This feature is being released as a “Limited Edition” 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray extra set, or as a standalone “Limited Edition” Blu-ray.
Most of the time, we reviewers are lucky to be presented with so many films to watch and discuss. But even after years of writing about movies, there are always a few titles that fall under the radar. For this reviewer, Narc is one of those pictures. Despite being familiar with other efforts by writer/director Joe Carnahan (The A-Team, The Grey, Stretch), I missed this effort during its original run and release on disc.
Arrow Video has now released the film in a “Limited Edition” 4K Ultra HD package (with bonus features presented on an accompanying Blu-ray), as well as a regular “Limited Edition” Blu-ray package. I’m thrilled to have finally caught up with it, as the movie is fantastic. This hard-boiled crime picture is wonderfully performed, powerful and makes a lasting impression. The Arrow release is also excellent, delivering a great presentation of the title with some exciting extras.
Set in Detroit, the story follows an undercover narcotics officer named Nick Tellis (Jason Patric). After a confrontation with a criminal results in a horrible tragedy, the lead takes time off. After a year and a half, he says he officially wants a desk job away from the violent streets. Superior officers tell him that if he investigates and solves the murder of a narcotics officer named Michael Calvess (Alan van Sprang), his request will be granted. After reading the case file, he is placed with Calvess’ old partner Lieutenant Henry Oak (Ray Liotta). Oak is a volatile figure who states that the police want to bury and forget Calvess’ murder. As his investigation continues and more is revealed, Tellis finds himself in grave danger. Additionally, his work and obsessive nature puts a huge strain on his marriage to Audrey (Krista Bridges) as well as family life with his new baby.
This effort is as intense and gritty as they come and the final product does feel like an ode to 1970s cop pictures. Tellis and Oak consistently find themselves in nasty situations grilling dealers and addicts. These scenes do have an authenticity to them. The family material is equally believable, with Tillis and his spouse arguing over his dangerous profession with an upset newborn in close proximity. You wouldn’t see this in any Hollywood cop drama, but it feels like something that happens frequently in real life.
Despite the feature being so tense and tightly wound, the actors are charismatic enough to keep the material from coming across as over-the-top. Both Patric and Liotta play their tough guys in different but effective ways and when they get testy with each other, it’s thrilling and uncomfortable to watch.
And there are also some impressive camera moves when violence does erupt. The film opens with an impressive chase through a neighborhood featuring a handheld shot with the camera shaking and trying to keep up with the subjects. Even when the characters are sharing their personal histories, the cinematography provides clever and artistic shots to add panache to the proceedings. All of it creates a sense of tension that never lets up.
While certain elements of the plot are predictable, the climax does throw in a few curveballs that emphasize just how difficult the job of a narcotics officer is. In many cases, their intentions may be noble, but the methods being used to obtain criminals are not. The movie is intriguing in showing how morally gray law enforcement can be. The grimy tone and final revelations do stay with the viewer long after the credits roll.
To some degree, this is an intentionally drab-looking movie, but the 4K picture restoration from the original negative is still noteworthy. Both the 4K Ultra HD disc and the Blu-ray deliver a quality presentation. You do feel like you are on the streets of Detroit and when the action moves to tenements and the griminess on display makes an impression. Tillis’ home has a warmer look (although the cop’s décor looks appropriate for his job) all of which is sharply presented on the transfer. There are some great little details in a rundown auto shop and in the background that would not be as evident in previous editions. Whether you pick up the 4K Ultra HD or Blu-ray, you’ll be impressed by what you see.
The Blu-ray extras on this release include a great archival commentary track with director Joe Carnahan. He goes over the difficult shoot, which took place in Toronto during winter months (with one additional day of Detroit exteriors). The director notes how unprepared he was for the chilling weather and how many of the actors suffered in subzero temperatures, but admits it all looks wonderful in the finished product.
Apparently, there were many difficulties when making the movie. Carnahan notes that there were several bigger movies shooting in the city at the very same time and that a few of the crew members weren’t as experienced as he would have liked. Amusingly, he talks about the fact that the opening chase was shot by a stuntman because the cameraman simply couldn’t keep up with the action and get in frame.
The director also notes how passionate he was about the project and that it may have made for a tough shoot for those around him. Carnahan also discusses some of the locations, noting that when he was taken to some of the rougher areas of Toronto, he didn’t find them all that downtrodden, making it a safer shoot than he was anticipating. He tells plenty of entertaining stories about the production and how he got it finished.
The disc also contains a new introduction to the picture and an interview with Carnahan, who explains his inspirations and reiterates some of the issues in making the picture. It seems that the independent effort had a hard time securing funding and a distributor (cop movies like these were not in vogue at the time). Several people eventually stepped in to add financing and help get it released (including Tom Cruise), resulting in at least 17 executive producers on the final product.
There’s an impressive piece on cinematographer Alex Nepomniaschy (who shot Never Been Kissed and recently was director of photography on several episodes of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel), in which he discusses shooting in the cold and trying to help find a memorable look for elements in the story. Canadian actress Krista Bridges (who plays the Tellis’ wife) discusses working on the film with Carnahan and how he emphasized, during her potentially marriage-ending confrontations with the lead, that she was not to shed tears. There is also an interesting interview with costume designer Gersha Phillips, who goes over working on this picture and trying to find appropriate pieces of clothing that would also help keep the cast warm.
Additionally, there are a ton of archival featurettes on the production. One of the most entertaining is a talk with director William Friedkin, whose films influenced this picture. He notes how he didn’t like hearing this news and didn’t want to see the movie, but was surprised and impressed when he did. Friedkin noted that it did a great job of detailing the personal lives of its characters, something he feels he couldn’t quite accomplish in The French Connection.
There are also EPK interviews from 2001 and 2001 that have extra footage that wasn’t included in the original press kits. A trailer and an image gallery are also included. As with other Limited Editions from Arrow Video, you’ll also get a booklet with essays on the film fold-out mini-poster with newly commissioned and original artwork for the film.
Narc is a great little crime film with memorable performances that I was thrilled to discover for the first time on disc. It holds up incredibly well. It also helps that this package is so impressive, with an incredible picture upgrade from Arrow Video that keeps the gritty feel while adding some extra detail to the framing. Director Carnahan is great to listen to as well, providing an honest account of the difficult production. Whether you pick up the 4K Ultra HD version or the Blu-ray, this release is highly recommended.