this gush of releases, you have to wade through a lot of bad movies to find the good ones, as well as the average ones. I like serial killer pictures and as such, I gave The Crimson Code a spin, but I wasn’t expecting much in the end. As it turns out, this isn’t a bad movie, but I wouldn’t go much further than that. Since I have a soft spot for serial killer plots, I found this one to be interesting enough, but unless you’re the same in that respect, you might not find much here to like. The cast is decent enough and includes Cathy Moriarty, Fred Ward, Tim Thomerson, and Patrick Muldoon, all of whom seem up to the task. I recommend this release to fans of serial killer films and thrillers, but I think a rental will suffice in most cases.
It seems as though Patrick Muldoon is finding his niche in the business, although I am unsure if he wants to remain in these lower level films forever. Muldoon has decent skills, but he never seems to keep up in normal feature films, though he does hold his own when the material is not as intense. This is a good example of that, as Muldoon is not pushed much as an actor, so his work is more than adequate. An action hero he isn’t and a classical performer he isn’t, but as long as he stays within his limits, Muldoon fares just fine. Other films with Muldoon include Arrival II, Chain of Command, Stigmata, Starship Troopers, and Black Cat Run. The rest of the cast includes Fred Ward (Tremors, Chain Reaction), Tim Thomerson (Air America, Cherry 2000), C. Thomas Howell (Gettysburg, The Hitcher), David Brown (X-Men, With Time To Kill), and Cathy Moriarty (But I’m A Cheerleader, Raging Bull).
Video: How does it look?
The Crimson Code is presented in a full frame transfer, which the box says is the proper form. But the included trailer shows the film in a widescreen form and in truth, the image there looks much better. I doubt many will object since this is a direct to video, but after I saw the trailer, I wish this was a widescreen image. Aside from the lack of a widescreen transfer, this image looks as good as you can expect from a direct to video release. The colors look bright and error free, the contrast is stark and smooth, and aside from some slight edge enhancement, no compression flaws surface. Another solid transfer from Artisan, although I still wish this would have been widescreen, to enhance the visual composition.
Audio: How does it sound?
This disc utilizes a Dolby Digital 5.1 track, but aside from a few instances, you won’t know it. I do like how rich and immersive the musical score is, but there’s much else to report in terms of surround use. A couple of the more action driven scenes allow the speakers to open somewhat, but not as much as I would have liked. But the track never seems underdone either, which means this material simply wouldn’t have taken the additional surround use well. No problems with vocals though, always sharp and crisp, with no volume errors present. This disc also includes a stereo audio option, in case it fits your home theater needs better.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes some talent files, a trailer for the film (in widescreen no less), and an audio commentary track with director Jeremy Haft. I wasn’t that taken with Haft’s comments, but he did offer some good information at times, which makes the track worth a listen in the end.
