Concussion is, technically speaking, a well made film and features a good performance from Will Smith, but in spite of what works, at its core the movie is missing a soul. In the hands of a more skilled filmmaker it could’ve been emotionally charged and instead it’s rather forgettable.
Concussion
(2015)
REVIEW NAVIGATION
The Movie | Special Features | Video Quality | Audio Quality | Overall
Genre(s): Drama
Sony | PG13 – 123 min. – $34.98 | March 29, 2016
Date Published: 04/17/2016 | Author: The Movieman
  |
|
THE MOVIE – 3.0/5 |
|
Plot Synopsis: Concussion is based on the true story of American immigrant Dr. Bennet Omalu (WILL SMITH), the brilliant forensic neuropathologist who made the first discovery of CTE, a football-related brain trauma, in a pro player (DAVID MORSE) and fought for the truth to be known. Omalu’s emotional quest puts him at dangerous odds with one of the most powerful – and beloved – institutions in the world.
Quick Hit Review: Technically speaking, and on the surface, Concussion looked like an interesting, well crafted, sports drama. Oscar bait, even. However, when it’s all said and done, it’s a nice little drama and certainly fine acting by Will Smith who gave it his all, to the point I do think it might have been worthy of an Oscar nomination (but not a win, however). The other performances, from some unrecognizable actors like Albert Brooks and Paul Reiser (though he only had one brief scene). One possible reason Concussion failed to leave the mediocrity zone lies with its director, Peter Landesman who, along with writing and producing, made his bones as a journalist and on that front, he’s very talented. This marks only his second film at the helm and although it’s well shot, there’s really no soul at its core in spite of the importance of the issue, its tragic results of the players not to mention the impact it has on the future. This is a case where it would’ve been wiser to pass the project to someone with more experience.
As it stands, Concussion is a perfectly watchable movie and one can admire Will Smith’s performance but otherwise it’s a one-and-done kind of film worthy of a Redbox or Netflix rental as I highly doubt you’ll remember much about it afterwards… |
SPECIAL FEATURES – 2.25/5 |
|
This release comes with a glossy slip cover. Inside is a redemption code for the Digital HD copy. Audio Commentary – Writer/Director Peter Landesman sits down for an informative and straight-to-the-point track dissecting the various aspects from Will Smith’s performance to the story at hand. Deleted Scenes (12:52; HD) – We get nine scenes excised for one reason or another, but probably due to pacing issues. None are of particular importance, just some more character moments. Inside the True Story (11:10; HD) is a featurette focusing on the issues surrounding the issue of concussions in football. It features interviews with star Will Smith, writer/director Peter Landesman and others including the real Dr. Bennet Omalu. Crafting Concussion (12:55; HD) delves more into the behind-the-scenes of the actual film with more interview footage with cast and crew. |
VIDEO – 4.5/5 |
| Sony Pictures releases Concussion onto Blu-ray presented with a 2.39 widescreen aspect ratio and a 1080p high-definition transfer. It’s a nice looking picture with plenty of bright colors that allows it to have a pop off the screen and detail is fairly sharp and well defined throughout. There were no major instances of artifacting or aliasing making for a generally pleasing transfer. |
AUDIO – 4.25/5 |
| The provided DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track is perfectly serviceable for a drama of this nature. The bulk of the movie is dialogue driven so levels there are clear and there is some modest depth whenever the score kicks in; ambient noises get some usage through the rear channels. |
OVERALL – 3.0/5 |
| Overall, Concussion is, technically speaking, a well made film and features a good performance from Will Smith, but in spite of what works, at its core the movie is missing a soul. In the hands of a more skilled filmmaker it could’ve been emotionally charged and instead it’s rather forgettable. The Blu-ray released by Sony has solid video/audio transfers and an OK selection of bonus material. |
Check out some more screen caps by going to page 2. Please note, these do contain spoilers.