Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		4.5
Overall		4.5

Def by Temptation Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf November 11, 2018

James Bond III was a child actor, appearing in such pictures as “The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh” and “Go Tell It on the Mountain.” 1990’s “Def by Temptation” is the thespian’s attempt to take control of his career, pouring time and energy into a low-budget horror feature, taking writing and directing duties, along with a co-starring role. For Bond III, the creative experiment delivers an odd but compelling B-movie, and one that has a little more style and enthusiasm than its competition. “Def by Temptation” isn’t an offering for those who require the cleanest filmmaking standards, working as a more of a loose, intermittently inventive journey into monsterdom, adding bits of seduction and psychological inspection to help spice up the viewing experience. Bond III is a tad sloppy here and there, but his need to add his voice to the genre shows throughout the endeavor, making something unique and charmingly bizarre.

Joel (James Bond III) is having a crisis of faith, unable to complete his evangelical training and enter the ministry, living up to his late father’s (Samuel L. Jackson) expectations. In need of a short break from his life, Joel pays a visit to his older friend, K (Kadeem Hardison), an actor making his way in New York City. Trying to let out some steam and experience the world through K’s eyes, Joel joins his pal for a bar run, encountering strange seductive voodoo from Temptress (Cynthia Bond), a forward woman with a habit of taking random men home. While K grows obsessed with Temptress, Joel is her latest target, forcing the religious man to understand what he’s up against, learning that the beautiful woman is actually a succubus, determined to destroy any man she beguiles, reveling in the chance to ruin lives and expand her power.

“Def by Temptation” actually sides with Temptress in the first half of the picture, spotlighting the types of creeps she picks up in her neighborhood bar, easily acquiring the attention of horndogs looking for an easy partner for the evening. One fellow is fairly casual about his love life, encouraging his mistress to terminate her pregnancy before returning to his company. His annihilation at the hands of Temptress isn’t hard to celebrate. However, Bond III’s screenplay switches gears from slasher-style takedowns (with a dash of kinky, softcore sex) to something more spiritual, introducing Joel, a man who’s losing his grip on faith after years studying to be a man of God. He needs a fresh perspective and finds it with K, an actor making his mark in action cinema, providing a pad and fresh city to his friend to explore. Joel’s been stained by trauma, losing his parents at a young age, and his precarious position as a believer sampling the casual life drives much of “Def by Temptation,” which plays with doubt and confusion when it isn’t displaying Temptress’s half-naked murder spree.

“Def by Temptation” retains a sense of humor, including an amusing fantasy sequence with K, who briefly falls under Temptress’s control, imagining a hot night with blazing sax and the consumption of fruit. But Bond III isn’t making a comedy, hunting for more an adventurous tone, especially when Dougy (Bill Nunn) joins the story, with the undercover cop involved in a sort of “X-Files” program that has him tracking Temptress for years, waiting for his shot to bring her down. The potential of this subplot isn’t realized, but it keeps the feature active, moving around from procedural scenes to more visceral kills, though money issues generally mute any extremity. Instead, cinematographer Ernest Dickerson delivers as much style as possible, giving “Def by Temptation” atmosphere and cinematic movement, helping the endeavor overcome its obvious limitations. There’s also attention place on special effects, with a few tricks (including one inspired by “Videodrome”) quite nifty.

Def by Temptation Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation is a 2K scan from the original camera negative, with Vinegar Syndrome finding new life for "Def by Temptation." Vibrant colors are detected right away, with stylish lighting and costuming, giving bar scenes some heft as blazing reds and blues emerge, while Temptress's signature gold nails pop accordingly. Neighborhood visits are engaging, keeping the urban mood, and skintones are natural. Detail is excellent, showcasing defined faces that range from average to inhuman, and set decoration is open for study, including K's cluttered apartment. Costumes are textured. Delineation is strong, preserving frame information. Grain is fine and filmic. A few brief speckle storms are detected, but nothing's distracting.

Def by Temptation Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 1.0 DTS-HD MA does a fine job with the limited soundscape of the picture, keeping soundtrack selections in play throughout, delivered with comfortable weight and presence, occasionally inching toward overwhelming dialogue exchanges during bar sequences. Voices are preserved, with performance choices coming through with clarity, maintaining consistency when suspense elements increase. Atmospherics are acceptable, providing a feel for bar bustle. Sound effects retain their loudness.

Def by Temptation Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Audio Interview (91:42) with writer/director/star James Bond III is presented as commentary of sorts, covering his career and the making of "Def by Temptation," with the interviewee participating via cell phone.

• "Ernest & Lloyd" (20:18, SD) is an undated conversation between cinematographer Ernest Dickerson and Troma president Lloyd Kaufman, who records the chat with his own camcorder, while another camera photographs the two of them in an office setting. While billed as a "candid" discussion of "Def by Temptation," the talk is pretty low on dirt, with Dickerson sharing his professional history, eventually finding work on Spike Lee's "School Daze," which co-starred James Bond III. The cinematographer highlights his leadership over the visual aspects of "Def by Temptation," and his absence during the feature's reshoots over a year after principal photography concluded, with Kaufman taking over to help "monster" the movie up. The endeavor was shot in a single neighborhood using Laurence Fishburne's house, and Dickerson shares a few anecdotes about the production adventure, which endured an overflowing toilet and stolen equipment. Kaufman is quick to praise the film, and details the fight to get the VHS into stores reluctant to stock it.

• Interview (2:08, SD) with film historian Michael Gingold is a brief summary of themes and production achievements found in "Def by Temptation," including the revelation that a monster from "Sgt. Kabukiman N.Y.P.D." was reused for the movie's climax.

• Article Gallery (1:00) collects several reviews and newspaper ads for "Def by Temptation."

• And a Theatrical Trailer (1:44, SD) is included.

Def by Temptation Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Def by Temptation" is smaller, and it eventually runs out of gas before the big finale, but Bond III has some decent ideas to explore in his screenplay, and he supports fine performances as well, with Bond giving it her all as Temptress, keeping sexuality forward and violence intense. Hardison and Bond III also share some chemistry as the pals, giving the feature a feel for human relationships and concerns before monstrous events come into play. It's not a complete package, but "Def by Temptation" scores with modest production effort, embracing genre expectations as it figures out ways to be creepy and cheeky without losing itself to absurdity.