Project-Blu The Code, by M. Enois Duarte

The Code

By: M. Enois Duarte, 6.22.2009

The Movie Itself:
The Code is the sort of movie that plays strictly by the rules, following the conventions of the heist genre like . . . well, a code. As long as one views it as a decent exercise of the genre, this straight-to-video crime thriller can yield an amusing 100-minutes of entertainment. Expect a new take of the form, and you will be sorely disappointed. I love caper movies as much as the next person. But with a script that cruises on auto pilot and plot devices used in better films, it's difficult to create even a soft spot for this predictable pic from the director of The Peacemaker and Deep Impact. Only thing it has going for itself is an unexpected plot twist that comes out of nowhere, which is the only reason we watch heist movies to begin with. Well, that and the cool gadgets used to pull off the robbery.

Set in New York City, Morgan Freeman plays veteran cat burglar Keith Ripley, looking to pull off one last heist and repay his debt to the Russian mob. To do this, he recruits a younger small-time crook named Gabriel Martin (Antonio Banderas), who has the courage but lacks the finesse. The job: to break into the heavily-guarded Russian jewelry museum with the latest in high-tech security systems and steal two exceptionally rare Fabergé eggs, worth $20 million apiece. Reluctantly, Gabriel agrees. But things become complicated as Gabriel falls for Ripley's goddaughter Alexandra (Radha Mitchell) and eventually kidnapped by the Russian mob as an incentive for the two men to complete the burglary. Meanwhile, the persistent Lieutenant Weber (Robert Forster) anticipates Ripley's actions, making the job more difficulty until the final reveal.

Stylistically, the movie traditions Jules Dassin's classic capers Rififi and Topkapi, but narratively, The Code treads on familiar ground. Events and situations are easily anticipated and clearly set-up for later use. What good would Weber be if he weren't the proficient detective with extensive knowledge of his white whale, but always goes unappreciated by his superiors? We know that Gabriel and Alexandra will continue to see each other, despite repeated warnings from Ripley. Of course, the heist is impossible and preposterous, why else do it and actually pull it off in the end? And if you can't figure out that there's something iffy about Gabriel early on, then you're not watching carefully. But did they really have to stakeout the museum à la Mission: Impossible, while coincidentally surrounded by the entire NYPD?

The rest of the writing doesn't fare much better, with recycled lines of dialogue that sound very much scripted. Over the decades, Morgan Freeman has proven to be a surefire solution at delivering some weight and depth to the weakest screenplays. At his best, the veteran actor can even make Troma-trash sound Shakespearean. But with the heavy-accented Banderas playing opposite, each contrived delivery is forced and does little to move the plot forward. What little else director Mimi Leder could do only comes across as simplistic and sluggishly workmanlike. This is one of the difficulties of working within the confines of a genre without at least attempting to break free of its conventions. The movie plays it far too safe and seems content on imitation, rather than innovation. But then again, for those days when you want something easy to digest, The Code just might fill you up, however familiar the dish may be.
Rating: 4/10

The Presentation:
Debuting with a very attractive and immaculate AVC MPEG-4 transfer, framed in a 2.35:1 aspect ratio, The Code makes for a near-reference picture quality, especially for a direct-to-DVD movie.

The picture displays a high level of detail and clarity that is most impressive. A thin veneer of grains adds an appreciable filmic experience. Colors are rendered accurately and well saturated, while other hues exhibit nice variance in the palette. Contrast can falter a tad but stays mostly above average, while blacks are generally deep and stable. Details are excellent and resolute, holding up well in low-lit sequences and showing plenty of depth in the image. Flesh tones appear natural and warm, revealing great texture and facial detail in actors. The video presentation of The Code looks superb on Blu-ray.
Rating: 8.8/10

Despite the Blu-ray case only reading a Dolby legacy option for the surround sound, the movie in actuality comes equipped with the lossless Dolby TrueHD encode. Like the video, the soundtrack is much better than initially expected for a straight-to-video flick. Though not memorably engaging, the sound design is busy with plenty of random sounds in the front and light ambiance in the background. The soundstage conveys pleasant imaging and distinct channel separation, with a dynamic range that handles the mids and highs smoothly. The center channel delivers clean, intelligible dialogue reproduction. Low-frequency response is not heavily active, but it offers some decent bass when required. The rear speakers are mostly quiet throughout, but then again, the sound design is intentionally dialogue-driven. Overall, The Code offers an enjoyable audio presentation.
Rating: 8.0/10

Overall Presentation: 8/10

** 9 - 10 = Reference / 8 = Excellent / 7 = Good /
6 = Satisfactory / 5 = Average / 4 & under = Below Average **

The Extras:
First Look Studios releases The Code for the first time with a weak package of bonus features. It's nothing really of interest, especially if the movie already fails to provide much entertainment value. Oh, and they're all presented in standard definition.

Cast/Crew Interviews (8 min)
Exactly what it sounds like, the interviews are typical EPK material with the very expected comment on how the movie transcends the genre.
Behind the Scenes (16 min)
Mostly a collection of random video footage recorded during filming.
Trailers
A series of previews for other movies from First Look Studios.

Rating: 2/10

Final Thoughts:
Lacking much originality, The Code coasts on the conventions of the heist genre, which in turn becomes its downfall. Surprisingly, the Blu-ray edition of the movie arrives with a good A/V presentation, but a scrawny supplemental package. Although landing in the bargain bin sometime soon, the movie is fine for one of those boring summer days.
Rating: 5/10