"Awake" is about the disturbingly real phenomenon of "anesthetic awareness"—in which surgery patients, though completely paralyzed, are conscious of everything they are experiencing, including the pain. When failed anesthesia leaves a rich young tycoon (Christensen) alert but immobilized during open-heart surgery, he overhears a devioius plot to have him killed. (Gary Reber)
Special features include audio commentary with Writer/Director Joby Harold; seven deleted scenes (91 minutes total); the "Under The Knife & Behind The Camera: The Making Of Awake" featurette (13 minutes); a Storyboard To Film Comparison (nine minutes); and the theatrical trailer.
The 2.35:1 1080p AVC picture quality is generally good with deep, rich, solid blacks and well-delineated shadows. Colors are warm, with natural hues. Fleshtones appear natural in most scenes, though tones in some scenes seem a bit orange and griddy. Resolution is quite good, with closeups of faces and textures nicely defined. Contrast in some scenes is superb, with excellent highlights and inky blacks. Noise is noticeable but not objectionable. This is a pleasing picture, with some dramatic visuals that are sure to please. (Gary Reber)
The Dolby TrueHD 5.1-channel soundtrack is conventionally produced, with a well-recorded music score and dialogue that sounds natural but at times lacking support for spatial integration in the stereo and surround channels. Except for occasional directionalized effects, the music provides the surround envelopment. There are some dimensional surround effects that energize the experience but aggressive deep bass is lacking. (Gary Reber)