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Proximity
Columbia/Tri-Star // R // July 24, 2001
List Price: $29.95 [Buy now and save at Amazon]
Torn from the headlines! Well, not really. I guess I've just been subjected to too many hours of Law And Order on A&E. Proximity, in every other conceivable way a by-the-numbers direct-to-video action flick, does confront the frustration a significant number of Americans have with the current legal system. Many families crave vengeance against those who have murdered their loved ones, only to have painful memories dredged up continually during countless years of appeals, various proceedings, and parole hearings. There are, I'm sure, quite a few victims who would leap at the opportunity to step outside the confines of the law for some "eye for an eye" style retribution. Proximity takes place in a world where one organization, for the right price, offers that sort of vengeance.
Rob Lowe stars as William Conroy, a former professor imprisoned for vehicular manslaughter after his mistress, who was also once his student, is killed in an alcohol-fueled accident. A chatty friend mentions that an exceedingly large number of inmates have died over the past couple of years, and that very night, Conroy hears his final gasps in a nearby cell. The powers-that-be fear that Conroy may know too much. After a botched attempt on his life, Conroy makes his escape and tries to make sense of the available clues with the help of his lawyer. He is, of course, pursued relentlessly, and Conroy's family inevitably becomes embroiled in the conflict as well.
Aside from the moderately interesting idea of the dual intentions of the "Justice For The Victim's Family" group, Proximity doesn't diverge from the traditional action formula. Unsuccessful chase, exposition, unsuccessful chase, emotional moments with loved ones, unsuccessful chase, predictable plot revelation, unsuccessful chase...if you've ever watched TBS on a Sunday afternoon, you may not have sat through Proximity, but you've seen something awfully close. The presence of a pretty good cast -- Lowe, of course, ubiquitous character actor Jonathan Banks (who will to me forever be Guy from Fired Up), and legendary second-tier action hero James Coburn -- livens things up, as does the direction by newcomer Scott Ziehl (whose remake of Earth Vs. The Spider is slated to hit DVD next month).
Proximity is hopelessly clichéd and seems disinterested in bringing anything that may approximate originality to the genre. Taken for what it is, this is still an enjoyable, if unmemorable, way to kill an hour and a half.
Video: Proximity is presented at an aspect ratio of 1.85:1 and is enhanced for widescreen televisions. This is a recent enough production, despite the extensive amount of time that has passed between the DVD's release and this review, that no print damage or noticeable speckling are present. The image is generally crisp and, when called for, boasts bold, vibrant colors. Shadow detail and black levels are both more than adequate, though nothing exceptional. There is some fine film grain present for much of Proximity, but nothing that seems in any way unnatural or out of place.
Audio: Proximity sports a Dolby Digital 5.1 track that's surprisingly aggressive for a direct-to-video production. The subwoofer gets quite a workout from the handful of shoot-outs as well as the techno-lite score by Stephen Cullo (Belly), but the most memorable low-end activity is present in Conroy's flashbacks to the fatal car accident. There's a phenomenal amount of bass, and if readers really want to piss off their neighbors for whatever reason, these fairly brief moments of LFE rumbling certainly ought to do the trick. The surround channels also get some nice use, particularly during more action-driven scenes. Dialogue remains clear and discernable throughout, and, as is to be expected from such a recent release, the track is free of any hiss, pops, or crackling.
Proximity can also be viewed in English stereo surround or Spanish, and there are subtitles in both languages as well.
Supplements: There are lengthy biographies for director Scott Ziehl, Rob Lowe, James Coburn, Kelly Rowan (misspelled 'Kelley' in the menu), and Jonathan Banks, along with a full-frame trailer for Proximity and previews for Animal Factory, New Blood, A Better Way To Die, and Made Men.
Conclusion: Proximity is standard direct-to-video fare. I'm not really the sort of guy who keeps an eye out at Blockbuster every week for the latest shoot-'em-ups, but those that better fit that description may want to nuke a bag of popcorn and pick Proximity up as a rental. I wouldn't recommend it as a purchase, though, particularly at its hefty list price of $29.95.
Rob Lowe stars as William Conroy, a former professor imprisoned for vehicular manslaughter after his mistress, who was also once his student, is killed in an alcohol-fueled accident. A chatty friend mentions that an exceedingly large number of inmates have died over the past couple of years, and that very night, Conroy hears his final gasps in a nearby cell. The powers-that-be fear that Conroy may know too much. After a botched attempt on his life, Conroy makes his escape and tries to make sense of the available clues with the help of his lawyer. He is, of course, pursued relentlessly, and Conroy's family inevitably becomes embroiled in the conflict as well.
Aside from the moderately interesting idea of the dual intentions of the "Justice For The Victim's Family" group, Proximity doesn't diverge from the traditional action formula. Unsuccessful chase, exposition, unsuccessful chase, emotional moments with loved ones, unsuccessful chase, predictable plot revelation, unsuccessful chase...if you've ever watched TBS on a Sunday afternoon, you may not have sat through Proximity, but you've seen something awfully close. The presence of a pretty good cast -- Lowe, of course, ubiquitous character actor Jonathan Banks (who will to me forever be Guy from Fired Up), and legendary second-tier action hero James Coburn -- livens things up, as does the direction by newcomer Scott Ziehl (whose remake of Earth Vs. The Spider is slated to hit DVD next month).
Proximity is hopelessly clichéd and seems disinterested in bringing anything that may approximate originality to the genre. Taken for what it is, this is still an enjoyable, if unmemorable, way to kill an hour and a half.
Video: Proximity is presented at an aspect ratio of 1.85:1 and is enhanced for widescreen televisions. This is a recent enough production, despite the extensive amount of time that has passed between the DVD's release and this review, that no print damage or noticeable speckling are present. The image is generally crisp and, when called for, boasts bold, vibrant colors. Shadow detail and black levels are both more than adequate, though nothing exceptional. There is some fine film grain present for much of Proximity, but nothing that seems in any way unnatural or out of place.
Audio: Proximity sports a Dolby Digital 5.1 track that's surprisingly aggressive for a direct-to-video production. The subwoofer gets quite a workout from the handful of shoot-outs as well as the techno-lite score by Stephen Cullo (Belly), but the most memorable low-end activity is present in Conroy's flashbacks to the fatal car accident. There's a phenomenal amount of bass, and if readers really want to piss off their neighbors for whatever reason, these fairly brief moments of LFE rumbling certainly ought to do the trick. The surround channels also get some nice use, particularly during more action-driven scenes. Dialogue remains clear and discernable throughout, and, as is to be expected from such a recent release, the track is free of any hiss, pops, or crackling.
Proximity can also be viewed in English stereo surround or Spanish, and there are subtitles in both languages as well.
Supplements: There are lengthy biographies for director Scott Ziehl, Rob Lowe, James Coburn, Kelly Rowan (misspelled 'Kelley' in the menu), and Jonathan Banks, along with a full-frame trailer for Proximity and previews for Animal Factory, New Blood, A Better Way To Die, and Made Men.
Conclusion: Proximity is standard direct-to-video fare. I'm not really the sort of guy who keeps an eye out at Blockbuster every week for the latest shoot-'em-ups, but those that better fit that description may want to nuke a bag of popcorn and pick Proximity up as a rental. I wouldn't recommend it as a purchase, though, particularly at its hefty list price of $29.95.
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