Hornets' Nest Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		3.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		1.0
Overall		3.5

Hornets' Nest Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf August 31, 2015

It’s the children of Italy vs. the Nazis in 1970’s “Hornets’ Nest,” a bizarre war picture that puts star Rock Hudson in command of the “Red Dawn” Wolverines. There’s an enormous amount of trauma passing through the feature, but all the deep-seated psychology of premise is pushed aside to become a Men on a Mission effort, trusting in Hudson to bring the brawn while a cast of younger actors scrambles in the background. Unsure if it wants to be the saddest film ever made or the loudest, “Hornets’ Nest” only captivates in small doses, especially when the long road to combat hell transforms into a therapy session.

Young Aldo (Mark Colleano) is the leader of a group of children orphaned by the Nazis, watching their families gunned down in front of them. He’s a stubborn kid who gestures like a mime, providing a challenge for Turner (Hudson), a paratrooper trying to complete a mission to blow up a dam. “Hornets’ Nest” concentrates on their abrasive relationship, with Turner looking for a makeshift army and Aldo craving revenge. Their shared purpose takes them into enemy territory, but disagreements remain, often shouted at top volume.

Hornets' Nest Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation shows its age, but the viewing experience isn't disrupted with major issues. Colors show some fade, but outdoor greenery remains potent, along with military uniforms and decoration, delivering more vibrant reds. Skintones are appropriately exaggerated. Detail manages with softer cinematography, still keeping clarity with close-ups, which offer facial textures and clean differences in age. Location work retains expanse. Delineation isn't challenged, with secure blacks that never solidify during low-lit encounters. Source displays some minor scratches and speckling, but no major damage. Grain is present and filmic.

Hornets' Nest Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix doesn't provide an especially detailed listening experience. Dialogue exchanges are intelligible but blunt, showing little range as tempers flare. The group dynamic is handled well, with nothing lost. Scoring is supportive but never remarkable, maintaining a lower profile and limited definition. Atmospherics are acceptable, capturing military moves and combat particulars, though, interestingly, gun shots sound more like firecrackers here. Hiss isn't problematic.

Hornets' Nest Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• A Theatrical Trailer (2:39, HD) is included.

Hornets' Nest Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Hornets' Nest" retains a decent amount of tension, working as a story of revenge and military focus, using wide open locations effectively as the action moves across the countryside. As a drama, it isn't always effective, with Colleano's performance comically colossal, from his rubbery accent to spinning arms. True levity isn't welcome here, as "Hornets' Nest" opens with a mass murder, but once the feature settles into a rhythm of conflict and moral questioning, it becomes sufficiently engrossing, with an odd take on war film formula.