Starring: Nicolas Cage, Rachel Nichols, Peter Stormare, Danny Glover, Max Ryan (I), Michael McGrady
Director: Paco Cabezas
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Image Entertainment
DVD Release Date: August 12, 2014
Run Time: 98 minutes
Film: 3 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2 out of 5 stars
When I see that Nicolas Cage is in a film, I just immediately need to watch it. I find that he is either love him or hate him with fans. I have always loved his work, especially his over-the-top roles…and “Rage” is one of those. I do feel kind of bad for him since we are used to seeing Nic Cage in theaters but this really is a direct-to-video entry for his career. I hope he hasn’t feel below that radar that denies him theatrical releases for future films. I can see why “Rage” was released this way but it is also not a terrible film. It is violent as hell, delivers us another crazy performance from Cage and packs a solid surprise ending. If you are a Cage fan, I would recommend checking it out since it is definitely at least worth a rental.
Official Premise: Paul Maguire (Academy Award® winner Nicolas Cage, “Leaving Las Vegas”) is a respectable businessman and loving father living peaceful life…until his violent past comes back to haunt him. When his teenage daughter is taken from their home, Paul rounds up his old crew to help him find her…by any means necessary. His search for justice leads Paul down a dark and bloody path of revenge, betrayal and long buried secrets. Danny Glover (“Lethal Weapon” series), Rachel Nichols (G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra) and Peter Stormare (Fargo) co-star in this heart-stopping thrill ride that shows no mercy.
Cool fact about “Rage” is that it was shot by Andrzej Sekula, who also was the cinematographer on films like “Reservoir Dogs” and “Pulp Fiction”. The 1080p transfer here looks decent and works well with the action scenes. It doesn’t have the charm of Sekula’s previous work but it is decent. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track also packs a nice punch especially with the film’s third act. The special features are a let down. There is “The Making of Rage”, which is a three part collection of short featurettes including interviews with director Cabezas, Cage, Glover, Nichols, Stormare and others. Lastly there are five deleted scenes including an alternate opening and ending for the film.