Black Sea

"Black Sea" is a classic, testosterone-soaked heist thriller, but its setting and tone give it a gravitas that sets it above other films of this genre.

A veteran submarine captain, Robinson (Jude Law), is booted from his job in underwater salvage with little more than technically we don't owe you anything. The men who employed him have a habit of doing what's in their best interest (to the sacrifice of the workers that have made them rich). But another laborer, the company sough-off, gives Robinson a way to stick it to the one-percenters and earn his rightful score.

A German U-boat carrying a cargo of gold sank off the coast of Georgia during World War II. With a little help from an secret backer, Robinson and a crew that is half British and half Russian can slip under the nose of the man and claim a bounty of millions.

There's just one catch: Robinson plays fair. The gold will be split equally between everyone on the crew. But an American bean counter sent along by the unknown backer lets the captain know that this is a bad idea. Jealousy and a sense of superiority, even among the proletariat, breeds contempt within the crew and divides the cultures.

Add to that mechanical damage that renders the sub immobile, and Robinson is left in a claustrophobic prison full of bloodthirsty factions and little hope for survival.

Director Kevin Macdonald knows how to tell taut, tightly constructed tales of life or death desperation as evidence in his tremendous documentaries "One Day in September" and "Touching the Void." Law continues to push past his pretty-boy image to prove his grit as an actor. "Black Sea" keeps you on the edge of your seat with twists, turns and high-stake emotions. It's definitely the kind of movie you're looking for when you want to go on a wild ride.

This disc contains a featurette, "A Dive into the 'Black Sea,'" that's only about five minutes long, but it also has a feature audio commentary with the Academy Award winning director of the film.

"Black Sea"
Blu-ray + DVD
Rated R / 1 hr. 55 min.
www.UniversalHiDef.com