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“Narc” * (2002, Arrow Video) After gruesomely bungling a drug arrest, hyper-intensive Detroit narcotics officer Jason Patric is given a shot at professional redemption by investigating the murder of a fellow undercover cop with the help of Ray Liotta, an old-school detective whose preferred method of crime prevention (brutality) complicates matters. Cop drama from Joe Carnahan travels along well-worn territory from a script perspective but benefits greatly from Carnahan’s skill with violent and intense setpieces and downbeat atmosphere; he’s helped immeasurably by his two leads, who navigate the razor’s edge on which their characters live without resorting to caricature. Arrow’s Limited Edition 4K/Blu-ray presentation lends considerable polish to DP Alex Nepomiaschy’s already crisp, funereal imagery, and adds new interviews with him, Carnahan, costume designer Gersha Phillips and co-star Krista Bridges; also included are archival interviews and EPK footage, many extended from previous release versions, with Carnahan, Patric, Liotta, and a lengthy appreciation of “Narc” by William Friedkin, as well as vintage making-of featurettes.
