Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

Death Warrant Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf July 9, 2020

1990’s “Death Warrant” is a dramatic reminder of Jean-Claude Van Damme’s rise to screen glory, starring in a kooky B-list prison picture that attempts to merge the subgenre’s propensity for violence and community intimidation with a mystery of modest means. The endeavor permits the martial artist an opportunity to branch out as an actor, playing traditional fist-first beats while working on his range of reactions to uncovered clues. For this type of entertainment, “Death Warrant” is actually quite engaging, with an amusing supporting cast of the trained and the terrible. Nevertheless, the glue here is Van Damme, offering his pronounced concentration and his kick-happy athleticism to what might’ve been a dreary viewing experience, bringing a funky foreign energy to a movie that’s in need of all the oddity it can get its hands on.

Canadian cop Burke (Jean-Claude Van Damme) has built a reputation for himself as a hard-charging detective who always gets his man, recently bringing down notorious serial killer, The Sandman (Patrick Kilpatrick). When his efforts are recognized by an L.A. task force committed to uncovering a series of mysterious deaths inside Harrison State Prison, Burke is asked to infiltrate the hellhole, posing as an inmate recently captured for armed robbery. With attorney Amanda (Cynthia Gibb) as his only lifeline to the outside world, Burke enters the penitentiary, hoping to dig right into the case while maneuvering around numerous inmates who view him as fresh meat. Learning the racial lines of the prison, Burke comes to rely on Hawkins (Robert Guillaume) for help, using the older man’s knowledge of Harrison’s politics and danger zones to wrangle access to files and witnesses who might be able to ease the investigation.

“Death Warrant” was written by a young David S. Goyer, working on his first produced screenplay. Goyer’s soldiered on to a few highlights (“Batman Begins”) and numerous lowlights (“Blade: Trinity,” “The Unborn”), yet “Death Warrant” represents a purity of intent he’s never been able to match. Working out his genre impulses, Goyer endeavors to create a prison picture with a little something extra in the motivation department, wading through penitentiary tropes while goosing the material with a slightly macabre squeeze. It’s not exemplary writing by any means, but for a low- wattage actioner with whodunit inclinations, the movie finds its footing with relative ease, following Burke into dangerous situations that demands quick thinking, a taut survival instinct, and, in some cases, a beautifully executed roundhouse kick.

Goyer provides the basics with minimal fuss, sketching out corrupt guards, eccentric gang leaders, inmate assassins, and cellmate interactions, working to provide a sense of community to the location that encourages the comfort of formula. There’s also outside activity with Amanda, who takes to computer hacking to decode Burke’s findings, hiring a nerd (played by Joshua John Miller) to bang away on a keyboard while hitting on his boss and fretting about missing “Star Trek.” Goyer ultimately bends to the torture of cliché by making Amanda something of a love interest for Burke, with the two barely partners before the faux inmate is making lustful moves on this relative stranger, with a mid-movie encounter inside a conjugal visit trailer awkward to watch, surely ordered up by executives worried about the feature’s limited sex appeal. It doesn’t help to see Gibb clearly unnerved by the pairing, visibly uncomfortable as the Muscles from Brussels vigorously paws her. “Death Warrant” is most assured deep inside the steel jungle, watching Burke deal with approaching aggressions and baffling file searches while ingratiating himself to the locals.

Also bringing flavor to “Death Warrant” is director Deran Sarafian (“Terminal Velocity”), who manages to open the claustrophobic location with a fluid sense of camera movement and lighting changes. The film looks sharp for a low-budget actioner, giving Van Damme a playground of brutes to bloody and catwalks to navigate, while the helmer pays close attention to pacing needs, never leaving “Death Warrant” to linger long on anything, thus destroying the tenuous grasp on tension it’s achieved. Violence is also a top priority for the picture, with various showdown scenes supplied to keep fans invested in the story, while allowing the star an opportunity to display the goods, pummeling the dim bastards who dare to confront him. Choreography is a little on the stiff side, but the beatings are entertaining to watch, using prison locations such as the laundry and the boiler room to their fullest potential.

Perhaps the most interesting aspect of “Death Warrant” is how it basically disposes of its plot when the climax arrives. There’s all this work to drill down to the reason behind the prison murders, requiring scenes of elaborate infiltration and the establishment of trust between cons, and it’s all tossed aside in the finale to make room for a rematch between Burke and Sandman, set in the bowels of the penitentiary. Sarafian doesn’t completely burn off the mystery, but it’s enough of a tonal adjustment to question, with Burke’s primary reason for entering Harrison downplayed for a final boss fight. Granted, it’s a diverting showdown between Canadian might and evil incarnate, but it’s a thick-skulled ending to a picture that feels like it was aiming to try something different for the first two acts.

Death Warrant Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Eight years after its original release on Blu-ray, "Death Warrant" returns to disc with an AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation. Scorpion Releasing offers a new scan of the movie to maintain its visual appeal, delivering a textured viewing experience as they characters interact with grungy prison rooms and showcase all sorts of personal wear and tear. Skin particulars are compelling, as is costuming, which surveys soiled and tattered uniforms, while Amanda enjoys crisper professional clothing. Colors are explored successfully, surveying the cooler blue palette of the prison, which is often mixed with "inferno" orange lighting. Outfits punch through with period hues. Delineation is acceptable. Grain is fine and film-like. Source is in good shape.

Death Warrant Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

"Death Warrant" isn't going to win awards for sonic authority, but the essentials are protected on the 2.0 DTS-HD MA mix. Dialogue exchanges are intelligible, securing hushed acts of intimidation and louder threats. Group activity is understood. Scoring provides a cheap synth sound, but moods are set with adequate instrumentation. Sound effects aren't robust, but body blows and gunfire are passably snappy. Atmospherics achieve a sense of the prison community.

Death Warrant Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features director Deran Serafian.

• Interview (9:59, HD) with Patrick Kilpatrick spends some time with the one and only Sandman, tracking his early career in New York City before his move to Los Angeles, where he found work in "Death Warrant." Kilpatrick originally auditioned for the role of DeGraf (which ultimately went to Art LeFluer), and he shares his interest in portraying bad guys, even vying to play Hannibal Lecter in Michael Mann's "Manhunter." The interviewee discusses the physical shoot, which required special costuming to hide small pads during major fight scenes, and he delves into the creation of the Sandman character, making hair and eye-glistening choices to bring a madman to life, mentioning he still gets recognized by fans. Co- stars are assessed, including raconteur Jean-Claude Van Damme, and Kilpatrick examines the psychological effects of his performance, making a strong impression on young audiences, allowing him to join the roster of big screen boogeymen.

• Interview (7:20, HD) with Art LeFleur is lacking in true production detail, but the actor recalls the state of his career at the time of "Death Warrant," sharing his easy audition experience. He offers a short assessment of director Deran Sarafian, and recalls time with co-stars, pointing out Jean-Claude Van Damme's affable nature during the shoot and his precision with stunt work. LeFleur discusses shooting in the famous Ambassador Hotel, also providing an analysis of his performance, refreshing himself on the movie right before the interview.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (1:36, HD) is included.

Death Warrant Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

While the climax offers more of a simplistic slap than a blast of reveals, "Death Warrant" remains an engaging picture and one of the highlights of Van Damme's rocky career. He's fun to watch and fully alert, enjoying his time with prison movie clichés, delivering exactly what his fans demand. At the very least, it's hard to dislike a film that offers the line, "Listen, Burke, this is L.A., not Canada. We have procedures here."