Deep Cover Criterion Collection Blu-ray Review
Mathew Plale
January 14th, 2022
After a ridiculous prologue in which a young Russell sees his father do drugs, rob a liquor store, get murdered, and give the boy a lifestyle to avoid (all in the first five minutes), we see an adult Russell following the only career path that fits: a police officer.
After joining the force, Russell Stevens Jr. (Laurence Fishburne, in his last credit as Larry) is given the assignment to go undercover and infiltrate a large drug operation in Los Angeles. Immersing himself in the racket, Russell (street name: John Hull) quickly finds just how dangerous and layered it is and that he’ll be forced to challenge his own morals.
Most of what follows is so obvious that the script never allows Russell/John to be an interesting character. He moves through the cycle of corruption, good vs. evil, inner dilemmas, etc. etc. He speaks in such blunt statements (“I hated what I was doing but I was good at it” is about as subtle as it gets) that the viewer knows precisely what is going on in his head at all times and can even predict many of his actions, leaving little reason to invest the time.
That which isn’t obvious comes from the script (by Michael Tolkin and Henry Bean) being overly convoluted for no apparent reason other than it feels like it should be, having some roots in film noir (black cinema also plays a role in the tone). This character is an informant, this one is double-crossing that one, that one is gunning for whoever…It’s too far out of the realm of belief to think that these characters can keep track of anything going on.
One element contributing to this is generally poor acting. Fishburne and supporter Jeff Goldblum (stealing every scene, as he usually does) aside, it’s like none of the actors has a clue on how to deliver the lines in a buyable way–their inability makes each of their characters seem like a caricature.
The primary saving grace of DEEP COVER–directed by Bill Duke (perhaps better known for his performances in PREDATOR and ACTION JACKSON)–is the astounding cinematography, which presents a neo noir vibe which captures not only deep shadows but vibrant neons that give the movie a unique look that makes it visually stand out from its contemporaries.
The theme is by Dr. Dre (with an appearance by Snoop Doggy Dogg), marking the start of a landmark year for Dre, who, in addition to this first solo single, would also release “Nuthin’ but a ‘G’ Thang” in 1992.
BLU-RAY REVIEW
Video: 1.85:1 in 1080p with MPEG-4 AVC codec. “This new digital transfer was created in 16-bit 4K resolution on a Lasergraphics Director film scanner at Warner Bros. Motion Picture Imaging in Burbank, California, from the 35 mm A/B negative and approved by director Bill Duke. Thousands of instances of dirt, debris, scratches, splices, and warps were manually removed using MTI Film’s DRS.”
This is a stunning transfer that makes every shadow deep and every neon color (namely the blues and pinks, highlighted on the cover art) pop brilliantly.
Audio: English 2.0 Surround. “The original 2.0 surround soundtrack was remastered from the 35 mm magnetic audio tracks using Avid’s Pro Tools and iZotope RX. Please be sure to enable Dolby Pro Logic decoding on your receiver to properly play the Dolby 2.0 surround soundtrack.”
The audio is also terrific, with a wide range that boasts crisp dialogue and lively sound effects and music cues.
Bill Duke (18:16): In this new interview, Duke reflects on his career and, chiefly, DEEP COVER.
Laurence Fishburne and Bill Duke (56:33): A 2018 interview with the star and director, moderated by critic Elvis Mitchell.
Racquel J. Gates and Michael B. Gillespie (35:37): Film scholars Gates and Gillespie discuss the film and early ‘90s black cinema.
Claudrena N. Harold and Oliver Wang (17:36): Author Harold and professor Wang discuss Dr. Dre’s title song.
Trailer
Also included with this Criterion Collection release: an essay by Michael B. Gillespie.
