Limitless [DVD]

Eddie is an aspiring author who has finally clinched a book contract but has yet to commit a paragraph to paper. His writer's block is not helped when his girlfriend, frustrated by his lack of doing anything constructive, ends their relationship. When a blast from the past appears offering him a single pill which will expand his mind in ways he could never imagine, Eddie feels he has nothing to lose. Not long after popping the harmless looking tablet, his book is completed, his apartment is clean for the first time in years, and he feels as though he can achieve anything. When the effects wear off he views himself as a shadow of the man he believes he can be, he's desperate to be "enhanced Eddie" and goes in search for more of the 'NZT' drug - however, he isn't the only one....

Limitless is very much a film of two halves, the first showing the story of how Eddy uses the drug to work his way up through the social ranks and make headlines with his mastering of the shares market. His rocketing into the upper echelons of the business world raises the eyebrows of the select few who also want to get hold of more NZT, and they too have become powerful. The second half of Limitless becomes an action-thriller, it's fairly formulaic but the directing style helps to keep it feeling fresher than it ought to be. Clever use of the camera and amazing chains of zoom shots give the film a unique visual look, creative direction isn't as prominent in the second half but to initially there are added segments showing how the brain synapses are becoming stimulated beyond their usual function and flashbacks demonstrating how little forgotten snippets of information are used to great effect - a great example being when Eddie manages to fight like a pro by remembering fights he saw on TV from old Bruce Lee films as a child. The film begins as a very personal story and moments of narration mean that we get to see things from Eddie's point of view and understand what he is experiencing. You can connect with the character but as he becomes more successful Eddie risks becoming a bit bland and you find yourself not quite caring as much about what happens to him.

This fictional account of a wonder drug resonates with the hundreds of thousands of real life stories where the realities of drug taking can be far less glamorous. There are glimpses of the uglier side of substance abuse with those craving a fix engaging in demeaning or depraved behaviour. When Eddie is on the drug the colour palette of the film differs and things are much brighter, this reflects his state of mind - he is stimulated and craves further stimulation. But when the effects of the drug wear off - the desaturated, more realistic colours show contrast massively and you understand why it is that he feels he has to have the NZT chemical in his body, he can't imagine his existence without it. Although it's not the job of Limitless to lecture sanctimoniously about the repercussions of drug use, it does seem a shame that the subtle message about the consequences of drug culture is seemingly abandoned towards the end of the film and what looked like a thought provoking piece of cinema ultimately becomes an entertaining action flick.

The performances here are consistently good, Bradley Cooper easily holds his own against the might of Di Nero who's part is considerably smaller but feels more substantial given his on-screen gravitas. It's a well-crafted picture with the impressive visuals and a great core concept saving this from being an average action film. The Blu-Ray transfer is very good, some scenes are a tad grainy but most of the film looks sharp and the boosted colours look incredibly vibrant and not 'over-cooked'. High Definition complements the visual effects well and it looks thoroughly modern. The ending is purposefully ambiguous (and weaker than I'd hoped) but it's better than the alternate ending offered on this Blu-Ray disk. There are a couple of other bonus features too but nothing of any great interest, I would have liked to have seen a 'making of' covering some of the visual effects but all that's offered is a few minutes inside a pretty brief documentary.

In a nutshell: A film based on a great concept shows a lot of promise but abandons any attempt to become a seriously challenging feature in favour of 'safer' cinema which doesn't show anything you've not seen before. The first part of this movie feels like genuinely strong film with a fairly standard second half which is rescued from feeling average by the creative camerawork. My main gripe with the film is the ending which seems conveniently inconclusive rather than open to thoughtful interpretation. I'd give this 3.5 stars if I could, but I'll opt for 4 given the entertainment factor and the strengths of the first half.

Usually, I wouldn't ever think of buying a movie like this on Blu-Ray.
I leave that for movies I know I'll be visually impressed with.
If it wasn't so cheap on Blu-Ray, I wouldn't have bought it.

But I have to say, this was impressive, and visually really made a difference on B-ray.
Decent storyline, decent movie too. Bit hollywood I know, but it's good to dream.

How often I'd watch it though...hhmm..not often.

Enjoyed every single minute of this film. Bradley Cooper is great (love that he seems to have no vanity and never takes himself too seriously). The film is fast moving, action packed and full of twists and turns.