6.9 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 2.5 | |
Overall | 2.5 |
A grotesquely disfigured harpooner called Iguana is severely mistreated by his fellow sailors on a whaling ship in the 19th century. One night he escapes and takes up residence on a remote island. He makes himself ruler of the island and declares war on mankind. Anyone unfortunate enough to wind up on the island with Iguana is subjected to his cruel tyranny.
Starring: Everett McGill, Fabio Testi, Jack Taylor (II), Maru Valdivielso, Michael MadsenDrama | Insignificant |
Adventure | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
English
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region free
Movie | 2.5 | |
Video | 3.0 | |
Audio | 3.0 | |
Extras | 2.5 | |
Overall | 2.5 |
The director of “Two-Lane Blacktop” and “Silent Night, Deadly Night 3,” Monte Hellman is more of a fascinating filmmaker than a consistent one. 1988’s “Iguana” represents Hellman’s quest to explore the limits of power and the lasting sting of humiliation, adapting Alberto Vazquez-Figueroa’s novel for the screen. The result is undeniably powerful and unflinching, but also stiff and unconvincing, with inefficient editing and wooden performances sinking a provocative island adventure story.
The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) is representative of the RaroVideo Blu-ray viewing experience, with noticeable filtering battling what appears to be a clean, fresh source material capable of producing interesting detail and dimension. Softness remains, and crush issues derail blacks. Colors are satisfactory, preserving island hues and skintones. Print remains in decent shape, with some minor damage and speckling.
The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix is unsteady, with slight fluctuations in volume levels during the presentation. Quiet dialogue exchanges compete with loud island footage, though performances are mostly preserved in the range. Atmospherics are big here, offering crashing waves and hollow cave particulars, and the periodic presence of music is satisfactory, holding middle ground as the rest of the track fights for dominance.
"Iguana" is quite unpleasant to watch at times, despite locations that are endlessly fascinating to study, with Oberlus using the island to his advantage, building a kingdom in its caves. The production certainly has the right idea as it studies Oberlus's vengeance, his dalliance with religion, and his quest to maintain control of a life that's rarely been his before. Hellman never summons the pitch of horror the material demands, with nightmare imagery broadly detailed and the resolution operatic without earning it. "Iguana" is a curious misfire, and perhaps that's the best way to appreciate the film, enjoying the minor bits of behavior it successfully articulates instead of focusing on the creative failures that eventually sink the effort.
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