Crypto appears in an aspect ratio of 2.66:1 on this Blu-ray Disc. This turned into a mostly positive presentation.
Overall delineation looked fine, as the movie usually seemed well-defined. Some wider shots could be a little soft, but not to a substantial degree. I saw no jaggies or shimmering, and both edge haloes and print flaws remained absent.
To the surprise of no one, teal dominated the film’s palette, with the occasional splash of orange as well. While predictable, the colors seemed well-executed.
Blacks showed good depth, and shadows were fine; some low-light shots could be a smidgen thick, but not terribly so. All this led to a more than competent presentation.
Similar thoughts accompanied the fairly good DTS-HD MA 5.1 soundtrack of Crypto. This wasn’t exactly an action-packed mix, so one shouldn’t expect constant auditory shenanigans. When appropriate, the soundscape kicked to life well, but much of it focused on ambient information and music.
Audio quality worked fine. Due to accents and slang, dialogue could occasionally be tough to understand, but the recordings themselves were fine; the lines seemed natural and concise.
Music offered good range and impact, and effects followed suit. These elements contributed fine dimensionality, with strong low-end at appropriate times. All of this led to a worthwhile soundtrack.
Among extras, we find an audio commentary from director John Stalberg Jr. and writers David Frigerio and Carlyle Eubank. All three sit together for this running, screen-specific look at story/characters, cast and performances, sets and locations, cinematography and music, influences, themes and connected domains.
Overall, this becomes a pretty good chat. The three men interact well and make this a lively and fairly informative view of the production.
Creating Crypto goes for nine minutes, two seconds and features Stalberg, Frigerio, Eubank, and actors Beau Knapp, Luke Hemsworth, Jeremie Harris, Vincent Kartheiser, Alexis Bledel, and Kurt Russell.
“Creating” examines story/characters, cast and performances, and Stalberg’s impact on the production. This becomes a fairly fluffy promo piece without much substance.
The disc opens with ads for Spinning Man, Affairs of State, and Bent. We also get the trailer for Crypto.
A confused mix of plot points, Crypto fails to develop into a compelling tale. It lacks focus and can’t find the drama or tension it needs to prosper. The Blu-ray brings generally positive picture and audio along with a few bonus features. This becomes a wholly forgettable film.