DVD A divorced defence industry engineer becomes trapped in a Los Angeles traffic jam and finally reaches breaking point.
Details
It is yet another sweltering day in downtown Los Angeles and, like thousands of commuters, William Foster finds himself stuck in a never-ending traffic jam. Sitting in the same gridlock is Sergeant Prendergast, a police officer on his final day before early retirement. What neither man realises is that before the day is over their paths will cross in a dramatic and violent way.
With the heat rising, his car air-conditioning broken and the noise and frustration of the city closing in around him, William Foster finally snaps. Abandoning his car in the middle of the road, he decides to walk home across the city. Unfortunately for everyone he encounters along the way, Foster's patience with the world has completely run out.
Dressed in a white shirt and tie, Foster quickly finds himself confronting the small irritations of everyday life - an overpriced convenience store, aggressive gang members, fast-food restaurants that never quite live up to their advertisements, and even a racist army surplus store owner. Each encounter pushes him further over the edge, turning his increasingly unstable journey across Los Angeles into a trail of escalating violence.
As the incidents begin to link together, Sergeant Prendergast starts to realise that the man responsible is not simply a random criminal but someone on a very specific journey. Between dealing with his domineering wife and the dismissive attitudes of his colleagues, Prendergast slowly pieces together where Foster is heading - and races to intercept him before the situation spirals completely out of control.
Picture & Sound
The picture is bright and reasonably colourful, although the intense daylight scenes can occasionally appear a little washed out. The transfer has an average bit-rate and shows no obvious signs of artifacting or outlining, although it can look slightly grainy at times. Overall it is only a modest improvement over VHS, but the film still holds up well enough.
The sound is somewhat disappointing but remains functional. Despite several scenes involving gunfire and explosions, the Pro-Logic soundtrack feels limited and lacks the punch that a full surround remaster could have delivered. Dialogue is clear enough throughout, but it is a shame that Warner did not take the opportunity to improve the audio presentation.
Overall
Although William Foster completely loses control as the film progresses, it is difficult not to sympathise with many of his early observations about modern life. One of the most memorable moments is the famous Whammy Burger scene, where Foster points out that the burger never looks anything like the one in the advertisement - a moment that probably resonates with just about everyone who has ever ordered fast food.
Falling Down remains a fascinating character study and one of Michael Douglas's most memorable performances. His portrayal of a man quietly pushed beyond his limits is both unsettling and strangely relatable. Paired with Robert Duvall's understated performance as the weary but determined detective, the film builds to a powerful and thought-provoking conclusion.
It is therefore disappointing that Warner's DVD release feels so bare-bones. For such a respected and frequently discussed film there are no extras whatsoever - not even a trailer, let alone a commentary or retrospective feature. For a film of this calibre the lack of additional material is a real missed opportunity.
Special features
- None
