I know many people don’t like Sam Worthington and I’m one of them. Worthington is trying to prove that he’s not the one-dimensional actor that we all think he is. Lately he’s been doing some interesting off the radar projects like Man on A Ledge and now the serial killer mystery Texas Killing Fields.
Director Ami Canaan Mann does a really nice job of bringing the gritty world of the Texas Bayou to life. The gloss of the HD dampens it a bit, but there are some really nice shots in this little film. When the Detectives are outside you can almost feel the oppressive heat radiating off the cameras, but somehow no one ever sweats. The small Texas Town and it’s never ending marshes become a character of foreboding and penance all its own.
Writer Don Ferrarone has crafted a nice little mystery of this strange, dangerous town where trouble lurks around every corner and filled the world with shady characters at every turn.
I really love this richly layered and varied cast. Worthington’s as southern Detective Mike Souder plays nicely off Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s transplanted, tough – but religious, NY Detective Brian Heigh. The two have nice on screen chemistry. Morgan also shows his “tender” side a bit when he starts to care for the troubled Little Ann Sliger (Chloë Grace Moretz) who is saddled with an alcoholic prostitute for a mother. Jessica Chastain is Pam Stall, Mike’s ex-wife, a fellow police detective from across the border.
The killing fields is a stretch of land where criminals from both sides of the Texas town drop bodies. This time there’s a serial killer on the loose and it’s up to Souder and Heigh to find him.
This is about as bare bones as a Blu-ray can get the only thing included here is the film, which contains a really nice, crisp transfer of the film. As I said earlier the sharpness of the HD sometimes takes away from the “grittiness” of the material but there are other times when it adds to it. The dark scenes all look really sharp and the blacks of the night contrast nicely with the faces. Cinematographer Stuart Dryburgh does a fantastic job with lighting this film.
Never know what the final grade on a Barebones Blu-ray should be. Generally if it is for a film released in a theater, especially a blockbuster, then I expect more effort put into a Blu-ray release so I grade harsher, but since this is a Direct To Video release, I’m not expecting as much. But considering Blu-rays cost $24 now, I still expect more from my money than just the “movie.” In this case, this is a solid transfer of a solid film. Texas Killing Fields is not worth purchasing the Blu-ray but well worth a rental.
Grades
- Movie – B
- Audio/Video/Presentation – B
- Extras – F
Final Grade B-