MovieFreak.com - Narc DVD Review

Nick Tellis (Jason Patric) is a suspended narcotics officer recruited to investigate the murder of Michael Calvess, a rookie cop killed under mysterious circumstances. Tellis is teamed with Calvess's partner, Henry Oak (Ray Liotta), a hot-tempered renegade who'll stop at nothing to avenge his friend's death. As Tellis and Oak follow a shadowy trail through the steamy drug underworld, the lines start to blur-between right and wrong, good and evil, and justice and revenge.

Narc is a tough-as-nails cop drama. It is subdued and dark, which gives it a kind of gritty look. This creates an atmosphere that is cold and harsh. The film is pretty straight-forward in its storytelling. While I don’t consider Joe Carnahan’s script the most original, it nevertheless keeps the viewer guessing. The way the script moves is very elegant.

The murder case Tellis and Oak investigate is very emotional for the detectives and some of their emotional feelings translate, but in the overall sense the emotion lacks depth and intensity. I didn’t much care for Calvess, considering what the turnout is. Then again, it’s just one of those characters you really can’t like or identify with, because that’s not what it is about. I think what makes the murder case stand out among other murder cases in other films is the direct connection involving the police department.

As the investigation grows deeper and closer to the final truth, Narc really begins to unravel. Another good aspect of the script is the dialogue, which is terrific. However, the actors make the dialogue work so well. Ray Liotta looks heavy and sports a chugged beard, giving his appearance a sort of gloomy and tough look. Liotta’s performance is probably the high point in Narc.

But let’s not forget Jason Patric whose beard and long hair make him look beat, which he’s supposed to be. I mean beat in a good way, like he’s tired. Patric’s appearance changes every time he gets closer to cracking the case and his performance really sells it. He’s uncompromising, even if it means working against protocol, yet he’s dedicated, too.

There really is no room for a supporting cast, except for Chi McBride as a police superior and Busta Rhymes as a drug dealer. The two leading performances by Liotta and Patric give Narc a boost. They make the script and dialogue look good. But in the end it’s Joe Carnahan as a director who makes Narc what it is; a gritty cop drama with some thriller elements in between.

Carnahan’s previous independent feature, Blood, Guts, Bullets & Octane, is pretty much a low-budget, road-kill kind of a film. That’s not to say the film is terrible, not at all, but the style of it indicates a cool foreshadowing of his talent. Carnahan brings depth to Narc. His style is what makes Narc stand out. There’s a cool split-screen sequence about 22 minutes into the film that’s edited together real nice.

Anyone else directing the script probably would’ve made a whole different film, depending on the budget. And it’s worth mentioning the budget Carnahan and crew used to make the film was a mere couple of million dollars, a very low standard nowadays. I think that independent, low-budget feel is what makes Narc look so good.

In terms of pacing, Narc moves about right, except for the last 25 minutes or so. The last act happens in real time, basically. The investigation breaks when Oak and Tellis find the suspected killers. What I’m saying is that the whole sequence, mainly the interrogation of the suspected killers, feels a little too long. The showdown is great to watch and brings intensity to the situation, but I couldn’t help but feel moderately engaged. I know it’s a little strange to think so, but the payoff is a bit too predictable (well, if the theatrical trailer is any indication, you know). I’m not going to spoil anything, mind you.

Again, Narc is not the most original in terms of a story, but Carnahan’s style and writing make it more than just the average cop drama (and thriller, if you will).

Paramount presents Narc in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen. The film is really subdued with mostly blue and dark tones, which are supposed to signify a cold look. This style works for the film. I didn’t notice any artifact or compression problems, but in some instances dirt and grain popped up. Colors are a little bleak, mostly blue and white, which is somewhat disengaging. Color detail is fine and depth is not too bad. Dark tones and black levels are good in some spots. Narc features a lot of dark scenes, but black level is not always consistent in correlation. Overall, the presentation is very fitting and makes Narc look good.

Paramount presents Narc in English Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. Cliff Martinez’s score is pretty good, but it doesn’t penetrate the soundfield all too well. However, the sound effects do. Rear speakers come alive more than a few times, but since the film features a lot of dialogue, the front speakers have most of the work. Dialog scenes are clear and easy to understand. The thing with surround usage is that it doesn’t perform all too great. While everything is clear and audible, the Dolby Digital track lacks bass and punch. Overall, Narc’s audio presentation is very decent and audible, but nothing too impressive.

Narc is also available are English Dolby Digital Surround and French Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtracks.

Commentary by Joe Carnahan and Editor John Gilroy – Okay, these guys are obviously having a good time and like discussing the film. Carnahan and Gilroy are fun to listen to and make the track as conversational as possible. Their comments are screen-specific, but not limited to. There are occasional small pauses, but no big gaps. Some of the behind-the-scenes trivia Carnahan reveals is pretty cool. On the whole Carnahan dominates the track with his comments, but Gilroy jumps in as well. This track is definitely worth listening to if you enjoyed the film.

4 Featurettes – First up is "Narc: Making the Deal," a 12-minute segment on getting the film made with interviews of Joe Carnahan, Ray Liotta and Jason Patric. The three topics discussed in this feature are casting, rehearsals and locations. Next up is "Narc: Shooting Up," a 19-minute segment about the production. This feature reflects on the characters, the investigation, the money problems the film suffered, etc. Appearing in interviews are some surprising faces, such as Tom Cruise and director William Friedkin.

Then there’s "Narc: The Visual Trip," a 10-minute segment. It discusses the look of the film, such as photography, composition, editing and film music. Lastly is "The Friedkin Connection," a 10-minute segment that’s really just a focused interview with William Friedkin. It’s a little one-sided, but Friedkin’s words are interesting to listen to. As a whole, these four featurettes are put together very nicely and offer some cool behind-the-scenes footage/interviews.

One thing about the DVD is that when you pop in the disc, you have to wait for the Paramount logo to load and then switch to a menu with two choices: previews or main menu. Buena Vista DVDs don’t even give you this choice, so the ability to choose is a nice thing, but overall the whole previews thing is annoying. I just thought I’d mention this new way Paramount is presenting their DVDs.

You can select to view the film with optional English subtitles. The DVD’s menus are interactive, but not animated. The 105-minute feature is organized into fifteen chapters.

Narc is gritty, tough and in style. It’s worth checking out. Paramount’s treatment of the DVD is pretty nice. Video looks good and audio sounds pretty decent. The commentary is really good and the four featurettes are pretty good. Narc comes recommended.

THE MOVIE	8
THE VIDEO	8
THE AUDIO	7
THE EXTRAS	7
OVERALL (not an average)	7