AVS Discussions
Movie and TV Discussion => Movie reviews => Topic started by: David Vaughn on July 09, 2026, 06:18:11 PM
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(https://i.imgur.com/5brKdI3.jpeg)
Studio: Arrow
Release Date: July 21, 2026
Rating: R
Film: 4/5
Plot
Falling Down (1993), directed by Joel Schumacher, follows Michael Douglas as William “D-Fens” Foster, a recently divorced and laid-off defense worker who has a very bad day. Stuck in Los Angeles traffic on a sweltering morning, something inside him finally snaps. Abandoning his car on a freeway on-ramp, Foster embarks on a violent, increasingly unhinged walk across the city to attend his daughter’s birthday party, confronting everyday frustrations and injustices along the way. On his trail is retiring LAPD detective Martin Prendergast (Robert Duvall), who is spending his last day on the job trying to stop him.
My Thoughts
It had been years since I last watched Falling Down, but funny enough, I bought the film last summer on Blu-ray to add to my collection and never got around to watching it — look out eBay, here it comes. Regardless, I had forgotten how dark this movie is. For some reason, I really only remembered the funnier scenes such as Foster visiting the convenience store, ordering fast food and complaining how the food that he was served looked nothing like the picture on the menu, and the unforgettable scene with Frederick Forrest in the surplus army store.
Overall, this was a dark, but enjoyable experience. As someone nearing 60, I could relate to Foster’s impatience with the world, but am thankfully nowhere close to snapping (yet!). The performances by the cast are excellent, starting with Douglas in the lead role. He convincingly plays the ex-defense worker who was finally pushed over the edge while stuck in snarled LA traffic. Duvall’s role was one of his best in his later years as the retiring police officer struggling with his homelife and leaving a job he seemingly loves to do. Director Joel Schumacher delivers the goods with this 90s classic showing how a man can only be pushed so far before going to that dark place we probably all have in us, but never come close to visiting.
Arrow Video’s Ultra HD 4K Blu-ray release features an outstanding restoration. While the HDR effects are somewhat limited to some bright sunshine scenes, the print has been restored to like-new with excellent color saturation, picture-perfect resolution, and plenty of depth and detail.
The audio track is what you’d expect from a 90s movie. The DTS-MA 4.10 track has somewhat compressed dynamics and tepid LFE due to the original source material, but dialog is always intelligible and there’s decent use of the surround speakers to add some ambience to the dialog-intensive film.
Video 9.5/10
Audio 8.5/10 (DTS-HD MA 4.0)
Special Features:
- Archival Audio Commentary
- Man on the Edge (new interview with screenwriter Ebbe Roe Smith)
- At War with the World (new interview with composer James Newton Howard)
- Going Home (new location featurette revisiting the real-life LA sites)
- Deconstruction D-Fens (archival interview with Michael Douglas
- Original Trailer
- Image Gallery
- Collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by film crics Alexandra Heller-Nicholas and Simon Ward
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09XCNERMIwU (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09XCNERMIwU)
Conclusion
Falling Down on 4K UHD from Arrow Video is an outstanding release with excellent video restoration and solid audio. The film itself remains a powerful and darkly compelling watch that still resonates today. This is easily the best this movie has ever looked and sounded on home video. Highly recommended for fans of 90s thrillers and Michael Douglas in particular.
Reference Review System:
JVC DLA-RS3100 4K Ultra High-Definition Front Projector
(I utilized Portrait Displays' (https://www.portrait.com/) Calman color calibration software)
Stewart Filmscreen - Firehawk 110” 2.35:1 Screen
Trinnov Altitude 16 Audio/Video Processor
ATI AT527NC Powering Bed Channels
ATI AT524NC Powering Atmos Speakers
Zidoo UHD8000 Media Player
Panasonic DP-UB820 Ultra HD Blu-ray Player
System Controller: URC MX-990
M&K S-150 THX Ultra (R-C-L Speakers)
M&K SS-150 x4 (Surround Speakers)
Atlantic Technology IC6-OBA x 4 Overhead Speakers
Dual Rythmik FV15HP2
Mini DSP HD
Audioquest and Monoprice - Audio/Video/Speaker Cabling
PureAV PF60 Power Conditioner
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Nice review, David. I missed it when it first came out and skipped it later due to what he did with the Batman films, but it sounds like that's unnecessarily dismissive.
Maybe it's time to give it a chance?
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Nice review, David. I missed it when it first came out and skipped it later due to what he did with the Batman films, but it sounds like that's unnecessarily dismissive.
Maybe it's time to give it a chance?
Absolutely. It's dark, but if you've ever dealt with stupid people or policies, you will definitely relate!
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Absolutely. It's dark, but if you've ever dealt with stupid people or policies, you will definitely relate!
I'm OK with dark. It's the goofiness of how he handled the Batman movies that was the turnoff.
I'll have to watch for this one.
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I'm OK with dark. It's the goofiness of how he handled the Batman movies that was the turnoff.
I'll have to watch for this one.
Definitely not like the Batman movies....no nipples ;)
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Greetings,
Great review Dave. Yeah, I agree on all points!
Regards,
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Greetings,
Great review Dave. Yeah, I agree on all points!
Regards,
Thanks Ralph.