Plot: What’s it about?
Bobby “Bats” Batton (Tom Sizemore) has been on the wrong side of the law for a long time, but now it seems as though the law is the only force that can save his family. Batton wakes up one night to discover he is being stalked by a hitman with orders to shoot on sight, but he manages to escape along with his family. He is unsure what is going on so he calls some business partners, but they refuse to give him any information. It looks like Bobby and his family have no hope of survival and nowhere to turn, when they are offered a chance that could save their lives. This offer comes from the F.B.I. and it calls for Bobby to reveal his criminal partners, then he and his family will be placed under federal protection and given a new chance at life. With no other options Bobby agrees and soon he is going through the preparation for the witness protection program, which is no easy task. It sounds easy enough, but Bobby and his family soon learn just how stressful it is to leave yourself and all you had behind, only to become a totally new person. If this family is going to make it after all they need Bobby to remain strong, but he seems to slipping right along with the rest of them…
I’d never seen this movie before this review, but I had seen some advertisements on HBO so I knew what to expect, pretty much. Since there have been too many pictures about the witness protection program over the years, I wasn’t looking forward to this one but duty calls so I gave it a spin. This film isn’t as bad as I thought at all and actually makes for a terrific watch, I’ll be revisiting this one soon I am sure. I was surprised to find a very strong look at the effects crime can have on a man and his family, since I was expecting a crime fluff movie. The characters are deep enough, but would have been more effective is fleshed out a little better. If you’re at all interested in the witness protection program this is a movie you should see, since it seems to give a more realistic and less glamorous view of that program. In other films it seems so foolproof and easy to pull off, but here they show the stress and problems involved as well. This is much better than most made for television flicks, so don’t let that aspect of the movie turn you away. I recommend this as a rental to those interested, but HBO has issued a bare bones disc which doesn’t offer much in terms of overall value.
This film was directed by Richard Pearce, who despite his relative inexperience as a director managed to deliver a terrific movie, one that seems to penetrate the minds of the characters. This is a quick moving movie that never seems to hit a dull stretch, but even at that pace it all turns out very well in the end. The characters could have been deeper, but given the pace of the film that might not have worked well in the overall formula. Pearce uses his camera very well and seems to have a good eye, since many shots seem simple at first glance, but complex upon closer inspection. I’m impressed with his work on this film and I hope to see more from Pearce in the near future. If you want to see more of Pearce’s films I recommend Leap Of Faith, No Mercy, A Family Thing, South Pacific (2001), and Threshold. Tom Sizemore shines as the lead in this movie, giving a powerful performance inside and out. I wasn’t sure if Sizemore (Natural Born Killers, Saving Private Ryan) had the range to play this complex of a character, but he comes through in the end. The supporting cast also includes Shawn Hatosy (The Postman, Outside Providence), Forest Whitaker (The Crying Game, Fast Times At Ridgemont High), Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio (The Abyss, The Perfect Storm), and William Sadler (The Green Mile, The Shawshank Redemption).
Video: How does it look?
Witness Protection is presented in a 1.33:1 or full frame transfer, which retains the original aspect ratio. This transfer looks very good and I sure surpasses the original broadcast image, which is all I can ask from a made for television release like this. The colors seem darker than usual, but this is intentional and aids the tone of the movie. There are some bright spots here and there, but not many and flesh tones appear normal at all times. The contrast comes through well, with rich shadow texture and no detail loss I could discern.
Audio: How does it sound?
This isn’t an audio driven movie so the included 2.0 surround track is more than enough, just don’t expect a powerful experience. The music seems to use the surrounds more than anything, though some small use comes from the effects. During some violent murder scenes the surrounds liven up, but usually they remain nearly silent. The main element in this mix is dialogue, which comes across loud and clear, with no problems at all I could detect.
Supplements: What are the extras?
Just a screen of talent files and that’s it. A commentary would have been great, whether from Sizemore or Pearce, but no such luck.
