6.5 | / 10 |
Users | 4.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
A story about a cyborg who is programmed to kill a scientist who holds the fate of mankind in his hands.
Starring: Daniel Greene, Janet Agren, Claudio Cassinelli, George Eastman, Roberto BisaccoSci-Fi | Insignificant |
Action | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.67:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 (48kHz, 24-bit)
BDInfo
None
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region free
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 3.0 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 4.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
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.
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.
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.
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.
2017
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