Line of Duty appears in an aspect ratio of 2.39:1 on this Blu-ray Disc. Across the board, the transfer looked good.
Sharpness was fine. A little softness occurred in some wide shots, but those didn’t become a concern. Overall definition seemed solid.
I noticed no jagged edges or moiré effects, and the presentation lacked apparent edge haloes or other artifacts. I also saw no print flaws, as the movie always seemed clean.
In terms of palette, Duty reflected a somewhat subdued sense of orange and teal. I felt the colors looked fine within the design parameters.
In addition, blacks were dark and tight, while low-light shots were well-depicted. This was a positive presentation.
As for the film’s DTS-HD MA 5.1 soundtrack, it added breadth to the experience. The movie didn’t deliver a consistently rock-em-sock-em soundscape, but it managed to open up well.
A few louder sequences – usually connected to action beats – made more dynamic use of the spectrum, but those didn’t pop up with great frequency. Instead, the emphasis on general environment remained, and that was fine, as I felt the soundfield fit the material.
Audio quality always pleased. Speech remained natural and concise, with no edginess or other flaws.
Music sounded full and dynamic, while effects came across as accurate and clear. All of this suited the film and earned a solid “B”.
A few extras appear, and we find an audio commentary from director Steven C. Miller. He brings a running, screen-specific look at story/characters, sets and locations, cast and performances, stunts and action, the shooting schedule, music and related domains.
Though I didn’t think much of Miller’s commentary for Arsenal, he proves more effective here. The director touches on the expected and appropriate topics during this informative chat.
Meaningful Action runs 16 minutes, 51 seconds and includes remarks from Miller, writer Jeremy Drysdale, producers Myles Nestel and Craig Chapman, director of photography Brandon Cox, production designer Niko Vilaivongs, and actors Aaron Eckhart, Giancarlo Esposito, Courtney Eaton, and Ben McKenzie.
The featurette covers story/characters, various themes, cast and performances, stunts and action, and Miller’s approach to the material. Most of this tends toward happy talk, so don’t expect much substance.
The disc opens with ads for American Dreamer, Domino, and Dead Water. No trailer for Duty appears here.
At no point does Line of Duty threaten to become much more than a cut-rate Die Hard With a Vengeance clone, but that proves enough to create a moderately entertaining experience. A strong lead turn from Aaron Eckhart allows this to become a better than average direct-to-video flick. The Blu-ray offers largely good picture and audio along with a few bonus materials. Don’t expect greatness from Duty, but it does enough right to merit a look.