Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

Hard Target 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov February 25, 2022

John Woo's "Hard Target" (1993) arrives on 4K Blu-ray/Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber. The supplemental features on the release include new program with John Woo; new programs with actors Larce Henriksen and Yancy Butler; new program with stunt coordinator Billy Burton; new audio commentary recorded by critics Brandon Bentley and Mike Leeder; and remastered original trailer. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

The drifter

Hard Target most definitely falls into the "so-bad-it's-good" category. Nothing makes sense in it, but the action, the dialog, and even the hairstyles are so wild that one truly can't stop watching.

In New Orleans, handsome drifter Chance Boudreaux (Jean-Claude Van Damme, Death Warrant, Maximum Risk) is approached by a beautiful girl (Yancy Butler, Drop Zone, Fast Money) looking for her father, a homeless vet. She offers to pay Chance a few hundred dollars if he agrees to be her guide and help her find her old man. Since a few hundred dollars is exactly what Chances needs to pay his overdue union fees, they shake hands.

Soon after Chance starts asking questions, the badly burned body of the girl’s father is discovered by the local authorities. A detective then informs the girl that her father died in an accident. But Chance quickly learns that the old man was actually killed by wealthy hunters in a game organized by a ruthless businessman (Lance Henriksen, The Terminator, No Escape). The rules of the game are simple -- the hunters pay the businessmen a hefty fee and he delivers a live target willing to risk his life for ten thousand dollars. The unarmed target then runs from one part of the city to another, while the heavily armed hunters try to kill him.

Things get really nasty when the businessman and his goons, led by an elegant sadist with an accent (Arnold Vosloo, Darkman 2: The Return of Durant, The Mummy Returns), go after Chance and his employer.

John Woo's touch is felt in virtually every single sequence, but the magic that made The Killer and Hard Boiled legendary action films is quite simply missing here. The horrible editing is partially to blame for its absence. For example, there are entire parts that feel unfinished, while elsewhere the action sequences look unnecessarily prolonged. To make things worse, Van Damme's arsenal of simple English words is so small that at times it is truly painful to watch him confront his opponents. On top of this Hard Target happens to be one of those films where the one-liners are really, really poor as well.

The relationship between the action and the music could have been managed better, too. For example, the slow-motion camera movement and the edgy guitar solos that complement the action routinely leave the impression that instead of a feature-length film one is viewing a long collection of surprisingly violent TV commercials for new products targeting young hot-blooded men. (One of those mystical products could be an exotic hair product since the camera can't seem to get enough of Van Damme's long wet hair).

The good in the film is almost exclusively linked to Henriksen and Vosloo's performances. The former is very convincing as the unhinged businessman who must punish the man who has challenged him before he leaves New Orleans. The latter plays the sadistic killer to perfection.

Note: This 4K Blu-ray/Blu-ray combo release features a version of the film that runs at approximately 100 minutes. A more graphic Director's Cut of the film also exists. According to various sources, the Director's Cut runs at approximately 116 minutes. However, it is not currently available on Blu-ray anywhere in the world.

Hard Target 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Kino Lorber's release of Hard Target is a 4K Blu-ray/Blu-ray combo pack. The 4K Blu-ray and Blu-ray offer presentations of the recent 4K restoration of the film.

Two sets of screencaptures are included with this review. Please note that the screencaptures from the 4K Blu-ray are downscaled to 1080p. Therefore, they do not accurately reflect the quality of the 4K content on the 4K Blu-ray disc, including the actual color values of this content.

Screencaptures: 1-19 are from the 4K Blu-ray.
Screencaptures: 21-38 are from the Blu-ray.

In August of 2013, we covered this European release of Hard Target, which was produced by Universal Studios for the UK market. I still have it in my library, so I was able to do some direct comparisons with it while evaluating the 1080p and 4K presentations of Kino Lorber's exclusive 4K restoration of Hard Target.

4K BLU-RAY DISC

I used Dolby Vision to view the entire film in native 4K. However, I did a few quick tests with HDR enabled as well. My immediate impression was that in native 4K the film looks much healthier and a lot more vibrant. The outdoor footage in particular has significantly better ranges of nuances that are part of an overall superior dynamic range, so if you perform a direct comparison with any area with outdoor footage from the old Blu-ray release, you will see a pretty impressive uptick in quality. Depth looks better as well. However, I was quite surprised to see plenty of fluctuations during the darker and nighttime footage that often introduce minor but rather odd softness. To be entirely honest, I expected to see the same type of consistent improvements in these darker areas as well. (You can see examples highlighting the fluctuations in screencaptures $6, 18, and 19). These fluctuations become even more pronounced in 1080p, and many of them actually begin to look oddly similar to their counterparts from the old Blu-ray release. Density levels are good, Fluidity is much better as well, so if you view on a larger screen this will be a substantial improvement that you will have a very easy time appreciating. Color balance is very convincing. I think that it is extremely similar to what you would see on the old Blu-ray release, but with all primaries and supporting nuances looking much healthier, fresher, and ultimately better balanced. Perhaps some of the darker footage again produces light black crush, but the stylization is such that it is tolerable. (A good example where you would easily notice the presence of the crushing is the hunt during the prologue). Image stability is very good. Finally, there are no distracting large blemishes, cuts, marks or dark spots, but I did notice a couple of white specks. My score is 4.25/5.00. (Note: This is a Region-Free 4K Blu-ray release).

BLU-RAY DISC

A direct comparison between the new and old Blu-ray releases easily reveals the superiority of the former as well. I would say that once again the most significant upgrades that are introduced by the 4K restoration can be seen during the daylight footage. Delineation, clarity, and sharpness are unquestionably better, though in native 4K everything looks even more convincing. However, the darker areas look shakier, so the fluctuations and the softness that comes with them are more pronounced. Additionally, I think that in 1080p some of the black crush becomes more prominent, though I wish to mention that the stylization again hides a lot of it pretty well. Grain exposure is fine, but I much prefer the tighter appearance of the visuals that materializes in native 4K, which has a significant positive effect on fluidity as well. In 1080p, a lot of the faster camera moves do not look as convincing. Color reproduction and balance are superior. Image stability is very good. The same tiny white specks are retained. (Note: This is a Region-Free "locked" Blu-ray release).

Hard Target 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are two standard audio tracks on this release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

I did a few quick tests with the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track from the old Blu-ray release, and unless I am missing something, the new DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track is identical. I think that it serves the film very well. However, Hard Target has so many over-the-top action sequences that at times it feels like surround movement and oomph should be better. Nearly a decade ago, I felt the same way and back then we did not have Dolby Atmos, so I wonder if a new mix would have offered some meaningful improvements. The simple dialog is very clear and easy to follow. I did not encounter any technical anomalies to report in out review.

Hard Target 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

4K BLU-RAY DISC

• Commentary - in this new audio commentary, critics Brandon Bentley and Mike Leeder recall their first experiences with the work of John Woo and discuss the evolution of his career, the different cuts of Hard Target, the action cinematography and specifically how various sequences were shot, Jean-Claude Van Damme's performance and his acting choices over the years, etc.

BLU-RAY DISC

• Commentary - in this new audio commentary, critics Brandon Bentley and Mike Leeder recall their first experiences with the work of John Woo and discuss the evolution of his career, the different cuts of Hard Target, the action cinematography and specifically how various sequences were shot, Jean-Claude Van Damme's performance and his acting choices over the years, etc.

• From Hard Boiled to Hard Target: Interview with Director John Woo - in this new program, John Woo explains how Hard Target came to exist and recalls his work with Jean-Claude Van Damme and some of the important Hollywood people that assisted him during the production process. There are some quite interesting comments about Van Damme's supposed similarity to Alain Delon, an actor Mr. Woo admires a lot. In English, not subtitled. (13 min).

• Henriksen vs. Van Damme: Interview with Actor Lance Henriksen - in this new program, Lance Henriksen recalls his initial encounter with John Woo and how he secured his part in Hard Target. Also, there are some interesting comments about the city of New Orleans, where the film was shot, and what it was like to work there. In English, not subtitled. (9 min).

• Hard Times in The Big Easy: Interview with Actress Yancy Butler - in this new program, Yancy Butler explains why and how she entered the film industry and discusses her contribution to Hard Target. Apparently, the time Mrs. Butler was completely unaware of Jean-Claude Van Damme and John Woo's work and reputation. In English, not subtitled. (15 min).

• Gun Fu and Van Dammage: Interview with Stunt Coordinator Billy Burton - in this new program, stunt coordinator Billy Burton explains the importance of telling a story in an action film and why it is missing in contemporary films, and discusses the early stages of his career as well as his involvement with Hard Target. There are some pretty interesting comment about Mr. Burton's relationship with Hal Needham (Smokey and the Bandit, The Cannonball Run). In English, not subtitled. (10 min).

• Trailer - a newly remastered original U.S. trailer for Hard Target. In English, not subtitled. (3 min).

Hard Target 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

I can't write that I am a big fan of Hard Target, but I hope this 4K Blu-ray release does really, really well so that John Woo's early classic action thrillers begin appearing on the high-definition format as well. I think that the 4K master that was prepared on behalf of Kino Lorber is very solid, plus there is a fine selection of exclusive new bonus features. I particularly enjoyed the new program with stunt coordinator Billy Burton, whose take on the current state of the film industry is spot on. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.