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Expired Blu-ray Review

“Expired” will test your patience.

Set in a future Hong Kong, “Expired” revolves around a lonely hit man (Jack) who falls for a night club singer (April). As he begins to form a bond with her, Jack discovers that his health begins to wane. In need of answers, he seeks out Dr. Bergman who just might be able to tell him what’s going on. While this is going on, Jack discovers that humanoid robots are also after him.

It’s clear from the get go that writer/director Ivan Sen is attempting to make his own “Blade Runner” with “Expired.” It’s an arty, often poetic sci-fi film with a wealth of ideas floating around (love, life extension, robotics, and technology), but it presents them in a vague and sluggish manner. Despite the presence of numerous concepts, “Expired” is a relatively uneventful movie. In fact, very little happens. Much of the screentime involves Jack wandering around Hong Kong. To say your interest in the events that play out will expire rapidly is an understatement as you’re left wanting more than this dry narrative.

The cast does the best they can here. Ryan Kwanten of “True Blood” fame doesn’t get to do much acting wise as the lead but is serviceable in the role. It’s unclear why Hugo Weaving is even in this but he certainly livens it up. Relative newcomer Jillian Nguyen makes an impression here as April. She certainly has a lot of promise as an actress. It will be interesting to see her in future roles.

Video/Audio:

Presentation: 2.40:1 1080p. How does it look? Say what you will about the movie itself, but it looks pretty crisp in hi-def.

Audio Track: 5.1 DTS-HD MA. How does it sound? An effective track that handles the nuances of the audio.

Extras: Digital copy, “Expired” trailer, and “The Making Of Expired: An Ivan Sen Film” featurette.

April 24, 2022 - Posted by nicklyons1 | Blu-Ray review | Expired Blu-ray Review, Hugo Weaving, Ryan Kwanten, Sci-fi