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Amsterdam Heavy
[Blu-ray]
Blu-ray B - United Kingdom - Signature Entertainment Review written by and copyright: Samuel Scott (2nd January 2014). |
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The Film
 ***This is an A/V and extras review only. For reviews on the movie from various critics, we recommend visiting HERE.*** AMSTERDAM HEAVY takes us on a roller-coaster journey to the violent, criminal heart of Amsterdam. CIA Agent Martin Keele (Michael Madsen - Reservoir Dogs, Kill Bill) sets the wheels spinning in this gritty urban action thriller, as mysterious gangster J.D. goes on the rampage in Amsterdam, stopping at nothing to uncover those who have betrayed him. J.D. is kidnapped by Thai hoods and drugged to make him spill information on Amsterdam crime boss Gunter. With a burning desire for retribution he escapes and smuggles himself back to his home city, arriving with nothing but his fists and a need to settle scores. In Amsterdam's infamous Red Light District, JD hooks up with exotic dancer Monique (Alison Carroll - Doghouse, The Kid), but he soon finds out all is not what it seems. As he pieces back his memory, his world explodes into a series of action-packed fights and chases through the back alleys and canals of Amsterdam, featuring world class K1 and MMA fighters such as Alistair Overeem, Semmy Schilt and Gokhan Saki.
Video
Independent budget label Signature Entertainment have released "Amsterdam Heavy" onto Blu-ray in the United Kingdom in the original aspect ratio of 2.35:1. The transfer is 1080p, and uses an AVC MPEG-4 codec. It's a bit of a mixed bag. Filmed using Red One cameras on a budget of just half a million Euros, the feature does have a typical low budget feel to it. Cinematographer Arie Van Dam, seems to have gone for heavy usage of whites and greys, with purposely bright lighting - a style choice that doesn't really suit the dark nature of the feature. It has also resulted in quite poor black levels, and an overall soft look, though some of the lighter colours do show good clarity and sharpness. The level of detail in the transfer bounces up and down, with some facial close-ups looking great - whilst in other scenes, there's much less detail, with hair looking a little blocky in particular. The biggest problem with the transfer is actually the compression artefacts that appear during various moments - particularly in the first twenty minutes, but noticeable throughout. This transfer of "Amsterdam Heavy" is quite dissatisfying and below average, but at times shows a few promising moments of detail and clarity - it's just a shame it never jumps on these opportunities. The disc is a BD25, and the feature runs 91:11.
Audio
The front cover has a DTS-HD Master Audio logo on it, whilst the back of the case states 5.1 sound, yet the incompetency of whoever was in charge here shines through, with both the front and the back being incorrect. What we actually get, is an English Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo track at 320kbps. To be honest, the track is fairly uneventful. There are quite a number of fight scenes and various environmental elements that could've played out well over a 5.1 track, but instead, everything sounds overly restrained and lacks passion. Even gunshots lack the required oomph to sound as well as they should. Separation between the two channels is barely noticeable for the majority and there is a lack of directionality, but on the plus side, dialogue is always clear, though some of the Dutch accents can make it a little more difficult to understand. There are no signs of damage such as scratches or drop outs, and I noticed zero background hiss. Unfortunately, there are no subtitles available.
Extras
No extras at all.
Overall
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