Do you remember the film Buried? The one where Ryan Reynolds was buried alive, and the entire film took place with him inside of the coffin, as he desperately made phone kills trying to find help while the battery on his phone lasted? Locke is a similar film, in that it takes place entirely inside the car with Tom Hardy, as he drives to London where a woman that is not his wife is giving birth to his baby. The fact that the entire film is carried by one performer, within one enclosed space, is really where the comparison ends. Locke and Buried are two very different films, though I enjoy both of them quite a bit. Locke, however, is the superior film between the two, if only for Tom Hardy’s excellent performance.
From The Press Release:
Tom Hardy is a “blazing wonder” (Rolling Stone) in a tour-de-force central performance inLocke, a feat of bold, dynamic storytelling from Oscar®-nominated writer-director Steven Knight (Best Original Screenplay, Dirty Pretty Things, 2003; Eastern Promises), arriving on Blu-ray (plus Digital HD) and DVD (plus Digital) August 12 from Lionsgate Home Entertainment. Winner of Best Screenplay at the British Independent Film Awards, the “compelling, genuinely moving and suspenseful” (Vanity Fair) film was theatrically released by A24. “Gripping and deeply cinematic” (Screen Daily), Locke is a thrilling ride that follows a successful businessman as he receives a series of phone calls that set in motion a chain of events that will unravel his perfect life, all of which takes place in real time over the course of one absolutely riveting and intense car ride. The Locke Blu-ray and DVD bonus materials include a “making of” featurette and audio commentary with the director and will be available for the suggested retail price of $24.99 and $19.98, respectively.
Ivan Locke (Hardy) is a man at the top of his game. A dedicated husband and father and a star employee at a high-powered construction firm, he’s the model of cool professionalism with a talent for managing complex situations. Driving home on the eve of the biggest challenge of his career, Locke makes a sudden choice to go confront the only situation in his life that can’t be neatly handled. He quickly learns that the cost of becoming a better man is high. Locke is a unique cinematic experience and gripping story of choices, consequences and a man who risks everything he holds dear in order to do the right thing.
Ivan Locke’s entire life is thrown into upheaval, simply because on his drive home, he opted to turn right, rather than left. It really makes you think, those decisions you make, however insignificant they may seem to others, what kind of lasting impact did they have on your life? Have you ever done something you instantly regretted, and spent a lifetime either trying to cover it up, or deal with the consequences of your actions. Maybe it is because I never really grew up, but nothing puts me in shut-down mode quicker than having to explain my actions when I know that I was in the wrong. I know that I owe the person an explanation, but I just can’t bring myself to… I don’t know, admit it out loud? In any event, Locke’s script, written by Steven Knight, that also directed the film, impressively forces the viewer to identify with the main character, whether or not you agree with the decisions he is making. We see Locke’s entire life crumble, and we are only seeing the story unfold as we look directly at him, and experience his instant reaction to each broken piece. Tom Hardy has exceeded what I thought he was possible of doing, which is an impressive feat in-and-of-itself, because I was already a hue fan of his entire body of work.
Lionsgate have put together the standard Blu-ray release we have come to expect from them in regards to new-release films on home video. That is to say, the PQ and the AQ are perfect representations of the original theatrical exhibition. It also means that this release is fairly lacking in the bonus content department, but we do get a short behind-the-scenes featurette, as well as a feature-length commentary with Writer/Director Steven Knight. Lionsgate’s Blu-ray release of Locke is now available in stores everywhere, and is highly recommended. The best price on the disc is currently available at Best Buy, for 17.99. You can pick it up by clicking here, or visit your local retail outlet.
CAST
Tom Hardy The Dark Knight Rises, Inception, Warrior, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
BLU-RAY/DVD SPECIAL FEATURES*
- “Ordinary Unraveling: Making Locke” featurette
- Audio Commentary with Writer/Director Steven Knight
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PROGRAM INFORMATION
Year of Production: 2014
Title Copyright: Locke © 2013 Locke Distributions, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Artwork & Supplementary Materials © 2014 Lions Gate Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Type: Theatrical Release
Rating: R for Language Throughout
Genre: Drama; Suspense; Thriller
Blu-ray Closed Captioned:English SDH
DVD Closed Captioned: English
Subtitles: English and Spanish
Feature Run Time: 85 minutes
Blu-ray Format: 1080P High Definition 16×9 Widescreen (2.40:1)
DVD Format: 16×9 Widescreen (2.40:1)
Blu-ray Audio Status: 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio
DVD Audio Status: 5.1 Dolby Digital
Movie:
(9/10)
Blu-ray:
(7.5/10)
