Outrage is actually the DVD release of a 1980’s made for TV film, Christopher Rage’s Outrage. Changing the title was probably a pretty good idea. West Wing star Rob Lowe is the focus of this B film. It’s actually a very watchable film if you’re willing to ignore plot holes large enough to drive a starship through and some lazy legal writing. (When the kids trash his home they leave more fingerprints than a 3 year old with an overstuffed peanut butter and jelly sandwich, but the cops see no evidence. Also there are no felonies with a 15 day sentence.) The acting is above average for a made for TV film, but the story is riddled with clichés and predictability.
Synopsis
Casey (Lowe) observes three kids trying to break into a car. He confronts them and believes he has scared them away. The kids, led by spoiled rich kid Jeffrey (Cole) decide to trash Casey’s car when they discover a loaded revolver under the seat. The kids are busted thanks to Casey’s call to the police, but it is Casey who does jail time because of the gun. All might be well if the kids did not decide to escalate their confrontation by eventually kidnapping his wife (Grey) and endangering their unborn child.
Audio
The DVD contains an average Dolby stereo soundtrack. The score is heavy on the bass and tends to interfere with some dialogue. The film was made for TV and this explains most of the poor mixing.
Video
Outrage is presented in the Full Screen TV standard. I understand that this would be logical considering it was produced with that format in mind. But why must the studios insist on calling this a bonus feature? The picture quality is actually quite impressive. The video is constantly sharp. Colors are very bright and accurate. Darks are solid. I did notice an almost imperceptible shimmering in the early moments of the film, but it appeared to have been corrected by about 15 minutes into the disc.
Special Features
Sorry, but there are absolutely no extras on the disc. (I don’t consider full frame or subtitles to be “extras”).
Final Thoughts
West Wing and particularly Rob Lowe fans will find considerably more enjoyment in this film. The film strikes me as more a message piece on spoiled youth and a failing justice system than anything else. Nothing to worry about, though. “The kids were just out for the thrill of the escapade.”
