Blu-ray Movie Reviews

In "Lakeview Terrace", a young couple has just moved into their California dream home when they become the target of their next-door neighbor, who disapproves of their interracial relationship. A stern, single father, this tightly wound LAPD officer has appointed himself the watchdog of the neighborhood. His nightly foot patrols and overly watchful eyes bring comfort to some, but he comes increasingly harassing to the newlyweds. These persistent intrusions into their lives ultimately turn tragic when the couple decides to fight back.

This was a solid thriller with great performances by the cast. While it didn’t bring anything really new to the table it delivered plenty of good thrills. The film takes a bit of a controversial look at interracial marriages and Jackson portrays a bitter cop who takes advantage of this authority and overwhelming presence with his new neighbors. Things just continue to escalate throughout until the situation reaches the boiling point. Overall the film was better than I was expecting but a bit too predictable overall.

Sony delivers a gorgeous HD transfer for this one. Everything just looks great here. Fine detail is preserved throughout and there is a great sense of depth in the imagery. Contrast levels are solid with great black levels and plenty of shadow detail. Some of the CG effects look a bit out of place next to the gorgeous natural photography, but this was only an issue once or twice in the film. Sony is definitely delivering some knockout HD transfers.

The Dolby TrueHD mix is very aggressive and does a great job of balancing the action and keeping the mood up with the score. The soundstage has a very open quality with an ominous low end that keeps things on edge. The hip hop soundtrack selections provide even lower end thump from time to time. Surrounds are quite active and very engaging in the more intense sequences of the film. Dialogue is natural in balance and tone. Nothing to complain about here.

Extras include a feature commentary with the director and cast along with some deleted scenes. You also get a couple behind the scenes features that explore the production and themes. Like all Sony Blu-ray titles this is also BD-Live enabled giving you access to more goodies online.

This was a good thriller but nothing really new for the genre. Sony has done a great job with the presentation though making it an easy recommendation for fans of the genre or those just looking for a great rental.