Boyka: Undisputed IV Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		1.0
Overall		3.5

Boyka: Undisputed IV Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman August 21, 2017

"Undisputed" seems ever more the appropriate title with each new Boyka movie. Unquestionably the king of the direct-to-video marketplace, the films deliver a consistently high quality of product that others of a similar ilk just cannot match. That's not to say the movies are classics or anything of the sort, but for what they are and what they need to be, they far surpass the norm. The character has become Scott Adkins' signature role and the films deliver impressively put together fight scenes around quality character analysis and drama. There's nothing cheap about them, nothing that feels repetitive about them. Story and action are carefully balanced, with both enjoying relatively high-yield output that keeps audiences interested as the films both engage the mind and get the adrenaline flowing. Undisputed IV follows the title character through further transformation as he questions his gift and once again seeks redemption for the violence that has brought him to prominence but that is chewing away at his soul.

The fighter with a conscience.

Yuri Boyka (Scott Adkins) is fighting his way up the ranks of Eastern Europe's mixed martial arts scene. He has his eye on the prize, but he's also fighting a partially guilty conscience. He believes he's using his God-given gift for fighting as it was intended, but the local church to which he donates needed materials says otherwise, that there are better uses of his talents than bloodshed. His conscience takes a blow when he accidentally kills an opponent in the ring, and things become ever more complicated within his soul when he learns that he's left a young woman named Alma (Teodora Duhovnikova) a widow who is forced to work off the debt her husband owed to a vicious mobster named Zourab (Alon Aboutboul). Boyka sticks his nose where it otherwise wouldn't belong and negotiates for Alma's freedom by agreeing to participate in three fights of increasing difficulty. But Alma doesn't want his help and Zourab certainly won't let Boyka off easily, even if he should successfully run the gauntlet in the ring.

Boyka: Undisputed IV presents a thought-provoking drama alongside its furious fight scenes. The title character, fighting in the ring and fighting his own soul -- he spends parts of his winnings buying books for a local church and engages in spiritual and philosophical discussions with a priest -- struggles with a conscience that takes its most serious blow when he accidentally kills an opponent in the ring. He questions not only himself and his place in life -- is his ability to fight a gift from above or is he merely using violence as an outlet for something else? -- but also how to best make amends for killing his opponent, which, of course, will only lead him down an even more violent path. With every new fight, the battle is for his own soul, his conscience, his growing affection for the woman he made a widow. And those fights won't be easy. Boyka's opponents push him as hard as he pushes himself. The result is a satisfying mix of bloody, gritty action and honest character depth and exploration that together with Adkins' superb performance that, like the film, expertly meshes the physical and emotional, make this a top-rung DTV flick.

But no matter how much character depth the movie can squeeze into its 90-minute runtime, no matter how tortured Boyka's soul may be, the film's and the franchise's bread-and-butter certainly remains its fight scenes, and they don't disappoint. Adkins, a physical specimen whose screen presence is second-to-none, particularly for a movie of this type, proves capable of carrying both the emotional baggage as well as the fight scenes with equal grace and grit. The choreography is fantastic. There's an authenticity, a sense of speed, and a tangible feeling of danger that's so often lacking in other films that just try too hard to be too flashy. Yes Boyka's moves are nearly inhuman, as are those of some of his opponents, but the audience never feels like this is some superman made to look more impressive with camera trickery. Adkins gives it his all, spits up plenty of blood, and never gives the impression that he's pulling his kicks or punches, that he's not actually decimating his opponents. There's a fluidity and grace to his actions and the movie's violence that perfectly compliment the rough, raw, testosterone-laden action scenes.

Boyka: Undisputed IV Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Boyka: Undisputed IV marks the franchise's second film to feature on Blu-ray, and as with the previous film, this release's 1080p transfer doesn't disappoint. While sporadic noise and banding are evident, the image is otherwise free of serious blemish. It's also razor-sharp. Skin textures are amongst the most revealing and complex one will find in 1080p. Close-ups showcase deep pores, dense facial hair, blood, sweat, and tattoos with remarkable precision. Clarity never gives way, and even with the largely clean digital sheen, the image never wants for improved texturing or tangible grit. Colors are well balanced, presenting with impressive depth and vitality. Blood is a particular standout, whether fresh bright red blood or darker, crustier, dried-on blood. Black levels hold deep beyond one opening shot where they favor more of a deep purple shade. Skin tones appear natural. This is a terrific presentation from Universal.

Boyka: Undisputed IV Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Boyka: Undisputed IV fights its way onto Blu-ray with a proficient and punchy DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack. The presentation is appropriately large, with well defined and potent music presenting with satisfying width and depth, both in terms of its surround extension and low end support. Listeners will often feel enveloped in the crowd during fights; cheers and din filter in with appreciable detail and placement that matches the on-screen action. Punches, kicks, and falls to the mat offer quality impacts, presenting with a nice little thud. Dialogue is clear and largely well prioritized with only a few brief instances where it goes a little shallow, such as a scene following Boyka's first fight to pay off the widow's debt. Slight but well-managed reverberation may be a heard during her husband's funeral at the 18-minute mark.

Boyka: Undisputed IV Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Boyka: Undisputed IV contains one extra. Behind the Scenes (1080p, 10:49) delivers the usual assortment of behind-the-scenes footage and cast and crew interviews that cover the franchise, this film's script and the story's themes, Adkins' performance, and action. A UV/iTunes digital copy code is included with purchase.

Boyka: Undisputed IV Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

For a direct-to-video movie, Boyka: Undisputed IV is hard to beat. While there's nothing necessarily unique here, it's all put together remarkably well. The fighting is first-class, the drama satisfies, and character growth comes naturally. The film is engaging from beginning to end, perfectly paced, well acted, and never misses a beat. For what it is, it's nothing short of excellent. Universal's Blu-ray comes with only one bonus feature, but video and audio qualities are superb. Highly recommended.