Maximum Conviction (Blu-ray) (2012)

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General		Extras
Category	Action	Featurette-Behind The Scenes Featurette-Steve Austin Featurette-Icons Featurette-Bren Foster
Rating
Year Of Production	2012
Running Time	97:37
RSDL / Flipper	Dual Sided	Cast & Crew
Start Up	Menu
Region Coding	4	Directed By	Keoni Waxman
Studio Distributor	Transmission Films	Starring	Richard Beattie Steven Seagal Steve Austin Michael Paré Aliyah O'Brien Steph Song Bren Foster
Case	Standard Blu-ray
RPI	?	Music	Michael Richard Plowman

Video		Audio
Pan & Scan/Full Frame	None	English DTS HD Master Audio 5.1
Widescreen Aspect Ratio	1.78:1
16x9 Enhancement
Video Format	1080p
Original Aspect Ratio	1.78:1	Miscellaneous
Jacket Pictures	No
Subtitles	None	Smoking	Yes
		Annoying Product Placement	No
		Action In or After Credits	No

     Tom Steele (Steven Seagal) and Manning (Steve Austin) are ex-special forces operatives now working as private security contractors. They are assigned to decommission a high security, “off the radar” Government prison. On the last night only a few maximum security prisoners remain to be relocated when two female prisoners arrive: Charlotte (Aliyah O’Brien) and Samantha (Steph Song). Everything seems routine until all hell breaks loose as a team of mercenaries led by Blake (Michael Pare) storm the prison looking for Samantha. It seems she is a courier carrying information worth $200m which Blake wants, and only Steele and his team stand in his way. Mayhem ensues.

     Maximum Security was never going to test the brain cells, or be high art. The acting and delivery of the dialogue from Steven Seagal and Steve Austin is wooden but dialogue is limited and, as a full on, loud, action film Maximum Security is not too bad. It sets up the premise with little fuss and after 30 minutes the action starts and never lets up with gunfights and hand to hand combat in and around the dimly lit narrow corridors. The enclosed spaces give the film a nice claustrophobic feel, aided by the lighting design. Many of the automatic weapons used by both sides have a light source attached, and the moving light beams, laser sights, flashes of gunfire and smoky enclosed environment look quite beautiful. On the other hand, many of the fights are done with the now almost mandatory jerky camera moves which one suspects helps to compensate for the aging martial arts skills of the participants. However, there is still highlights, such as diminutive Aliyah O’Brien taking down a hulking prisoner.

     Maximum Security does not take itself seriously, and tries for some Arnie type one-liners from Austin that bomb because of the way he delivers them; Austin is certainly no Schwarzenegger! But there some nice touches; the truck inside which the mercenaries hide to get access to the prison belongs to the Troy Disposal Service, a nice “wooden horse” touch. And while director Keoni Waxman brings nothing to the screen we have not seen before, he keeps the action rolling along and avoids too many distracting or obvious camera tricks. Perhaps the use of surveillance camera footage is overdone, but not to the extent that it becomes annoying.

     Maximum Conviction breaks no new ground, the acting is indifferent and the budget would not buy biscuits in a major production. It is loud and mindless, but it does not take itself seriously, piles on the action non-stop and the running time flies by. If you just want to have some fun Maximum Conviction is worth a look.

Video

     Maximum Conviction is presented in the original aspect ratio of 1.78:1 in 1080p using the MPEG-4 AVC code.

     Most of the film is shot in dimly lit corridors with gun smoke or hazy lighting. There is some softness, and shadow detail can be lost, but close-ups have nice detail. The film was shot digitally using the Red One camera and the colours have that flatter, digital look. The blues look vibrant, but other colours, the browns and skin tones especially, take on a silver / brown look. Blacks are good. The footage from surveillance cameras is deliberately grey and interlaced.

     Marks were absent although there was some slight ghosting with movement against backgrounds such as wire.

    There are no subtitles.

     The print is fine.

Video Ratings Summary

Sharpness
Shadow Detail
Colour
Grain/Pixelization
Film-To-Video Artefacts
Film Artefacts
Overall

Audio

     Audio is an English DTS-HD MA 5.1.

    Dialogue is sometimes unclear especially from Steven Seagal and Steve Austin and the absence of subtitles didn’t help. The surrounds were quiet early except for music but once the gunfights start they were fully utilised. In the confined spaces of the corridors the gun shots had a good resonance, and panning effects as the bullets flew created a nice enveloping feel. The sub-woofer provided good support for bullets, explosions and fists thumping into bodies.

     The score by Michael Richard Plowman sounds like many action film scores. It is not subtle and so suits the film well.

     I did not notice any lip synchronisation issues.

     Except for some of the dialogue, the audio is very good, just what is needed in an action film.

Audio Ratings Summary

Dialogue
Audio Sync
Clicks/Pops/Dropouts
Surround Channel Use
Subwoofer
Overall

Behind the Scenes (10:00)

     Very much a superficial EPK with some behind the scenes footage and interview sections with director Keoni Waxman, co-executive producer Binh Dang, executive producer Benjamin Sacks and cast Steve Austin, Steven Seagal, Bren Foster, Michael Pare, Steph Song and Aliyah O’Brien. A bit about plot, character, the stars and making it realistic, but nothing meaningful.

Steve Austin (1:47)

     Austin on acting, wrestling and his character, plus film footage.

Icons (1:41)

     Director Keoni Waxman on working with Steve Austin and Steven Seagal, Austin on Steven Seagal and Seagal on acting – all in less than 2 minutes.

Bren Foster (1:20)

     Foster on his career and martial arts, with additional comments by executive producer Benjamin Sacks.

     The Region A US Blu-ray has all our extras plus an audio commentary by director / co-executive producer Keoni Waxman and co-executive producer Binh Dang that is reported to be good. This would give the Region A release the edge.

     Maximum Conviction is loud and mindless, but it looks good, does not take itself seriously and piles on the action non-stop. There are much worse action pictures out there, and if you just want to have some fun Maximum Conviction is worth a look.

     The video and audio are fine. Extras are lightweight and we miss the commentary available in Region A.

Video
Audio
Extras
Plot
Overall