Go (Blu-ray)

When done well, ensemble movies with multiple stories can be immensely entertaining, or they can be complete disasters. Luckily the 1999 movie Go is one of the former. It’s little wonder director Doug Liman has gone on to a major career making the likes of The Bourne Identity and Mr & Mrs Smith, while screenwriter John August has since scripted the Charlie’s Angels movies, Big Fish, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and directed The Nines. What is a perhaps more of a surprise is that few of the cast have gone onto bigger and better things as they’re all extremely good.

The film tells three separate but overlapping stories, mainly set over the course of one Christmas Eve. Ronna is trying to get money to stave off eviction, and thinks she’s found a way when soap stars Adam and Zack coming into the supermarket she works at looking to score some ecstacy for a big rave they’re going to, but things spiral out of control when she realises they’re working with the cops. Adam and Zack’s story shows us exactly why they’re trying to set up Ronna up and also the problems they’re having in their relationship, while the third story follows the British Simon over the course of a wild weekend in Vegas, before things are tied up in a coda.

It’s a great ride that has just the right mix of energy, drama and humour, all underscored by a real sense of danger, as the dark side of the character’s self-destructive actions emerge. It’s also aged better than some might have expected, because while it is very much a product of the late 90s, the story and performances shine through.

When the Blu-ray started playing, I had a brief panic that the picture quality was going to be awful. The Columbia logo seemed oddly dark and the opening shots of a rave are incredibly grainy, however my initial worries proved to be groundless, because as soon as the scene moves to Sarah Polley working in a supermarket, everything pulls into sharp focus and the picture quality gets much, much better. The colours are crisp and the pictures sharp, marking a massive upgrade from the DVD. Some of the darker scenes aren’t quite as impressive, but this isn’t the Blu-ray’s fault. They’re very grainy, but this is due to the film stock used to give a sense of the chaos of a rave, rather than any issues with the with the actual Blu-ray transfer. For the most part the image is exactly how it should be. The audio isn’t bad either, but as it’s not exactly the most immersive of soundtracks anyway, it doesn’t make as much difference in the transition from DVD to Blu-ray.

The special features are exactly the same as what was on the DVD, with a very good audio commentary form Liman and editor Stephen Mirrione, where they give loads of interesting info on the making of the movie. There’s also an okay behind-the-scenes featurette, along with three music videos, and a load of okay deleted scenes. It’s a decent enough selection, but nothing spectacular, and as mentioned, it was all on the DVD anyway.

Ultimately the main reason to buy this is for the upgrade in picture quality, and, of course, the fact it’s an immensely entertaining film.

Overall Verdict: An immensely entertaining  ensemble flick that look superb on Blu-ray.

Special Features:
Audio Commentary With Director Doug Liman and Editor Stephen Mirrione
Making Of Featurette
‘New’ No Doubt Music Video
‘Magic Carpet Ride’ Philip Steir Music Video
‘Steal My Sunshine’ Len Music Video
Deleted Scenes
BD-Live

Reviewer: Tim Isaac