Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		3.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.5
Overall		3.5

Hands of Steel Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf February 24, 2017

After “The Terminator” and before “Universal Soldier” and “Over the Top,” there was 1986’s “Hands of Steel,” which dared to deliver a tortured screen hero incapable of being killed and in touch with his feelings, also showing skill with amateur arm wrestling. Of course this is an Italian production, with director Sergio Martino summoning all his Euro energy to create a sci-fi actioner meant to compete with Hollywood’s loudest offerings. Bullets fly, hands are pinned, and a cyborg wrestles with existentialism is this dumb but appealing B-movie, which shows a little more pep than the average genre knockoff, working up the hustle to give viewers a smashmouth ride of near-misses and brawling.

In the future of 1997, corporate monster Turner (John Saxon) is looking to shut down a message of enlightenment from a powerful guru that threatens his empire, ordering cyborg Paco (Daniel Greene) to murder the man. However, instead of completing the job, Paco grows a conscience at the last minute, retreating to the wilds of Arizona to hide, soon chased by a team of Turner’s goons. Taking refuge with café owner Linda (Janet Argen), Paco quickly learns the law of the land is set through arm wrestling, facing a determined rival in Linda’s ex, Raul (George Eastman).

“Hands of Steel” delivers a beefy lead in Greene, who fits his role as a conflicted killing machine well, handling somewhat extensive stunt sequences with glee, and he remains shirtless for a good portion of the feature, hoping to lure in viewers not already interested in Italian genre filmmaking. The plot is similar to “Universal Soldier,” finding the cyborg confronted with a history of killing he doesn’t want any part of, with his human side fighting an internal war with his mechanical parts. It’s done in the most obvious manner possible, but Martino keeps the effort moving, mixing Paco’s awakening with Turner’s management of underlings and clue gathering from cops, who turn to a computer to solve the botched assassination mystery.

Hands of Steel Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.67:1 aspect ratio) presentation doesn't offer a refreshed look at the action of "Hands of Steel." The viewing experience is soft, and while not completely lacking in detail, there appears to be some baked-in filtering preventing textures from really coming through. Screen elements aren't obscured, but they don't offer snap, losing some needed punch when dealing with desert locations and sweaty actors. Colors are adequate, maintain primaries and skintones, but richness is missing. Delineation is passable but seldom sharp. Source isn't overtly damaged, with mild speckling and some scratches remaining. Mild pixelation is encountered.

Hands of Steel Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD sound mix provides detailed coverage of the "Hands of Steel" sonic effort, delivering compellingly sharp sound effects to keep gunfire and brawling lively. Atmospherics aren't dynamic, but they set the scene, handling exteriors with expanse. Dialogue exchanges are blunt due to dubbing, but they communicate necessary emotions and intimidation. Scoring supports the action with some muscle, providing satisfactory instrumentation.

Hands of Steel Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Interview (30:50, HD) with Daniel Greene discusses his entrance to the movie business, with time palling around with Sylvester Stallone putting him into contact with Italian investors looking to create their own action hero. Greene is an upbeat guy, and while he discusses the helicopter accident that took the life of co-star Claudio Cassinelli, he rebounds with interesting anecdotes about his time working with director Sergio Martino and the Italian crew, who welcomed the lone American with open arms. Greene also walks through his filmography, discussing such efforts as "Pulsebeat," and four other features he made with Martino.

• Interview (4:55, SD) with actor John Saxon is a brief rundown of his "Hands of Steel" experience, praising Martino. There's also a short trip down memory lane, with Saxon commenting on career achievements such as "Enter the Dragon" and "A Nightmare on Elm Street."

• Interview (17:28, SD) is an older chat with director Sergio Martino, who shares insights into his method and career, along with creative interests.

• Interview (11:28, SD) with actor George Eastman is primarily dedicated to his memories of the Cassinelli accident, offering his unique perspective on the tragedy. Eastman also shares thoughts on his "Hands of Steel" co-stars.

• Interview (14:35, HD) with Roberto Bisacco covers career highlights and strange encounters during his time as an actor.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (2:21, SD) is included.

Hands of Steel Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The arm wrestling aspect of "Hands of Steel" isn't as extensive as it initially seems, but it's just odd enough to help boost the movie's appeal, including a showdown between Paco and the local champ, who add poisonous snakes to their show of strength. "Hands of Steel" could be goofier and get away with it, but it mostly engages through sweeps of routine but compelling action, and the central cyborg battle of self-identification is strong enough to carry whatever stupidity the production is offering.