Synopsis
A minor fire (not the big scorch that case implies) breaks out in the forest, and is quickly extinguished. Nonetheless, there are clear signs of arson, and four teens are involved. The Ranger in charge of the area locks the teens in his station and proceeds to work on ferreting out the truth of what happened. And this fractious group has secrets they would rather not reveal. The film turns into a tale of relationships and coming of age.
But I found it very difficult to care. The fo…r students come off as so completely stupid, shallow and generally unpleasant that I was hoping that, instead of imprisonment, they would be sent to the electric chair. Truth be told, their characterizations do ring true, and the dialogue is quite natural and at times quite witty, but getting past the antipathy generated by the leads is very difficult.
Audio
This is one of those sad 2.0 mixes for which there is no reason at this late date. Why on earth would a 2002 film have no surround aspects at all? The sound is otherwise crisp and clean, but utterly uninteresting.
Video
The picture is widescreen, and that’s about all you can say for it. It isn’t even anamorphic, but it is soft, murky and grainy. Even worse, it is prone to spectacular break-up, dissolving into an unwatchable mess of digital blocks. Stopping the disc and starting it up again will correct the problem, but it is extremely annoying.
Special Features
None apart for trailers for Kung Phooey, Love, Sex and Eating the Bones, and Teddy Bear’s Picnic. The menu is basic.
Closing Thoughts
Looks awful, sounds indifferent. Avoid.
Special Features List
- Trailers
