Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

Cop Game Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov February 8, 2023

Bruno Mattei's "Cop Game" (1988) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Severin Film. The supplemental features on the release include new program with screenwriter/second unit director Claudio Fragasso; new program with screenwriter Rossella Drudi; new program with producer Franco Gaudenzi; remastered original trailer; and more. In English or Italian, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-A "locked".

Before you press the play button on your remote control, turn up the volume of your system as much as you can. Now, if you have a couch, get comfortable on it, and quickly prepare to be catapulted back to the glorious ‘80s. For the next couple of minutes, while the opening credits of Bruno Mattei’s Cop Game appear on your screen, you will hear Maurizio Cerantola singing what could very well be the most perfect ‘80s title song ever recorded. No, this is not an exaggeration. Cerantola is on fire and the music is top-grade AOR of the kind that once made cruising Sunset Boulevard with your car stereo blasting a near-orgasmic experience. One more tip. If this song does not give you the butterflies, do not waste your time with Cop Game because it is not for you. You will find it silly, amateurish, and ultimately very, very boring. Pick another film to end your day with and relax your mind before you go to sleep.

A few weeks before the fall of Saigon. Several heavily armed executioners begin tracking down and eliminating the members of an elite U.S. unit called Cobra Force. Veteran military policemen Morgan (Brent Huff) and Hawk (Max Laurel), the very best in the area, are ordered to quickly identify and neutralize the executioners. If necessary, they can ignore virtually all existing military laws and regulations.

Morgan and Hawk immediately hit some of the seediest parts of Saigon where American soldiers look for dirty pleasures and various shady characters like to mingle. They get a tip that the executioners might be following orders from a high-ranking U.S. military figure (Werner Pochath) and while digging for additional information uncover a very effective network of greedy saboteurs and communist agents reporting directly to the Kremlin.

Despite Mattei’s sloppy direction -- or perhaps because of it -- Cop Game is one seriously entertaining film. Of course, it is a B-film shot with a modest budget that gets all sorts of important details wrong, but it has such an unapologetic ‘80s macho attitude that it becomes impossible to dislike. Also, it quickly creates the impression that it is obsessed with style, but because its understanding and management of it are very awkward it becomes unpredictable. In other words, whether entirely by some complex design or not, Cop Game successfully transforms its most obvious weaknesses into its greatest strengths.

The sizeable transformation that Cop Game undergoes in the second half is defined by a myriad of curve balls that only an Italian screenwriter could have imagined. Its official titles credit Rossella Drudi, but it is probably fair to speculate that Mattei made more than a few suggestions and approved them as well. So, even by common Italian standards Cop Game produces some genuinely outlandish curve balls that reset relationships and alter character arcs in various ways. But are these curve balls effective? In a film with this type of ‘80s macho attitude? Absolutely.

The action is always intense and flashy. The bulk of it could have been used as rough (and failed) tests for that most memorable hyper-violent finale in Brian De Palma’s Scarface. Some of the seedy bars Morgan and Hawk visit look like the type of places that would have caught De Palma’s attention as well. Ultimately, Cop Game offers a little bit of everything that the so-bad-they-are-good Italian genre films are famous for. However, it is not a diamond in the rough. It is good for a single engagement at the right time, which will most likely be on a night when one is desperate for an ‘80s nostalgia fix with a distinct Italian flavor.

Cop Game Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.66:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Cop Game arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Severin Films.

The release is sourced from an exclusive new 2K master that was struck from the original camera negative. I like this master a lot but have one minor criticism. There are a few scenes -- and I am not referring to the rougher stock footage -- where it seems like the blues need to be a tad more prominent. The current grade leaves them leaning toward a more neutral appearance, but based on weather conditions they should appear warmer, with the skies having stronger blues. The rest looks really, really good. Delineation, clarity, and depth range from very good to excellent. Density levels are wonderful, too. There are some minor fluctuations, but all of them are inherited. Image stability is very good. There are no traces of problematic digital corrections, such as degraining, sharpening, or contrast boosting. I notice a few nicks and tiny scratches, but there are no large cuts, debris, damage marks, warped or torn frames to report in our review. Very solid presentation from Severin Films. (Note: This is a Region-A "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-A or Region-Free player in order to access its content).

Cop Game Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are two standard audio tracks on this Blu-ray release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 and Italian DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the English track.

The film should be viewed with the lossless English track because it is the original audio track. It is a very solid lossless track. It has a few uneven spots but the unevenness is not a byproduct of some transfer or encoding error. It is inherited, meaning that it is present on the original audio mix. The dialog is always very clear, sharp, and easy to follow. There is plenty of action and dynamic intensity is good, but you should not expect to hear any serious contrasts (dynamic spikes/drops) that may test the muscles of your system.

Cop Game Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Trailer - presented here is a remastered original theatrical trailer for Cop Games. In English, not subtitled. (3 min).

• Sweet Home Manila - in this recent program, screenwriter/second unit director Claudio Fragasso confirms that the screenplay for Cop Game was completed by his wife Rossella Drudi (without his involvement) and recalls his work with Bruno Mattei, Brent Huff, and Max Laurel. There are some quite interesting comments about the stylization of Cop Game and how another film, Off Limits, was used as a rough blueprint for it. In Italian, with English subtitles. (21 min).

• Giallo in Saigon - in this recent program, screenwriter Rossella Drudi explains how Cop Game to exist during a period that produced too many Rambo copycats. Apparently, the inspiration for the two key characters in the film were Starsky & Hutch and the intent was to mix comedy with drama. There are some quite interesting comments about the many twists that appear throughout the film as well. Mrs. Drudi also reveals that she was "professionally in love with Brent Huff" and considered him a smaller replica of Bruce Willis. In Italian, with English subtitles. (21 min).

• The Last King of the Philippines - in this recent program, producer Franco Gaudenzi discusses his professional relationship with Bruno Mattei and collaboration on Cop Game. There are some particularly interesting comments about the Philippines and what made the area attractive for foreign producers that wanted to shoot violent action films (like Rambo). In Italian, with English subtitles. (25 min).

• Extended Scenes - presented here are a couple of fully restored extended scenes from Cop Game. In English, not subtitled. (7 min).

Cop Game Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Apparently, Morgan and Hawk were modeled after Starsky and Hutch, and screenwriter Rossella Drudi considered Brent Huff a smaller replica of Bruce Willis. I would have never known had I not viewed the excellent bonus features that are included on this release. To be honest, Morgan and Hawk reminded me of the iconic duo Bodie and Doyle from The Professionals. They even visit seedy clubs and deal with saboteurs, hitmen, and KGB agents like the ones you would see in the famous TV series. Obviously, Bruno Mattei's Cop Game is a genre Italian film with a completely different style and personality, but if you trade London for Saigon you will realize that it offers a lot of the same thrills. I quite enjoyed this film and thought that it looked wonderful after it was restored in 2K. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.