Traded
(2016/Cinedigm Blu-ray)
Picture:
B+ Sound: B+ Extras: C Film: C+
It's
rare these days to see a modern western, though in the past few years
we have had some decent ones in Jane Got A Gun and Bonesaw
Tomahawk. It seems however that these films fail to capture a
wide audience theatrically, which is kind of sad as they are every
bit as good if not better than most of the major films that get
played in the multiplex.
From
the director of the recent so-so action film, 4GOT10, Timothy
Woodward Jr's Traded (2016) is a good-looking modestly
budgeted Western that looks and feels appropriate and sports a decent
cast in Michael Pare, Trace Adkins, Tom Sizemore, Martin Kove,
Constance Brenneman, Brittany Williams, and Kris Kristofferson.
In
1880s Kansas, a Gunman turned Rancher named Clay Travis (Pare) has a
quiet life with his wife (Brenneman) and two kids - a young boy and
his teenage daughter (Williams). A freak accident occurs on the farm
and the young boy is bitten by a snake and shortly after died.
Traumatized by the incident and the dramatic reaction her family has
to the incident, the troubled teen daughter runs away from home,
sending her parents on a journey to find her where he crosses many
troublesome figures along the way.
Presented
in 1080p high definition with a widescreen aspect ratio of 2.40:1 and
a sharp-sounding DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) 5.1 lossless track that
delivers a solid impact. The color palette of the film is primarily
deep yellows and browns, which are captured nicely on Blu-ray disc.
Special
Features include:
Five
Minutes to Dodge: The Making of Traded
2
Deleted Scenes With and Without Commentary
As
the cover suggests, the film does owe a debt to the Taken
series as it has the same basic plot line only with a traditional
Western setting. I didn't find the film to be an instant classic but
a decent watch and one that Western fans won't mind seeing.
-
James Lockhart
https://www.facebook.com/jamesharlandlockhartv/
