Brea (Paula Patton) is a reporter for The Sacramento Post, but her obsession with always wanting to tell the complete story causes her boss (William Fichtner) grief. He just wants simple stories that he can publish as quickly as possible, and so he reassigns the government/real estate expose story she has been working on for nearly a year to one of her coworkers. It’s Brea’s birthday, and to help get her mind off of her work problems, boyfriend John (Omar Epps) decides to take Brea on a romantic weekend getaway to a secluded estate in the mountains of California. Friend Darren (Laz Alonso) is a sports agent, and offeres the corporate property to John so that he can finally propose to Brea.

As the couple makes their way North, they stop off at a gas station, but there’s an eerie vibe to the place. At the pump, John has an altercation with a racist biker gang, while inside the shop, Brea has a run-in with a desperate-looking woman who seems to be begging her for help. Brea and John get back on the road, and after a harrowing drive, finally make it to their destination. Just as they are finally enjoying their romantic getaway alone, they are unexpectedly joined by Darren and his girlfriend Malia (Roselyn Sanchez), who show up unannounced. As Brea and John recount the events of their trip, they discover that the people they encountered at the gas station are involved in a human sex trafficking ring. The investigative journalist in Brea won’t let things go, and as she digs deeper, the couples soon find themselves in a life-and-death situation. The head of the gang, Red (Luke Goss), and his army of men are trying to hunt them down before they expose the operation. What started out as a romantic getaway has now turned into a deadly night of survival. The glass walls of the estate that once felt so romantic now provide little privacy or protection, and the secluded nature of the property means no cell service, and no one to call for help.
 

Traffik starts off a little slow as it spends much of the first half of the film establishing the characters, their relationships, and the predicament they find themselves in. While perhaps drawn out a bit too long, this was necessary in order to make the viewer care about these characters, and become invested in their survival during the action-packed second half of the film. Brea and John obviously love one another, and its a wonder why they aren’t already married, but their relationship is in stark contrast to that of Malia and Darren. Darren treats Malia like a trophy wife who’s just there as arm candy—it doesn’t seem like he has any true feelings of love for her, and it’s a wonder why she even stays with him.

Once the action kicks in, the film becomes an intense, non-stop thriller, and I thoroughly enjoyed this second half of the film. It had me on the edge of my seat, wondering who would survive, how, and what was going to happen next. There were some really exciting and unexpected twists and turns to the story. It also gives a glimpse into the gritty, real-world problem of human trafficking rings that take place on U.S. soil, and the normal, innocent victims involved. Star Paula Patton does an excellent job of making you feel the emotions that Brea is going through as she finds herself in this life-and-death struggle to escape.

This Blu-ray release provides an excellent video and audio presentation. The picture looks pristine in both the brighter daytime and the darker nighttime scenes. There is extensive detail throughout the film, and I couldn’t imagine this looking any better had there been a 4K UHD release—you can even see the pores in the actors’ faces during close-ups. The audio track is also quite impressive, providing clear dialogue and making excellent use of the stereo and surround channels to help add ambiance and bring the viewer into the action and excitement of what’s happening on screen. The disc includes two behind-the-scenes featurettes with the cast and filmmakers, with a total runtime of about 25 minutes. The Blu-ray comes packed in a standard HD keepcase with a cardboard slipcover, and includes an Ultraviolet Digital HD copy of the film (as with other Lionsgate releases, this digital copy is not compatible with Movies Anywhere).

What’s Included:

Film: (1:36:51)

Blu-ray:

• 1080p / Widescreen 2.40:1
• Audio: English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, English Descriptive Audio
• Subtitles: English SDH, English, Spanish

Digital HD (may not be valid after 7/17/2019):

• Ultraviolet Digital HD copy redeemable via Steam, Vudu (UV), or FandangoNow (UV)
  (Not Compatible with Movies Anywhere)

Extras:

• Journey into the Depths: Making Traffik (16:09)
  The cast and filmmakers talk about the premise of the film, the characters, relationships, casting the film, the realities of sex-trafficking, how the script changed over time, and more. Includes behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with writer/director Deon Taylor, producer Roxanne Avent, consulting producer Ephraim Salaam, and actors Omar Epps (“John”), Paula Patton (“Brea”), Laz Alonso (“Darren”), Dawn Olivieri (“Cara”), Luke Goss (“Red”), and Missi Pyle (“Deputy Sally Marnes”).
• Deon & Dante: The Look of Traffik (8:28)
  Writer/director Deon Taylor and cinematographer Dante Spiontti talk about their working relationship, the look and visual language of the film, the locations, and the use of different cameras, lights and angles. Also includes behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with stunt coordinator Casey O’Neill and producer Roxanne Avent, production designer John Richoux, associate producer Moar Joseph, and actor Laz Alonso (“Darren”).
• Also From Lionsgate (2:11)
  Trailer for Love Beats Ryhmes.

Final Thoughts:

While the film starts off a little slow, taking a lot of time to establish the characters and set up the premise, once the action kicks in, it becomes an exciting, non-stop thriller with some unexpected twists and turns that will having you holding your breath, or at the edge of your seat. Paula Patton delivers an excellent performance, and makes you feel the ordeal her character goes though. Lionsgate’s Blu-ray release features a stunning transfer and excellent sound, as well a pair of interesting behind-the-scenes featurettes and a digital copy of the film. This release comes recommended based on the thoroughly satisfying second half of the film. I would have given it a Highly-Recommended had the film taken a little less time to get to the action, but either way, it’s certainly worth checking out.