Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.5
Overall		4.0

Enemy Gold Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf May 23, 2020

In 1993, Andy Sidaris elected to step down from his position as the director behind Malibu Bay Films. He was in his sixties at the time, and perhaps a little weary of the production grind, especially at the rate he was churning out features, spending 1993 assembling “Fit to Kill” and “Hard Hunted.” Instead of giving up the business, depriving fans of broad action and bikini-clad antics, he turned to his son, Christian Drew Sidaris, to take the moviemaking baton, returning to video stores a year later with “Enemy Gold,” debuting his new enterprise, Skyhawks Films. Already an important member of the family business, Christian makes a smooth transition to helming for “Enemy Gold,” which doesn’t stray far from the Malibu Bay Films to-do list of exploitation interests, offering the faithful a decent ride of violent encounters, sexuality, and hot tubbin’. It doesn’t have the snap of previous chapters, but Christian makes an agreeable debut here, aiming for a mystery adventure in the exotic wilds of…Dallas.

Chris (Bruce Penhall) and Mark (Mark Austin) are members of a secret government strike team led by Noble (Tai Collins), soon joined by Becky (Suzi Simpson). Out to stop drug kingpin Santiago (Rodrigo Obergon) from doing business in Texas, the trio ends up destroying 20 million dollars’ worth of the criminal’s cocaine, causing a mess that triggers their suspension at the hands of their new boss, Dickson (Alan Abelew). Desperate for revenge, Santiago is joined by goons Rip (Tom Abbott) and Slash (Ron Browning), calling in assassin Jewell Panther (Julie Strain) for assistance, setting out to murder the government gang. Tasked with vacation duties, Chris, Mark, and Becky elect to go camping, soon discovering evidence leading the location of Quantrell’s Gold, a secret stash of Civil War-era loot buried in the woods.

“Enemy Gold” tries to establish a sense of history in early scenes, offering a look at a Civil War conflict that inspires the hasty burying of Confederate gold. It’s an ambitious start to a Sidaris production, which isn’t one to order up an elaborate period setting, often requiring little more than recreation vehicles and sheer costuming to make cinema magic. The prologue sets the mood and the quest, suggesting the rest of the picture will be about the hunt for lost gold bars. The screenplay by Christian and Wess Rahn doesn’t pay much attention to the issue after it’s introduced, dealing more with Santiago as his craving for revenge, enraged when his plan to smuggle drugs in watermelons(!) is thwarted by the Washington, D.C. crew.

“Enemy Gold” soon settles down some to deal with the villain’s plans, which includes the hiring of Jewell Panther (that name is fantastic), a tall, tough hitwoman from the hard streets of Houston to help complete his vision for ultimate chaos. Action ensues, with Christian moving screen activity around his locations, using boats, dirt bikes, and helicopters to generate necessary excitement as the two sides battle each other. Stunt work isn’t quite where it should be in “Enemy Gold,” which lacks a sense of craziness that’s boosted previous installments, though highlights remain, including the introduction of a crossbow with explosive tips. And for those who enjoy the weird stuff, Strain is presented with a moment to herself, offering a topless, mystical sword dance to give the feature a breather before it’s back on the case with exposition (the heroes find a Civil War diary, trying to decode its contents) and the occasional chase.

Enemy Gold Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Billed as a "4K widescreen restoration," the AVC encoded image (1.78:1 aspect ratio) presentation for "Enemy Gold" supplies a vivid sense of detail at times, showcasing the feature's interest in nudity with sharpness, picking up on all sorts of skin particulars. Interiors offer clarity with decoration and office spaces, and exteriors are dimensional, securing a deep look at woodsy adventuring and lakeside confrontations. Color is acceptable, with primaries largely balanced and appealing, highlighting warmer sunny day action and lush greenery. Costuming brings out bolder hues, delivering period brightness and lively casual wear. Skintones are natural. Delineation is acceptable, losing little to shadow play. Grain isn't consistent, with blockiness a periodic problem. Source has some significant wear and tear at times, with scratches (a few lengthy and deep), speckling, and some damaged frames. Judder is intense at times.

Enemy Gold Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix offers a crisp understanding of dramatic events in "Enemy Gold," with equipment and location limitations detected, leading to periodic fuzziness. Performances are defined, managing individual talent and surges in argumentative behavior. Scoring supports with thin synth and squealy rock music, offered with satisfying instrumentation. Atmospherics are compelling with outdoor action, and room tone is secured. Sound effects are acceptable, with snappy gun shots and metallic crashes, and explosions are passable, but not commanding.

Enemy Gold Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Intro (1:15, SD) provides some production information from Andy Sidaris, who's soon joined by actress Julie Strain. A brief introduction to Skyhawk Films, his new company, is presented.

• Commentary features Andy and Arlene Sidaris.

• Featurettes (44:19, SD) commence with an intro featuring Andy Sidaris, who's joined by Julie Strain and The Porcelain Twinz. It's Andy's birthday, so the special guy receives a spanking before going into shill mode, promoting the sale of t-shirts, sharing Japanese sales sheets, and spotlight the technical achievements of Malibu Bay Films. For "Return to Savage Beach," Andy and Arlene Sidaris walk through the process of collecting coverage for sequences, highlighting work from Strain, Julie Smith, and Shae Marks. The moviemakers discuss the use of props and weapons, and the convincing blending of Louisiana and Maui locations. Turning to poolside action from "Return to Savage Beach," a sensual scene is deconstructed featuring Smith and co-star Paul Logan, offering a look at botched takes and growing thespian frustrations. Also offered are alternate R- rated takes where bikini tops stay on. A "Fit to Kill" publicity stop is showcased, with Strain taking part in an interview and a nude photo shoot to promote the endeavor. A deeper look at the world of Andy and Arlene introduces viewers to son Christian Drew Sidaris, who handles second unit footage, and Beebe Smilow, who takes care of finances. Interviews with Strain, Marks, Cristian Letelier, and Elke Jeinsen help to celebrate the work of the couple, who reveal their production process and individual jobs, with Arlene handling love scenes. An added bonus is the sight of Andy taking questions inside a sauna. A brief showcase of a 1966 Cadillac Eldorado is shared, along with a presale trailer for "Enemy Gold." The package concludes with a visit to "Joe Bob's Drive-In Theater," with the host, Joe Bob Briggs, excitedly interviewing Andy about the latest Malibu Bay Films offering before introducing Christian to the viewing audience.

• And a Trailer (2:27, HD) is included.

Enemy Gold Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Enemy Gold" isn't a rousing viewing experience, but Christian supplies intermittent thrills once shootouts begin. The cast is eager to play, with Penhall really giving the material his all, and Strain makes for a wonderful enforcer, even when her line-readings are more lethal than her weapons. There's no over-the-top glee to the feature, but it fits comfortably alongside other Malibu Bay production, offering expected narrative shortcuts (just who is Noble working for?), random scenes of nudity, softcore sex, and periodic pursuits.