Video Quality 3.5 of 5Altitude is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Lionsgate Films with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 2.40:1. The film's closing credits list a Red Camera company, and the IMDb lists the Red Epic Dragon as the camera used, but the IMDb also states a 6K capture, which I find frankly incredible given the middling results seen here (though of course a native capture means nothing with regard to the resolution of a finished DI). As can be seen in the screencaptures accompanying this review, some heavy grading, often toward deep blue or purple tones, often keeps fine detail levels pretty tamped down, and some odd framing choices, which often offer elements like seats slightly out of focus taking up large portions of the frame (a gambit I wonder may have been done to cover up budget limitations) means that sharpness is also variable. (The fact that lots of jiggly cam and whip pans are also on display tends to support the thesis that director Alex Merkin may not have wanted the eye to be able to settle on any given production design element for too long.) It's the CGI that is this presentation's single biggest letdown, however. From the opening credits, which offer perhaps the least believable CGI clouds ever rendered, to later, supposedly more spectacular, elements like the insane maneuvers of the jet to a fiery landing to an even more fiery crash are just almost comical looking at times, suggesting that this film's creative staff's reach simply may have exceeded their budgetary grasp.
Audio Quality 4.0 of 5While arguably more convincing than the video component of this release, even
Altitude's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 isn't as impressive as some of the film's set pieces might seem to suggest. There are near "disaster film" levels of trauma that afflict this airliner, and yet LFE is sporadic (and when it does occur, it's rarely floorboard rumbling), and even a lot of the sound effects seem to be apportioned more generously toward the front end of the mix. Dialogue (such as it is) is rendered cleanly and clearly and fidelity is fine throughout.
Special Features and Extras 0.5 of 5Altitude Trailer (1080p; 1:42)
Overall Score and Recommendation 1.0 of 5The best thing about
Altitude is Greer Grammer's totally gonzo take on the character of Sadie, but that seems to be because Grammer at least has an idea that this is not exactly Grade A Entertainment. With a predictable story that only offers a couple of truly exciting moments, and with a cast who largely seems to be there to pick up a paycheck,
Altitude falls flat. Even technical merits are a little lackluster, for those considering a purchase.