Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		5.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.5

Blue Vengeance Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf April 23, 2018

1989’s “Blue Vengeance” is a cop movie with horror interests, though co-writer/co-director J. Christian Ingvordsen does a lot more than simply blend genres. The picture is more of a sandbox where the production plays with different ideas of suspense and action, using the wilds of New York City in a rather exciting way, keeping the low-budget endeavor on the move as it tries to make a manhunt feature with limited resources. “Blue Vengeance” has obvious technical and filmmaking limitations, leaving it best suited for low expectations, which permits its askew vision for procedure and gore to shine brightest, watching Ingvordsen have a ball cooking up strange events in his home city, giving the effort a compelling B-movie spin.

Pulling off a jailbreak via a faked suicide, Trax (Mark Weiner) is making his way back to New York City, reconnecting with his inner evil as he restarts his killing ways, fueled by visions of medieval warriors. Setting into his childhood apartment, Trax commences a mission to find certain people from his past, looking to reunite and slaughter the unsuspecting victims, building a collection of body parts in the process. Alerted to his presence is McCardle (J. Christian Ingvordsen), a cop who, a decade ago, lost his partner to Trax’s initial wrath, living with the guilt ever since. Newly focused on finding and returning Trax to prison, McCardle teams up with Tiffany (Garland Hunter), a rock photographer and drug addict who knows a things or two about the punk and metal music scene, helping the aspiring detective to navigate the underworld, eager to collect Trax before he kills again.

Although it’s created with limited resources, “Blue Vengeance” looks awfully nice for a modest chiller. Cinematographer Michael Spiller secures some style for the effort, which enjoys a raw vision of murderous encounters and city visits, giving the production something to do as it travels to numerous locations around New York City, with Ingvordsen and co-director Danny Kuchuck dreaming up ways to steal shots from everywhere. While it’s a static idea for a movie, “Blue Vengeance” races through the streets, around subway cars, and even does battle on the Brooklyn Bridge, acquiring some visual variation for a tale that’s essentially about revenge. Granted, most of the picture remains in small rooms, empty warehouses, and a junkyard, but these are the realities of low-budget filmmaking, making visits to the outside world something special, adding expanse to something that’s inherently small.

“Blue Vengeance” highlights the insanity of Trax, who kills without provocation, enjoying a fractured reality where he spends half the time inside his own head, living out period adventures he tries to replicate in the real world with steel weaponry. He’s after something that has to do with heavy metal music, quoting lyrics as he clears a path to Hell one body at a time, but Trax isn’t an especially compelling villain, as Weiner isn’t a seasoned actor. However, to ease the thespian burden, “Blue Vengeance” ups the gore factor considerably, showcasing Trax’s interesting in obtaining body parts, fiddling around open wounds in extreme close-up. The police side of the chase is less graphic and more clichéd, with McCardle stuck in a loveless marriage, paired with a junkie for an investigative partner, and living with memories of his partner’s murder -- a strobe-heavy vision that’s returned to ad nauseam throughout the feature. It’s not exactly a battle of beaming personalities here, but the basics in light and dark are tended to by the helmers, who increase the frequency of clashes as the story unfolds.

Blue Vengeance Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

A 2K scan from the 35mm OCN, the "Blue Vengeance" Blu-ray experience is extremely impressive, managing to bring a very obscure title to HD with excellent results. The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation is bright and defined, doing wonders with facial particulars, which carry extremely appealing textures. Surfaces for club interiors and street adventures are preserved as well, giving the viewing experience the right amount of urban decay and filth. Colors are vivid, with strong primaries securing period hues on costuming and set decoration, and cityscapes are just as healthy, offering a consistent marquee and neon glow. Murderous appetites enjoy bursts of red, and greenery is evocative, communicating the seasonal splendor of the locations. Skintones are natural. Grain is heavier but quite filmic. Delineation isn't problematic. Source is clear and clean, without any pronounced damage.

Blue Vengeance Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 1.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix largely thrives on chaos, with horror, punk rock, and city activity competing for speaker time. "Blue Vengeance" manages to keep things in order, offering satisfying dialogues exchanges, which maintain their intimidation factor and argumentative tone. Soundtrack selections are a bit more hectic with aggressive instrumentation, but nothing is lost to distortion. Some sibilance issues are present from time to time. Action beats are supported with clear sound effects, and atmospherics with urban tours and waterside activities are handled well.

Blue Vengeance Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary #1 features co-writer/co-director/star J. Christian Ingvordsen.

• Commentary #2 features actor John Weiner.

• "Making 'Blue Vengeance'" (19:26, SD) isn't entirely specific to the making of one film, instead collecting interviews with Ingvordsen, Weiner, Bob Gosse, Matthew Howe, Whitney Ransick, and Danny Kuchuck to explore the atmosphere of tight collaboration during the home video gold rush of the 1980s. Gathering a "small footprint" of NYC film nuts, Ingvordsen managed to make movies like "Blue Vengeance" for little money and time, using his education as a P.A. on Larry Cohen productions to mastermind his own form of guerilla filmmaking. The men discuss this DIY attitude and share war stories from visits to the subway system and the Brooklyn Bridge, often talking their way out of trouble from cops and unions. Ingvordsen also discusses the picture's fate, coming in at the very end of the VHS celebration, resulting in no domestic distribution for his last homegrown effort.

• Interview (13:28, HD) with Ingvordsen is more of a deeper dive into all things "Blue Vengeance," covering the origin of the project, where the filmmaker was tasked to make an NYC actioner and decided to add horror elements as a way of expanding his creative reach. There's time spent on production challenges, the casting of himself in the lead role, and comparisons to "Maniac Cop." Ingvordsen also explores the bad timing for "Blue Vengeance," which was completed and basically thrown away by the distributor, with the industry moving on to features with recognizable stars, helping video store browsing.

• Bonus Feature: "The First Man" (83:13, HD) is a 1996 effort from Danny Kuchuck, starring Heather Graham, Ted Raimi, Lisa Zane, and Lesley Ann Warren.

• A Trailer has not been included.

Blue Vengeance Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Blue Vengeance" isn't a campy endeavor, but some laughs are found with moviemaking choices and location limitations, including a sobering scene of guilt at the funeral of McCardle's partner, which is shot across the street from the cemetery through rush hour traffic. It's difficult to capture the emotion of the moment with trucks blocking the view. Other goofy choices and accidents are present, but the helmers are mostly after a vibe, not precision, having fun mounting an action film without permits, keeping the story weaving around NYC, peppered with violent showdowns. It's a strange picture, no doubt, but an entertaining one, working very hard to turn moviemaking obstacles into permission slips.