DVD Review: Blitz

DVD Reviews, Reviews

Jason Statham is becoming fairly predictable in the roles he takes. The stronger the character name, the stronger the film. Thus we can tell how good Blitz will be immediately by his character name: Tom Brant. Considering he’s had such tremendous names like Chev Chelios and Lee Christmas, a rather pedestrian name like Tom Brant leaves Blitz as something less than ordinary from the start.

And the film doesn’t do anything to distinguish itself from there on as anything more than a typical direct to video action film.

Brant (Statham) is paired up Officer Nash (Paddy Considine) to take down a cop killer who calls himself “Blitz” (Aidan Gillen). Knowing his identity, but not able to tie him to the crimes, Brant and Nash have to put aside their differences to bring him to justice. And if it sounds all too familiar it’s because it is; this is a recycling of every plot point that’s been used ad nausea from police procedurals and action thrillers alike for the last decade.

This is a fairly perfunctory action thriller that really doesn’t do much to distinguish itself from the usual plot clichés of the genre. Even Statham doesn’t bother to hide the fact that he’s mailing it in as well; this is the exact same police officer type of character he’s done before in films like Chaos and he doesn’t add anything besides his usual sneer to the occasion.

It’s odd to see a Jason Statham film go direct to video, especially considering he has Killer Elite going into wide release later this fall, but Blitz is going this route for a reason: it’s not that good.

Presented in a widescreen format with a Dolby Digital format, Blitz has a good transfer.

The film’s UK Theatrical Trailer is included on the DVD as well as a Digital Copy of the film.

There are Cast and Crew interviews included which don’t add much back into the film. There’s a Behind the Scenes piece that doesn’t add anything back into the film either.

Unless you’re a Jason Statham completist, or love cookie cutter bad DTV action thriller, avoid this at all costs.

Lionsgate presents Blitz. Directed by Elliott Lester. Starring Paddy Considine, Jason Statham, Aidan Gillen. Written by Nathan Parker based off the novel “Blitz” by Nathan Parker. Running time: 97 minutes. Rated R. Released on DVD August 23, 2011. Available at Amazon.com.