Most Wanted Blu Ray Review (Paramount/Saban Films)
Most Wanted (aKa Target Number One & Suspect numéro un) is a 2020 crime film written, produced, & directed by Daniel Roby (A Breath Away, Versailles, White Skin, & Funkytown). It’s based on the true story of Alain Olivier. It was produced by André Rouleau (Goon 1/2, What If, Red Creek, Devil’s Gate, & Battle in Seattle) & Valérie d’Auteuil (Fireheart, Starbuck, Trader Games, & Hidden 3D) with 14 other people. It was released in theaters in Canada & it had a Video on Demand release in the United States.
In 1989, Victor Malarek (played by: Josh Hartnett from Halloween H20, The Faculty, 30 Days of Night, & Sin City) a journalist investigates the circumstances surrounding the suspicious arrest of drug addict Daniel Leger (played by: Antoine Olivier Pilon from 1:54, Mommy, & Mémoires vives) who is serving time in a prison in Thailand & facing the death penalty. Malarek is a dedicated investigative journalist working for The Globe & Mail newspaper who is being pressured by his boss to move to writing weekly feature articles. He comes across the strange case of a Canadian citizen under arrest in Thailand after a joint investigation by Canadian & Thai authorities. Leger is identified as a mastermind in the drug trafficking trade. He brings the case to his editor Art (played by: J. C. MacKenzie from The Hunt, The Irishman, The Wolf of Wall Street, & Hemlock Grove) with a view to doing a piece. Daniel Leger naively takes a job with a dealer Glen Picker (played by: Jim Gaffigan from Super Troopers 1/2, Drunk Parents, American Dreamer, & The Slammin’ Salmon) after having nowhere to go. Picker befriends Leger for a pay-off from the Canadian police narcotics division. The lead detective Frank Cooper (played by: Stephen McHattie from Watchmen, Come to Daddy, Death Wish, & Pontypool) makes an error in reviewing Leger & mistakes him for another criminal with a detailed criminal history. Victor Malarek just had a kid with his wife Anna (played by: Amanda Crew from Silicon Valley, Tone-Deaf, Freaks, & Chokeslam) & his work is getting lighter by the day. The ambitious journalist sees this as his big break & goes into a world that is very dangerous. Can he survive his own story? Will he save Daniel Leger from his mistakes????
This one kinda went under the radar in the United States but it was a bigger film in Canada. It’s based on an interesting real life story where a drug addict gets tricked into being a drug smuggler overseas by some shady individuals. Most Wanted is well written, quality cinematography, & it’s loaded with some excellent performances. I’ve always liked Josh Hartnett & he had all kinds of major films when he was younger. Not exactly sure why he’s still not a star because honestly he’s a much better actor now. Hopefully, something like this will get a chance of making something bigger again because he’s mainly been doing independents for awhile now. He carries the feature along with the upcoming Antoine Olivier Pilon. Comedian Jim Gaffigan has really surprised me lately with his dramatic turns. He is nasty character here & you just love to hate him because he’s a complete scumbag. The supporting cast here is top notch which includes J. C. MacKenzie, Stephen McHattie, & Amanda Crew. They boost the overall of the entire production, there’s not a weak link when it comes to the acting in Most Wanted. It has a little bit of everything it it from drama, thrills, & crime. I haven’t seen anyone really talk about it but it’s one of the higher quality movies that has been released in 2020 so far. RECOMMENDED!!!!
Let’s talk about the high definition presentation from Paramount Pictures! This 1080p (2.39:1) transfer looks stunning on blu ray. Most Wanted has a nice variety of locations including some international ones & they really shine here. The English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 is solid. It’s not really the type to blow up your sound system or use as a reference quality. Most Wanted is more dramatic than anything besides a few moments which do sound great. All of the dialogue is very clean & the music has a nice boost to it. It has English, English SDH, & Spanish subtitles. It has no extras on it besides a few “Trailers”. It also has a slipcover & a digital code. It’s available everywhere right now, CHECK IT OUT!!!!
