Nothing, sadly, makes for a better film than true life events more mysterious and disturbing than anything a Hollywood writer is capable of thinking up. Ami Canaan Mann's award-winning murder mystery "Texas Killing Fields" is one of those cases. Although it comes off a bit anticlimactic in the end and left me feeling unfulfilled, the film definitely held its own in the categories of suspense and thrills.
The Movie
A homicide detective and a transplanted New York City police officer are called on to investigate a string of unsolved serial killings. The bodies of the victims are all found in an area known as the "Texas killing fields." Although many of the murders are happening outside of their jurisdiction, the New York transplant can't put the case out of his mind and works it anyway. Who is the sadistic murderer, and can they solve the mystery before the next killing?
Video Quality:
Much of "Texas Killing Fields" takes place at night. Many times this can cause images to blend together in the darkness if the video transfer wasn't done well. Thankfully, I can report this is not the case here. Most of the images vary in different degrees to make all the action visible in the evening hours. The movie has a crisp and clean look to it while not losing its identity as a grassroots independent film.
Audio Quality:
The TrueHD 7.1 surround sound will spread the sonic elements out nicely throughout your home theater area. There's plenty going on to keep your attention, from gunshots, rustling, and the musical score to other background noises. The atmosphere of "Texas Killing Fields" is enhanced by the sounds of insects chirping and other natural noises people who live in or visit rural Texas will find familiar. One thing this has going for it is a strong audio representation that reflects the tone of the film.
Special Features:
The Blu-ray of "Texas Killing Fields" will leave lovers of bonus material feeling disappointed. All we get is audio commentary provided by Mann and writer Donald F. Ferrarone, plus a trailer for the film. With such a great cast and interesting source material, you would think there would be a "behind-the-scenes" featurette or mini-documentary on the real events the movie is based on.
Final Analysis:
As a film, "Texas Killing Fields" left me feeling a little unsatisfied. However, that might be what Mann meant for viewers to take away from the movie. All the actors put their best foot forward, though it was interesting listening to Sam Worthington's Texas accent fade in and out. I probably noticed this more than people outside of the Lone Star State will.
The Louisiana landscape substitutes for Texas City convincingly as well. The bulk of the movie kept me on edge and I would recommend it. If you're a consumer looking for the high-definition version, this will satisfy you. If you're looking for special features to enhance your viewing pleasure, you're going to find this Blu-ray leaves you feeling empty.
For more articles by Eric Shirey, check out:
'Killer Elite' Blu-ray Brings Home the Action and Thrills
Cast and Crew of 'The Artist' Talk Oscar Nominations
Weinstein Company, IFC Films, Lionsgate Oscar Nominees Share Excitement
Eric Shirey is the founder and former editor of Rondo Award nominated movie news websites MovieGeekFeed.com and TheSpectralRealm.com. His work has been featured on Yahoo!, DC Comics, StarWars.com, and other entertainment websites. Eric has interviewed and worked with actors like Harrison Ford, Brooke Shields, Gerard Butler, Brendan Fraser, Selena Gomez, and many more.
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