DVD Corner

The Tax Collector 4K UHD Review

“The Tax Collector” comes up short (pun intended).

In “The Tax Collector,” family man David and his violent partner Creeper operate as powerful and feared tax collectors that fetch money from gangs for the crime boss known as Wizard. That all changes, however, when a new crime boss (Conejo) muscles his way onto the scene. How will Conejo shake up the business? Will there be a gang war? Can David keep his family safe?

Written and directed by David Ayer (best known for films like “Suicide Squad,” “End Of Watch” and “Fury”), “The Tax Collector” is an unpleasant and uber violent gritty crime drama that doesn’t bring much new to the table. It’s your standard crime family business/gang war/revenge tale that is loaded with cliches from the genre. Really, there’s nothing remotely surprising here as you can see dramatic beats coming a mile away (see the martial arts scene). Not even the sins of the father/family business storyline accomplishes much as it is lost amidst shootouts and bloody combat. This is all quite odd because David Ayer tends to pen scripts (and direct films) that go against the grain. This sure does not. Sure, the action is fierce and the film is well paced, but that’s not enough.

Performance wise, the always and intense and unpredictable Shia LaBeouf shines in a role that isn’t as big as one might expect. Bobby Soto (David) does a fine job carrying the movie as David and brings as much humanity to the character as he can. Perhaps the most surprising acting here is comedian George Lopez who plays David’s Uncle who is a part of Wizard’s criminal empire.

Video/Audio:

Presentation: 1.85:1 2160p. How does it look? The 4K disc isn’t quite up to 4K standards but the film looks solid nonetheless.

Audio Track: 5.1 DTS-HD MA. How does it sound? The 5.1 track is nothing if not lively.
Extras:
* Blu-ray copy
* RLJE Films trailers
* 3 deleted scenes titled Extended Opening, Tax Collection Threat and Chat With Sensei.

October 4, 2020 - Posted by nicklyons1 | 4K UHD Review | David Ayer, Shia LaBeouf, The Tax Collector 4K Review