Lakeview Terrace (2008/Sony DVD)
Picture: B- Sound: B- Extras: C- Film: C-
Samuel L.
Jackson is still one of the best actors around and he gives a good performance
in Neil LaBute’s Lakeview Terrace
(2008), but it is a really bad, formulaic, race-bating mess of a would-be
thriller with enough clichés about thrillers and racism to annoy and bewilder
anyone. “The neighbor from hell” film
has been done to death and if this does not kill it, nothing will.
Jackson
is a police officer who is raising two children as a single parent when a new
couple (Kerry Washington & Patrick Wilson) move in. They are young, attractive and bi-racial,
which is not initially an issue for the single dad, but son becomes one with so
much else. The film quickly degenerates
into everything we’ve seen already, reminding me how LaBute has lost his edge
& originality, plus this all feels condescending early on. The cast and audience deserves better.
The
anamorphically enhanced 2.35 X 1 image looks good for DVD with some good
detail, depth and consistent color.
Stylizing is kept to a minimum, especially so we can see how nice the
suburbs are. The Dolby Digital 5.1 mix
has some good activity and even aggressiveness in places, while the subtle side
offers good ambiance. This title is also
available on Blu-ray. Extras include
deleted scenes with optional commentary, cast/crew audio commentary and three
featurettes.
- Nicholas Sheffo
