Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

Internal Affairs Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov January 21, 2025

Mike Figgis' "Internal Affairs" (1990) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber. The supplemental features on the release include recent program with Mike Figgis; recent program with screenwriter Henry Bean; recent program with composer Anthony Marinelli; deleted and extended scenes; and more. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-A "locked".

Dennis Peck (Richard Gere) is several different things, each worse than the previous, each a lot more dangerous than the previous, too. The crooked cop that emerges during the opening ten minutes is the best version of them. He plants a knife in the hand of a small-time drug pusher after another cop shoots him dead, assuming he had pulled out a gun, and ensures the right outcome. A bad guy gets taken out while trying to do something bad.

The remaining versions of Peck begin emerging after new Internal Affairs cop Raymond Avilla (Andy Garcia) and his senior partner Amy Wallace (Laurie Metcalf) start looking into reports about his partner, Van Stretch (William Baldwin). Peck rushes to protect Stretch, who is too loose with Avilla because he knows him from the Police Academy, and, in the process, reveals that the two are neck-deep into some seriously shady dealings. Prostitution, money laundering, killing on demand. Peck organizes everything, Stretch carries out orders. They have made a lot of money together, but the pressure has been tremendous, forcing Stretch to slip several times and attract attention. As Avilla and Wallace begin to realize what type of case they are involved with, their strategy changes.

Peck changes his strategy, too. Initially, he attempts to outmaneuver Avilla and Wallace by teaching Stretch what to say when they summon him. But when his partner proves that he is not a reliable performer, Peck takes control of the situation. It no longer matters that he wears a police badge. He does everything that a desperate criminal would to save his skin.

One-third of the material in this film is right for a conventional crime drama where good and bad guys clash and hurt each other as well as they can. The remaining material is not, which is the reason Mike Figgis was able to shoot the film with big stars like Gere and Garcia. This material produces a complex character study of two equally smart and determined men representing the law but being on opposite sides of it. However, while this is unquestionably the better material, it is not what makes the film intriguing and worth seeing.

The real reason to see the film is the emergence of what can only be described as genuine animosity between its two male stars. In a terrific program that was produced for Australian label Imprint Films’ release of the film (which is also included on this release), Figgis confirms that there was never a dull moment when the two were in front of the camera and respectfully suggests that their drastically different political views were the catalyst behind the animosity. True or not, this animosity is remarkably intense and has an unmissable impact on their transformations.

As odd as it may sound, however, the same genuine animosity visibly hurts the film, too. It happens because in certain areas, Figgis either does not appear to have total control of it or struggles to effectively move away from it. For example, the most intense clashes between Gere and Garcia feel like extracts from larger scenes where the two have had more time to reach their boiling point. Elsewhere, where the animosity penetrates scenes featuring only one of them, it looks like the camera is guessing how much to show and how long to be around.

Ultimately, the story is too familiar, making it easy to guess where the film is heading and how it would end. Chameleons like the one Gere plays have been around for a very, very long time, so a better, original story should have had a gotcha element of some sort. Then again, Figgis confirms that the story’s layered authenticity was always considered its greatest strength, so clearly the film turned out exactly as planned.

Internal Affairs Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Internal Affairs arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber.

The release introduces a new 4K makeover of the film, sourced from the original camera negative, which was completed at Paramount. The 4K makeover is also available on 4K Blu-ray in this combo pack.

I was enormously impressed with the quality of the 4K makeover and thought that it looked great on Blu-ray and 4K Blu-ray. The previous presentation of the film was good, but now all visuals have a vastly superior, healthy, very attractive appearance. Even in areas where the previous Blu-ray release produced very fine visuals with strong organic qualities, now the dynamic range of the visuals is very different and there is simply more to see. You do not even have to have a very large screen to appreciate the wide range of different improvements, all of which combined make it possible to experience the film in a new way. The new 4K makeover is beautifully graded, too. All primaries and supporting nuances look very healthy, lush, and nicely balanced. I was very pleased with everything that I saw on my system. I think that in native 4K some areas of the film look slightly more impressive, but if all we had was the Blu-ray release, I would have been just as enthusiastic about the upgrade. Image stability is fantastic. The entire film looks immaculate as well. (Note: This is a Region-A "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-A or Region-Free player in order to access its content).

Internal Affairs 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 viewed Internal Affairs in native 4K, and after that spent time with the 1080p presentation of it on the Blu-ray. The comments below are from our review of the 4K Blu-ray release.

I viewed the entire film with the 5.1 track. I did not detect any traces of age-related anomalies. All exchanges were sharp and very clear, always easy to follow. The music sounded rich and easily created memorable dynamic contrasts in areas where it should. The upper register is solid, too. If there were any inconsistencies before, it is impossible to tell now because the 5.1 track sounds like it was remixed just a few weeks ago.

Internal Affairs Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary - this archival audio commentary was recorded by critics Alain Silver and James Ursini. A lot of the information in it deconstructs various sections of the film and describes the characters transformations of the two male stars. The two gentlemen correctly point out that some of the material in the film is no longer possible to shoot, too. It is speculated that the film is a decent homage to classic 'old' noir as well.

• The Clever and the Corrupt - in this archival program, Mike Figgis explains how he landed the opportunity to direct Internal Affairs, and discusses the casting choices that were made -- apparently, Kurt Russell was considered for one of the two main parts, but wanted to take the film in a different direction -- his work with Richard Gere and Andy Garcia, the tone and visual style of the film, as well as its reception. In English, not subtitled. (34 min).

• His Most Dangerous Weapon - in this archival program, screenwriter Henry Bean discusses his work on the screenplay that was used to make Internal Affairs. There are some particularly interesting comments about the initial intent to have a Hispanic lead and the decision to cast Andy Garcia. In English, not subtitled. (26 min).

• One Bad Cop - in this archival program, composer Anthony Marinelli explains how he became involved with Internal Affairs and discusses the score he created for it. In English, not subtitled. (17 min).

• Extended and Deleted Scenes - presented here is a large selection of material that ended up on the cutting floor. In English, not subtitled. (32 min).

• Alternate Ending - in English, not subtitled.(11 min).

• Trailer - presented here is a vintage trailer for Internal Affairs. In English, not subtitled. (2 min).

Internal Affairs Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The decision not to bring Kurt Russell to Internal Affairs was the right one. It is not because Russell would have moved the film in a very different direction, which Mike Figgis confirms was inevitable and would have changed a lot of different things. It is because what materializes between Richard Gere and Andy Garcia, which I can only describe as genuine animosity, would have been lost. In my opinion, this animosity is the main attraction in the film. Its story is a familiar one. Kino Lorber's Blu-ray introduces a fantastic 4K makeover of the film, recently completed at Paramount Pictures. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.