Rating summary
| Movie |  | 4.0 |
| Video | | 4.0 |
| Audio |  | 3.0 |
| Extras | | 4.0 |
| Overall | | 4.0 |
Cyborg Blu-ray Movie Review
Reviewed by Martin Liebman May 4, 2018
Shout! Factory has released Director Albert Pyun's Sci-Fi Action film 'Cyborg' to Blu-ray with a new transfer sourced from a 4K scan and a slew of
new extras. The film was previously released under the MGM label in 2012.
For a full film review, please click
here.
Cyborg Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality
Beyond the slew of new (and much appreciated) bonus content, Shout!'s main draw for Cyborg's second U.S. Blu-ray release is a highly
touted new transfer from a 4K scan. While it looks very good, it can't quite match the excellence of the old MGM disc. It's a little flatter, colors are less
dynamic and
deeply saturated, and detail isn't quite as firm. But that's playing the comparison game. Watching it in isolation, it looks very nice. Textural efficiency
and complexity are high, particularly considering the complex costumes made of various bits and pieces meant to appear found over time from a
ravaged world. Caked-on dirt, sandy terrain, old building façades, and of course skin enjoy a high level of sharpness and detail. Colors are
handled well, whether bright and sun-drenched exteriors, a murky sewer, or the film's climactic nighttime action sequence, bathed in blue light. Natural
greens dazzle, blood pops, skies are a satisfying deep blue. But none of it matches the MGM disc, frame for frame, for complexity of detail, sharpness,
and color depth. The image has further not received an extensive clean-up as there are still obvious signs of print wear scattered throughout the film.
On the
whole, though, it looks fairly good. Filmic, fairly sharp, and fluent in its color palette, it's a good-looking image, but not as good as the other disc. That
said, fans just now picking up this movie should be pleased with the presentation.
Cyborg Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality
Both this release of Cyborg and the previous MGM release contain DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 lossless soundtracks. This one plays with a higher
bitrate but any differences are negligible. For a full audio review, please click here.
Cyborg Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras
Cyborg's previous MGM release contained no extras beyond a trailer. Shout! Factory has remedied that shortcoming with a more generous
supplemental package.
- Audio Commentary: Director Albert Pyun and Red Shirt Pictures' Michael Felsher discuss the project's history, actors and characters,
locations and costumes, test screenings and cuts, and plenty more. Much of what's covered here is covered in the extensive video-based special
features outlined below, but fans, or those just interested in the fascinating history behind the movie, should nevertheless find this a first-rate track.
- A Ravaged Future: The Making of Cyborg (1080p, 29:40): A recently made piece in which cast and crew reflect back on their
experiences in making the film. Discussions include Pyun's career as a filmmaker, cancelled projects opening the door for Cyborg, character
names, Van Damme's casting and additional actor comments, the film's tone and themes, fight style and choreography, the editing process, alternate
versions of the film, and the film's legacy.
- Shoestring Fantasy: The Effects of Cyborg (1080p, 11:57): A number of individuals who worked on the effects end of
Cyborg cover matte paintings and constructing several key elements on a budget.
- Extended Interviews From Mark Hartley's Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films (1080p, 1:03:34): Director
Albert Pyun and Writer Sheldon Lettich sit down to discuss Cyborg and its place in the greater context of the Cannon film universe.
- Theatrical Trailer (1080p, 1:31).
- Still Gallery (1080i, 4:39): Auto-advancing images play with no accompanying sound.
Cyborg Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation
Cyborg is, unapologetically, one of this reviewer's favorite movies and the definition of a "guilty pleasure." It's raw, violent, well executed
(while still feeling largely unrehearsed),
boasts a great score, runs quick, and just never gets old. It's Pyun's best film despite its checkered production history and, hopefully one day, his black
and white cut, perhaps amongst others,
will make it to home video in the U.S. Shout! Factory's Blu-ray release of Cyborg does not include the same fantastic 1080p
transfer from the older MGM disc. This one is duller, flatter, and less detailed, despite being from a new 4K scan, though it looks very good in isolation
and on its own two feet. There are no major differences in
audio. The new supplements are a treat, and even both sides of the reversible cover art blow away the terrible old Photoshop-job MGM disc. Highly
recommend to both
repeat buyers and newcomers alike.
