The Most Dangerous Game Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		2.0
Video		3.5
Audio		3.0
Extras		1.0
Overall		2.5

The Most Dangerous Game Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman November 3, 2022

It's been a long and storied history for The Most Dangerous Game. The original 1932 film, based on Richard Connell's 1924 short story, has been reimagined countless times in films like Hard Target, but this 2022 feature is perhaps the most direct remake of the original classic yet. Old material though it may be -- based off of a 90-year-old film -- this version is something of a cinema hallmark, at least within the movie industry: it is the "first ever original narrative film" produced and released by Mill Creek. The film is nothing special -- it has its ups and downs -- but it bodes well for whatever lower budget future Mill Creek's production arm might hold, and what better way to kick things off than with what is a fairly safe, if not fairly stale and questionably necessary, remake of a genuine classic.

A mysterious explosion on a boat leaves three men – Rex (Randy Charac) and the father-son tandem of Marcus and Sanger Rainsford (Judd Nelson and Chris Tamburello, respectively) – stranded on a remote, seemingly uninhabited island. They stumble upon a single encampment where they hope to find warmth, dry clothes, food, and fresh water. What they meet is a terrible destiny. They are greeted by the mysterious Baron Von Wolf (Casper Van Dien) who is a big game hunter. His prey, however, is most unusual. It is not naturally on the island. "I have to stock [it],” he says. His game is unlike any animal. It brings with it courage, cunning, and an ability to reason. “No animal can reason,” Rex argues. “There is but one,” the Baron responds: man. Now, their host has thrown away the notion of the romanticized ideals of human life. He murders his guests and leaves only Sanger, a humble and quiet WWII veteran who is an expert marksman and survivalist, alive. He is supplied with food, a quality hunting knife, and a three-hour head start. If he survives three days, he will win his freedom. If not, then the Baron will have won his greatest prize yet.

First things first, the acting in the film ranges from bad to atrocious. There's not a good effort in the movie. Even veterans like Judd Nelson and Bruce Dern, who each have bit parts, bring nothing to the roles. Berenger is a little more involved in the film's second half and a little more game for the work, but even still it's an average effort, at best, hindered by a very average script that gives neither him, nor anyone else in the film, much of anything to really sink their teeth into. Van Dien may not be good, but he does bring some over-the-top zeal to the part, at least. Meanwhile, Tamburello carries a dour countenance throughout the movie. That is understandable as both a WWII veteran suffering from PTSD and considering the situation into which he is thrust, but he is also an unlikeable hero in part because the performance is flat and in part because the scripted character is flat. Look at a similar character in John Rambo. First Blood is a treasure of a movie for many reasons, but certainly Stallone's performance of a very similar character, heightened by a vastly superior script and technical craftsmanship, carry that film to significantly more success.

Some of the content is mildly compelling, including dialogue, such as the dinner scene in the first act. It's more a product of the sheer strength of the story rather than the specifics of the scriptwriting and certainly not the performances, though a decent sense of technical craftsmanship helps to build some story momentum that might not have existed under more humdrum technical workmanship. But the film certainly shows its budget overall; there is no real sense for audience involvement in the film, for one. This is a very dethatched picture, in part because the characters are neither relatable nor likeable, and in part because the craftsmanship is limited in scale, scope, and ability. The original film obviously shows that there is a great story here, and that is evident in this 2022 version as well. It simply needed to be in the hands of a better writer, a better director, and a better cast; one can envision Quentin Tarantino, for example, doing something very special with this material.

The Most Dangerous Game Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The Most Dangerous Game was digitally shot and fares well enough on Blu-ray. Problems include noise in low light shots (the opening on the boat, the dinner scene a bit later) as well as some significant macroblocking at times, again and especially in lower light. These issues aside, the image doesn't look half bad. It's suitably clear and dense with good detail all around, especially outside in daylight (though the film is never exceedingly bright). Here, skin, clothes, and various examples of natural foliage stand out for impressive crispness and clarity. Colors fare well enough. The movie is rather bland by design without much pop or tonal pizzazz, but what is here, especially natural greenery and red blood, satisfies. This is not a transfer for the record books in either the "good" or the "bad" categories, but it fortunately favors the former.

The Most Dangerous Game Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Mill Creek brings The Most Dangerous Game to Blu-ray with a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 lossless soundtrack. Low budget though it may be, it's a bit baffling that the sound could not have been mixed at 5.1 for even a modestly sized movie in 2022, but 2.0 is what is here. The track could use some of that would-be immersion in the opening minutes when the creaks and moans on board the ship could have really drawn the listener into the locale. Rather, they are more sonic location markers than they are fully engaging elements. The same holds true for various examples of island ambience. Gunshots ring out with decent power but of course with no subwoofer channel to back them up. Dialogue is sometimes unevenly pitched, not well prioritized, and struggling to stand apart from surrounding elements, such as a scene right after the shipwreck at the 13-minute mark.

The Most Dangerous Game Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This Blu-ray release of The Most Dangerous Game includes two extras. Reversible cover art is included. No DVD or digital copies are included with purchase. This release does not ship with a slipcover.

• History of the Hunt (1080i, 5:22): Juxtaposing clips from this film with the original.
• Surviving the Game (1080i, 2:15): A collection of auto-advancing still photographs from the set. Score accompanies.

The Most Dangerous Game Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Mill Creek gives it a good go for its first feature film. This is watchable, but at times it's also laughable. Van Dien falls into the "so bad he's good" classification while the rest of the cast (and the characters they play, in their defense) is as nondescript as they come. A mediocre script, subpar technical workmanship, and a general feeling of detachment and a "so-what?" mist that hangs over the movie all add up to a mostly forgettable film. Mill Creek's Bu-ray delivers acceptable video and audio and two featurettes. Pick it up on a steep Black Friday discount.