The Stranger

Reviewed by Drav3n

Format: Blu-ray

Release: June 1, 2010

Rated: R

Runtime: 90 Minutes

The Movie:

WWE Legend-turned-actor Steve Austin stars in this direct-to-dvd movie as a man with no name, no memory, and nothing left to lose. When he finds himself hunted by the FBI and the Russian mob, he realizes his only option is to fight back. Pursuit can't stop him and torture won't break him. With every beating, bullet and betrayal, he will remembered another piece of the horror that took away his family, his career and his identity. Now with the puzzle almost complete, one man is about to take back his past and end alot of futures.

When I picked this up, I was expecting 90 minutes of cliches and Steve Austin "opening a can of whoop-ass" on people. And, unfortunately, that's exactly what I got. This movie felt like a very cheap knock-off of The Bourne Identity. While the movie isn't original and the mystery behind "The Stranger" isn't really captivating, the movie does still find a way to make you want to find out his story and who he is. It's a shame that the back of the movie case gives away half of the mystery by telling you he already lost his family and job.

I was surprised to see Adam Beach (Windtalkers) and Erica Cerra (Eureka) as the other actors in this movie. While this is far from being a good movie, it does atleast show that Austin can carry himself in an action movie. The flashbacks are what really ruin this movie from being close to decent and can actually make the movie complicated to follow(as if you even thought that was possible).

It's a dumb, poorly acted action movie, that doesn't really make alot of sense, but still provides a few worthwhile beat-em-up scenes. If you can check your mind at the door and have no expectations for movies, than there's a very slim chance that you might enjoy it.

Presentation:

Lately when I see that Anchor Bay is the studio behind the movie, my standards get lowered for their blu-rays. While the transfer is passable, it's nothing that you would reference back to as demo quality. The overall image consistently looks flat, colors aren't strong, but are bland-looking, and black levels can be way too overpowering. However, up close shots of objects appear to be sharp, and some of the outdoor scenes can show a clear and sharp image.

Audio:

The 5.1 PCM Uncompressed audio track is very inconsistent. I kept finding myself lowering and raising the volume. Dialogue was pretty clear, but there was a few times I had to back-track and raise the volume again to hear what I missed. The score that's used is very lacking. The gunshot sound effects sounded strong, but that's about it.

Bonus Material:

• Behind The Scenes (480p, Runtime 5:55) - Consists of short interviews with the cast and a few behind the scenes shots. Nothing special here.
• Trailer

Bottom Line:

Unless you're a die-hard Stone Cold Steve Austin fan, or couldn't find anything else to watch, then give this a rent. Otherwise, skip it. Nothing about this disc screams blu-ray, I have a feeling you probably wouldn't be able to tell the difference between the dvd and the blu-ray version if you compared them side by side. If you feel compelled to rent this, go to RedBox. This film isn't worth more than a dollar.