Traffik is a 2018 American thriller film that was written and directed by Deon Tayler. The film features Paula Patton, Omar Epps, Las Alonso, Roselyn Sanchez, Luke Goss, William Fichtner, and Miss Pyle, and follows a group of friends who are terrorized by a gang of bikers in a remote countryside home. It was released on April 20, 2018 by Summit Entertainment.
The film opens with a young woman who is dancing a nightclub. She is approached by a man and agrees to leave with him. She is later abducted and stowed away in a trailer.
Lionsgate Films later acquired the rights to the film for $5 million in September 2017. Originally slated for its theatrical release on April 27, 2018, it was moved up a week to avoid being released alongside Avengers: Infinity War. In the United States and Canada, Traffik was released alongside I Feel Pretty and Super Troopers 2 and was projected to gross $3-4 million from the 1,046 theaters that played it during opening weekend. It went on to debut to $3.9 million, finishing 9th at the box office.
The Film Itself (3.5/5):
I want to preface this section with the fact that I like that Traffik places its focus on a subject that’s considerably under reported on in the world today, and as far as a storyline is concerned, my wife and I both felt that the details really did the topic justice without crossing any lines. However, I did feel that the performance of Paula Patton was horribly exaggerated and really added an unrealistic element to the overall experience. There were times that it was a little too distracting, but if you are able to look past that bit, then this movie will be enjoyable for you. The thrills, and various moments of suspense were perfectly executed and really did a great job at keeping us on our toes.
Picture Quality (4.5/5):
The Blu-ray release of Traffik looked really great as it played across my living room television. The majority of the film, I would have to say, was right on par with what I would personally expect out of a Blu-ray release. However, there were a couple of scenes that really stood out the most, and those were the scenes that involved the infinity pool. Everything from the distinct sharpness of the water to the beautiful scenic horizon that the pool overlooked, not only did it capture the overall relaxing experience that was to be had; but, it really made it feel real enough that both my wife and I wanted to plan a vacation getaway to a place that includes a scenic view like this.
Audio Quality (4/5):
Packaged with an English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 audio track, Traffic really tries to put the viewers right into the middle of the intensity of things as they’re about to happen. I do, however, wish that they had gone with a 7.1 mix to include the surround channels to make the overall experience that much more immersive. Even if those surround channels were used to relay the suspenseful musical accompaniment that was had during the “what the hell” moments, it would have made the experience all that much better. However, I will say that the included track was clean and clear, allowing everything to be heard and understood. Dialogue was clean and understandable, and the emphasis on the bass track did a decent job at making sure the suspense was had.
The Packaging (2/5):
The Blu-ray release of Traffik comes packaged in your standard single-disc Blu-ray amaray case. Within that case is the standard Blu-ray copy of the film, the disc featuring absolutely no artwork that’s related to the film whatsoever outside of the standard release text and generically solid colored blue background. There are no DVD copies included with this release; however, a digital copy redemption pamphlet has been included for the various streaming options. A slipcover has also been made available during the original pressing that features the same piece of artwork that’s provided on the case art.
Special Features (3.5/5):
There are only a couple of items that are included in the Special Features section of the Blu-ray of Traffik. Despite having limited items available, the content that’s been provided offers a small look at an extended view into the storyline, as well as a behind the scenes look at the work that went into making this movie. I do feel that they could have been a little more comprehensive with the features; but I will tell you that if you explore these features, you’ll definitely have an appreciation for the content that has been provided.
- Journey Into The Depths: Making Traffik
- Deon & Dante: The Look Of Traffik
Technical Specs:
Video
Codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Resolution: 1080p
Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1
Orignial Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1
Audio
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
English: Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles
English SDH, English, Spanish
Runtime
Original Film: 96 minutes
Final Thoughts:
Overall, I felt that Traffik was a really good movie, and a really good experience since it covers an issue that is discussed so little. However, Patton’s performance was excruciatingly painful with her extreme over-exaggeration and completely unnecessary dramatic additions that it does pull you from the true experience that was set out to be had with this movie. The other cast members did a fantastic job, allowing for those minor annoyances to be looked past. Visual and audio presentation were really nicely done, and the special features, despite there only being a couple of them, were a really nice touch to the overall experience. If you’re on the fence about this movie, I would definitely recommend checking it out. Traffik will be available on Blu-ray and DVD beginning on Tuesday, July 17, 2018.
Note: This Blu-ray was sent to us for review. This has not affected our judgement or editorial process in any way. Please contact us if you have any questions regarding this process.