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Blink
Warner Bros. // R // October 7, 2003
List Price: $19.98 [Buy now and save at Amazon]
THE MOVIE
Madeleine Stowe stars as Emma Brody, a young woman who has been blind since age eight, but thanks to a transplant operation has had her sight restored to her. However, there are two problems. The first is that Emma is still adjusting to her new eyes, seeing only bits and pieces, and sometimes not realizing what she has seen until hours later. The second is that Emma may have seen the serial killer who has murdered one of her neighbors…and Emma might be next on the killer's reign of terror.
Enter rough-around-the-edges detective John Hallstrom (Aidan Quinn), who has already met Emma prior to the murder – when he crudely tried to get her attention in a bar. Perhaps because of his attraction to her, Hallstrom is one of the few cops who trusts Emma's story as the truth instead of a possible hallucination.
Although the story has some familiarity to it (watching it, I couldn't help but remember 1992's Jennifer Eight, in which Uma Thurman played a blind woman to Andy's Garcia's cop), both Stowe and (especially) Quinn bring a real sense of realism to their characters that makes the film enjoyable. In fact, far more interesting than the hunt for the killer is the romantic relationship that develops between Emma and John – which is nice, since it gets the viewer to actually care about the fate of the characters.
The movie takes place and was filmed on location in Chicago, and the city itself plays a character in the film. Quinn's character has the localisms down perfectly, and he gives one of his best performances in this film. I also enjoyed the way Stowe's character was written. Emma is no "babe in the woods" and isn't afraid to speak her mind or take action when called for. That makes her both a match for the killer in the movie's finale, as well as the perfect partner for tough cop Hallstrom.
THE DVD
Video:
The DVD gives the viewer the option of watching the movie in either the full-frame or anamorphic widescreen format. The widescreen is 2.35:1 (although the DVD box says it's 1.85:1) and although the picture has somewhat of a "soft" look to it, there is hardly any indication of pixilation or other problems with the transfer.
Audio:
There are two audio options here – a 5.1 Dolby Track, or a 2.0 Stereo Track. The 5.1 Track is a very good one, sounding crisp and clear, and being aggressive when it needs to be.
Extras:
I was hoping for a commentary track from Quinn, Stowe and perhaps director Michael Apted, but all we get on this DVD is the Theatrical Trailer, plus other trailers for Heaven's Prisoners, Lawnmower Man 2 and Excessive Force. There's supposed to be some DVD-Rom content, but my InterActual player wouldn't read the DVD properly after several tries (my copy was a screener, so this doesn't indicate a problem with the actual release), so I can't comment on what extra content may be there.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Blink is definitely worth a look, especially if you've never seen the movie before. Even with the lack of extras, the performances here by Quinn and Stowe elevate the movie above the typical serial killer/crime-drama, giving the title higher than average replayablity value. Considering you'll be able to find this DVD at most stores and online sites for under $15, this one's worth adding to your collection.
Madeleine Stowe stars as Emma Brody, a young woman who has been blind since age eight, but thanks to a transplant operation has had her sight restored to her. However, there are two problems. The first is that Emma is still adjusting to her new eyes, seeing only bits and pieces, and sometimes not realizing what she has seen until hours later. The second is that Emma may have seen the serial killer who has murdered one of her neighbors…and Emma might be next on the killer's reign of terror.
Enter rough-around-the-edges detective John Hallstrom (Aidan Quinn), who has already met Emma prior to the murder – when he crudely tried to get her attention in a bar. Perhaps because of his attraction to her, Hallstrom is one of the few cops who trusts Emma's story as the truth instead of a possible hallucination.
Although the story has some familiarity to it (watching it, I couldn't help but remember 1992's Jennifer Eight, in which Uma Thurman played a blind woman to Andy's Garcia's cop), both Stowe and (especially) Quinn bring a real sense of realism to their characters that makes the film enjoyable. In fact, far more interesting than the hunt for the killer is the romantic relationship that develops between Emma and John – which is nice, since it gets the viewer to actually care about the fate of the characters.
The movie takes place and was filmed on location in Chicago, and the city itself plays a character in the film. Quinn's character has the localisms down perfectly, and he gives one of his best performances in this film. I also enjoyed the way Stowe's character was written. Emma is no "babe in the woods" and isn't afraid to speak her mind or take action when called for. That makes her both a match for the killer in the movie's finale, as well as the perfect partner for tough cop Hallstrom.
THE DVD
Video:
The DVD gives the viewer the option of watching the movie in either the full-frame or anamorphic widescreen format. The widescreen is 2.35:1 (although the DVD box says it's 1.85:1) and although the picture has somewhat of a "soft" look to it, there is hardly any indication of pixilation or other problems with the transfer.
Audio:
There are two audio options here – a 5.1 Dolby Track, or a 2.0 Stereo Track. The 5.1 Track is a very good one, sounding crisp and clear, and being aggressive when it needs to be.
Extras:
I was hoping for a commentary track from Quinn, Stowe and perhaps director Michael Apted, but all we get on this DVD is the Theatrical Trailer, plus other trailers for Heaven's Prisoners, Lawnmower Man 2 and Excessive Force. There's supposed to be some DVD-Rom content, but my InterActual player wouldn't read the DVD properly after several tries (my copy was a screener, so this doesn't indicate a problem with the actual release), so I can't comment on what extra content may be there.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Blink is definitely worth a look, especially if you've never seen the movie before. Even with the lack of extras, the performances here by Quinn and Stowe elevate the movie above the typical serial killer/crime-drama, giving the title higher than average replayablity value. Considering you'll be able to find this DVD at most stores and online sites for under $15, this one's worth adding to your collection.
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