The Invisibles (2008/British TV Series/Acorn Media DVD)
Picture:
B- Sound: C+ Extras: C- Episodes: B-
In
another fun British TV series with an edge, The Invisibles (2008) plays like a smart answer to the success of Hu$tle as three old robber friends who
were never caught and became so rich that they retired. That was 20 years ago. Now, they are ready to make a new run of it,
but time and life changes have and things will not be quite the same, even if
the robberies make things seem like old times.
Anthony
Head (the TV Buffy The Vampire Slayer,
Manchild, the Taster’s
Choice/Nescafé ad campaign) is Maurice, happily married to a great wife (Jenny
Agutter of MI: 5, Walkabout, Logan’s Run) who knows his past and intends for them to live
happily ever after with the money and in some peace, but with fellow friend Sid
(Warren Clarke of A Clockwork Orange
and the new BBC Bleak House), knows
temptation is not far away. The six
hour-long episodes are the whole series or season (we are not certain yet) but
this is well acted, written, amusing, smart and really entertaining. If this continues, they should go all out,
but if not, this is worth going out of your way for.
The
anamorphically enhanced 1.78 X 1 is one of the best DVD transfers of a new British
TV show we have seen from any company with very little motion blur and fine
color. This is a big Blu-ray candidate
and anyone who sees it will be pleasantly surprised. The Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo is so good, I
was surprised it was not also available in a 5.1 mix, so nicely recorded and
scored it is. The only extra is text
cast filmographies on DVD 1, but it deserves more extras and if there is
another set, should get some.
- Nicholas Sheffo
