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Parts Per Billion Blu-ray Review

“Parts Per Billion” is a dull end of the world drama.

The plot: After a biological fallout spreads across the globe, 3 interconnected couples relationships are tested amidst the chaos. There’s the young engaged couple Anna (an anxiety ridden woman with a secret) and Erik (a musician), Erik’s elderly married grandparents Andy (who has a connection to the disaster) and Esther (who has become ill), and Mia (a lawyer) and Len (a jobless writer) who are trapped in a struggling marriage.

If you’re going in to writer/director Brian Horiuchi’s “Parts Per Billion” expecting an intense end of the world drama, you’re going to be sorely disappointed. This film is less about a global crisis and more about people wrapped up in their own interpersonal drama. While that may sound like a solid set-up for a movie, the end result is more like “Birdemic” without the camp value. Now, you’re probably wondering to yourself, how on Earth is this film similar to “Birdemic?” Let me count the ways. 1. Both films give you very little sense that a global crisis is actually occurring (aside from some amateurish news footage and a few scant scenes of dead bodies on the ground). 2. Both films suffer from poor production values. 3. Both films contain dialogue so bad that not even Marlon Brando could make it sound good (example: “You guys, we’re, uh, evacuating the building.”). 4. Both films contain pitiful scene transitions (see the clumsy transitions from past to present).

The only thing “Parts Per Billion” really has going for it is the impressive cast. I don’t know how Frank Langella, Alexis Bledel, Gena Rowlands, Rosario Dawson, Teresa Palmer, and Josh Hartnett all managed to be coaxed into this bad stage play of a movie, but I feel bad for each and every one of them. The cast has very little to work with (especially Teresa Palmer and Penn Badgley) as their characters are devoid of life and complexity.

Video/Audio:

Presentation: Widescreen 1080p. How does it look? The lousy shaky cam cinematography looks about as good as it possibly can here in hi-def.

Audio Track: Dolby TrueHD 5.1. How does it sound? The track is fine, but don’t expect a layered track here as there is very little going on sound wise.

The only extras are Millennium Entertainment film trailers.

Overall Thoughts: If you observe the great Frank Langella in this movie, you can practically see him wondering why the hell he is in this movie. Likewise, you will be wondering why the hell you are watching it. Skip it.

June 3, 2014 - Posted by nicklyons1 | Blu-Ray review | Alexis Bledel, Frank Langella, Gena Rowlands, Josh Hartnett, Parts Per Billion Blu-ray Review, Rosario Dawson, Teresa Palmer