When reviewing a label release for something I have never seen, it is always interesting to see how the movie looks and what the restoration does to it as there are no nostalgia/rose-colored glasses towards the project itself. The only issue with watching a movie such as Joe Carnahan’s Narc is it feels like it laid the groundwork for so many other cop dramas which have come out since 2002. While this doesn’t reflect negatively on Narc itself, it is an interesting watch to compare what other films have clearly been inspired by this dark gritty noir. With this Arrow release, we get the rare instance of the special features being on a separate disk from the film itself which may be due to the disk being rather large, which means it’s less compressed and the restoration would reflect that certainly.
So, with that all being said, looking at the restoration for Narc is something truly spectacular. A movie that was shot on film and would’ve had grain throughout the presentation now lacks the grain (like a few other recent 4K upgrades of early 2000 films), but it is not waxy or dull looking, it still looks crisp and clean. Again, this is not a bad thing, but it looks very clean for a 2002 film, and the 4K does not distort the gritty nature, still allowing it to carry the neo noir aesthetic despite being cleaned up. The overall presentation of Narc is simply spectacular and captures the noir essence of the film while giving it an upgrade truly worthy of any collection.
NARC Arrow Video edition. Photo courtesy of MVD Entertainment Group and Arrow Video.
Before briefly discussing the film in any length, there is one thing I need to address. Now having mentioned the fact I have never seen the film before, I did not know what I was getting into contextually or visually. The opening five-odd minutes (before the film goes to 18 months later when most of the film takes place) is in this blue hue and it was noticeable and arguably casually disrupting. Aside from that, the restoration looks incredible, and the assumption is this was a lighting choice to distinguish the different time frames as it jumps twice in the film. Regardless, the majority of the film is in the “present day,” so the blue hue is not consistent or throughout a majority of the film.
Narc focuses on Nick Tellis (Jason Patric) who is an undercover cop and on recovery after his assignment went haywire. He is ready to go back to work but wants to go for something more leisurely, but ultimately agrees to active duty and becomes partners with Henry Dak (Ray Liotta) as they’re assignment is to investigate the murder of Dak’s former partner. Tellis and Dak have tension between the two of them, and not everything is as it seems regarding the death of Dak’s partner.
Now, with most Arrow releases the special features are included on the disk with the feature, however, with Narc, there are only two features on the 4K disk and there is a separate Blu-ray disk with the special features. With that being said, it is important if you live outside of North America and do not have a region free player, you will not be able to play the special features in this case. The special features on the 4K disk are an archival feature commentary with director Joe Carnahan and editor John Gilroy, and when you hit the play film button, there is an option to play the film with a new introduction from Carnahan. There are four brand new interviews with cast and crew included in this new set which all provide different insights into the making of the film and their experiences with Carnahan, actress Krista Bridges (Dream Scenario), and the director of photography Alex Nepomniaschy, and costume designer Gersha Phillips. The bonus features are bountiful and truly in-depth, making Narc one of the best all-around releases for the movie to exist to date.
Narc Special Features:
4K UHD Limited Edition content
- Brand new 4K remaster from the original negative by Arrow Films
- Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Nathanael Marsh
- Double-sided poster featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Nathanael Marsh
- Illustrated collectors booklet featuring new writing by Michelle Kisner, a new interview with producer Diane Nabatoff and archival interviews and articles
4K UHD Disc
- 4K (2160p) Ultra HD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
- Newly restored original stereo audio and Dolby Atmos surround audio
- Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
- Archival feature commentary with director Joe Carnahan and editor John Gilroy
- Brand new introduction from director Joe Carnahan
Blu-ray Disc
- “Shattering the Blue Line”, a newly filmed interview with director Joe Carnahan
- “Shooting Narc”, a newly filmed interview with director of photography Alex Nepomniaschy
- “If You Live Another Day”, a newly filmed interview with actor Krista Bridges
- “The Journey of the Costume”, a newly filmed interview with costume designer Gersha Phillips
- “Making the Deal”, a vintage promotional featurette looking at the making of the film
- “The Visual Trip”, a vintage promotional featurette looking at the look of the film
- “The Friedkin Connection”, a vintage promotional featurette interviewing William Friedkin and discussing the connections between his body of work and Narc
- “Shooting Up”, a vintage promotional featurette looking at the making of the film
- Vintage EPK interviews with Joe Carnahan, Ray Liotta, Jason Patric, Diane Nabatoff, Alex Nepomniaschy, and William Friedkin
- Theatrical trailer
- Image gallery
Available for purchase on 4K UHD and Blu-Ray on May 21st, 2024.
For more information, head to the official Arrow Video Narc webpage.
To purchase, head to the official MVD Entertainment Group Narc webpage.
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Categories: Home Release, Recommendation
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