2:22 - Blu-ray Review

[Michael Scott]

2:22

Movie:
Video:
Audio:
Extras:
Final Score: ​

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Movie
Have you ever watched a movie that starts one way, but ends in a completely different manner? I hadn’t seen any trailers, any information on 2:22 except for the promotional press releases for the film, so I went in completely blind to this viewing. So as the film starts out with a mystery based off of patterns and repetition, I was slowly drawn into the mysterious world, but as the 2nd half started to come up, we were suddenly yanked off course and taken in a COMPLETELY different direction (albeit, with those same patterns playing a large role in the story). I won’t say that the film is a bad film, as I actually enjoyed it much better the second time around (I purposefully rewatched it a second time being that I wanted to experience the film WITHOUT the mid movie jolt shocking my system), but the mid film track change is so jarring that you feel like you’re actually watching two different films inside the same movie. The first half of the movie seems to be going one direction, only for Director Paul Currie to suddenly yank you over to another parallel track system and keep on chugging full steam ahead.

Dylan (Michiel Huisman) is a flight traffic controller in New York City, when suddenly he has a mental break of some sort. Freezing up on an incoming flight he nearly causes a mid air collision between two planes, he’s let go on a month like suspension pending full board review. After his strange black out experience at work, Dylan stars to see things. Patterns that keep repeating to him day in and day out. Seeing a car crash at the same time each day. A drop of rain falling at the exact same moment, and all of this culminating at a giant electrical problem with glass shattering at Grand Central station at exactly 2:22 pm. Things get MUCH stranger when he meets Sarah (the lovely Teresa Palmer) at the Ballet. Instantly the two connect, but the repetitions and coincidences seem to get strong the longer she stays around.

Frantically struggling to make sense of all that he’s seeing, Dylan starts documenting everything that happens, drawing lines and parallels that only bring more confusion. That is until he finds a mysterious stash of letters from a long dead occupant of his apartment that sheds light on his current situation. I won’t go any further, but sufficed to say the second half of the movie takes a dramatic turn from the mysterious happenings of the first half. The film opens up with a quick “sci-fi” based talk about time travel, and Dylan suddenly begins seeing patterns in things that start to not make sense, so we automatically assume that the film is going in a strictly sci-fi manner. However, Sarah adds a unique romantic flair to the movie that is cute and fluffy, but still we’re super interested in what’s happening to Dylan under the surface. Once the halfway point hits there’s a sudden reveal about Sarah’s Ex-boyfriend Jonas (Sam Reid) that places the film squarely in a “reincarnation meets love triangle” type of story.

This juxtaposition of story points feels EXTREMELY jarring and almost sucker punches the audience with the quick shifting of styles. Gone is the mysterious sci-fi elements, and in its place a slightly supernatural love story with elements of reincarnation thrown in for good measure. Now, I don’t mind that type of story, and I actually really enjoyed portions of it the second time around, but the handling of the reincarnation points were just done poorly. They seem wedged into the sci-fi first half haphazardly and feel strangely at odds with the mystery of why Dylan is seeing all these patterns. Once the big reveal happens you’re left feeling oddly hollow, as if everything make sense, but only because they TOLD you it does. Not because it actually unfolded naturally.

I love Michiel Huisman, and Teresa Palmer is one of the more under rated actresses of this day (not to mention one of the single most beautiful blondes I’ve ever seen). She has this sense of sweetness and softness about her that is extremely intoxication, and her only problem seems to be finding the right projects to get involved with. Both she and Huisman have solid chemistry on screen, but Sam Reid as Jonas is the only one that fees rough and out of place. His harsh persona is done well, but there is no real chemistry between himself and Palmer, which makes their awkward love triangle even more awkward.




Rating:

Rated PG-13 for violence and some sexuality



Video:

Once again my search for what cameras were used for the movie, or what resolution was the master finished at turn up dry, but the Blu-ray release for 2:22 looks really nice on home video. The film has a distinctly glossy “big city” vibe to it that probably belies digital cameras, and the color grading is a fairly neutral looking image with a slight blue tinge to it. Primary colors are sharp and distinct, with strong whites and a really nice array of black levels. Fine details is exceptional, with the audience able to see the individual hairs on Dylan’s face, or the intricate detailing of the dead bug lying on his floor. New York City looks incredible, with bustling city streets, and the rustic look of Grand Central Station exquisitely awash with gold inlay and bronze tones. There is some banding in the darker shots, and a few soft scenes here and there, but overall this is a very nice looking Blu-ray from Magnolia.





Audio:

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA lossless audio mix fares just as well as the video, giving us a fairly spacious sounding track that really makes do with the confines of New York City. The opening shots with the planes landing and taking off roar with throbbing LFE, and the surround channels are actively engaged for most of the film (more so than I actually expected). Dialog is still the mainstay of the production, and the vocals are locked up front in the center of the room with crystal clear dialog. The track gets a bit more front heavy than not, but once Dylan is out on the streets of New York, things get a lot more active with screeching tires, rumbling subways, the pulse of a plane flying overhead. It’s a well crafted track that hovers on the edge of being fantastic.




Extras:

• Time with the Story and Characters
• Working with the Director and Cast
• Recreating New York and Grand Central
• Theatrical Trailer

Final Score: ​

I actually ended up liking 2:22 a lot more than some of the reviews I’ve seen out there recently. It’s not a perfect film by any means, but if you know that the film is really a love story that blends in some elements of reincarnation, then it’s much easier to take the second half derailment than if you went in blind like myself. A second viewing helped a lot for me, and I really liked it a good bit better than the first time I did thanks to knowing the “shocker” (which really shouldn’t have been there to begin with). Audio and video is very impressive, and the extras are about on par with most new releases. Recommended as a cute watch.




Technical Specifications:

Starring: Teresa Palmer, Michiel Huisman, Sam Reid
Directed by: Paul Currie
Written by: Todd Stein, Nathan Parker
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 AVC
Audio: English: DTS-HD MA 5.1
Studio: Magnolia
Rated: PG-13
Runtime: 99 Minutes
Blu-ray Release Date: September 26th, 2017

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• Michael Scott
• May 11, 2017

Recommendation: Fun Watch

 

[Todd Anderson]

Mike, really dig your reviews. I wish I could download your movie experience database into my brain!!!

 

[Michael Scott]

Mike, really dig your reviews. I wish I could download your movie experience database into my brain!!!

just wait 10 years, then we'll probably be able to.

 

[Todd Anderson]

 

[tripplej]

Thanks for the review. Never heard of this movie but after reading and watching the trailer, I am curious to check it out. Will add it to my watch list.