Rating summary

Movie		1.5
Video		3.0
Audio		3.0
Extras		0.5
Overall		2.0

Jade Blu-ray Movie Review

There's nothing erotic or thrilling about this ninety minute borefest.

Reviewed by Dustin Somner April 19, 2010

If you talk to ten people familiar with the erotic-thriller genre, chances are good that nine will rattle off Basic Instinct as the pinnacle of the category’s success. Released in 1992, the film quickly gained notoriety for its graphic depictions of sex and violence, marking the beginning of a new direction for the film’s screenwriter, Joe Eszterhas. Following quickly on the heels of Basic Instinct, Eszterhas wrote the screenplay for Sliver, Showgirls, and another psychologically-themed erotic-thriller titled Jade. In theory, Jade should have been a huge success, allowing executives over at Paramount to be blinded by visions of money dancing around their faces. After all, the producers managed to cast David Caruso in the lead role (hot off his success on “NYPD Blue”), hired William Friedkin to direct (The French Connection, The Exorcist), and had a newly completed script by the recent master of the erotic-thriller genre. Unfortunately, what originated as a foolproof recipe for success quickly turned into one of the least erotic or thrilling movies in the history of the genre.

Look in the mirror at the conclusion of the film and I'll bet this will be the expression on your face.

Following the gruesome murder of a prominent San Francisco businessman, assistant district attorney David Corelli (David Caruso) steps in to lead a group of three detectives tasked with finding the killer. Their investigation initially uncovers a series of blackmail photos involving the governor (Richard Crenna) in sexually compromising scenarios with a young prostitute. When the governor insists he had nothing to do with the murder, the investigators on the case turn their attention to a luxurious beach house owned by the deceased businessman. As it turns out, this house is used primarily as a brothel for prominent businessman and political figures looking for a “good time” away from the public eye. However, rather than protecting the identities of visitors and the women who fulfill their fantasies, multiple cameras are fully-equipped to capture every lewd act. In the midst of this discovery, Corelli stumbles onto the name of the top performer in the ring of prostitutes, who goes by the name Jade. Believing this mysterious woman holds the key to discovering the identity of the killer, he begins to unearth surprise connections that indirectly implicate him in the murder conspiracy. With the clock ticking down on the frantic search for the killer, it’s only a matter of time before another body surfaces.

On rare occasion, I find a film worthy of the statement “I wish I could have those ninety minutes back.” I’m fairly certain that line is recited every time I watch Jade, yet it continues to hit my radar on a three year cycle. Sitting down to watch the film for this review, I convinced myself it wasn’t nearly as bad as I recall, and I simply needed to give it a fresh shot at winning me over. Sadly, it’s still the same boring production no matter what format you watch it on, and I doubt the inclusion of the long-lost director’s cut would change my mind (I believe the director’s cut was my first exposure to the film during the VHS days). Since the problems with Jade are too numerous to fully address in the span of several paragraphs, I’ll touch on the highlights and leave the rest to your imagination.

The primary problem with Jade lies in the second half of the film, when the plot undergoes the equivalent of a train wreck. During the opening forty-five minutes, we’re introduced to a graphic murder, multiple characters with questionable motivations, and a psychological element that’s highlighted in a manner that should indicate a degree of significance in the latter portion of the film. As the investigation builds, we’re introduced to new pieces of the puzzle that throw additional questions into the mix, and nearly dilute the impact of the main investigation. After the set-up is complete (delivered in a rather polished fashion), the film suddenly takes a tremendous turn for the worst, offering a series of revelations and twists that make you question whether the screenplay was written by a 12-year-old boy. Adding insult to injury, the tacked on twist during the conclusion of the film is a mere afterthought, robbing Jade of any lasting impact. I can’t bring myself to spoil the film if you haven’t seen it (consider yourself lucky), but for those who have, I’d encourage you to closely examine the logistics of the murder during the opening sequence of the film, and how that fits within the context of who committed the murder. I suppose any mention of plot deficiencies in Jade should warrant a side-note that Joe Eszterhas threatened to take his name off the screenplay after director William Friedkin made significant script changes, and remains extremely jaded (pun intended) toward the final product. In all honesty we’ll probably never know who’s to blame for the weaknesses in the story, but controversy always makes life more interesting.

Beyond the problematic nature of the film’s plot, the casting has always felt a bit off. David Caruso tends to generate a polarizing effect on audiences, with his stilted line delivery, and overly “cool” demeanor. I’ve never been a fan of any role he’s played in television or theatrical productions, so I clearly fall within the “thumbs-down” fan club. The other odd inclusion is Linda Fiorentino as the doctor-by-day/seductress-by-night female lead of the story. Following her role in The Last Seduction, Fiorentino seemed a logical choice for the flawed character Trina Gavin, but I’m continually amazed at how unsexy she managed to be in a film that’s supposed to fit within the erotic-thriller genre. Part of the blame comes back to the problematic nature of the story itself, but Caruso and Fiorentino certainly don’t step in to salvage the overall production.

Jade Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in 1080p utilizing the AVC codec (at an average bitrate of 29Mbps), Jade offers little improvement in the transition to high-definition. The primary disappointment in the image quality is a general lack of fine object detail within intricate surface textures, leaving most aspects of the picture a touch on the hazy side. This doesn't appear to be a result of excessive DNR application, since facial features don't carry the tell-tale wax texture and film grain remains readily apparent in a number of shots. Rather, the marginal level of detail can likely be attributed to the soft-focus lens used by cinematographer Andrzej Bartkowiak, which only leaves room for subtle improvements as we increase the resolution. In fact, it appears the video engineers over at Lionsgate attempted to squeeze every last pixel out of the source material, since they used nearly twice the bitrate of other recent releases. Moving along, the coloring of the film runs a bit hot at times, generating overly saturated tones that stop just shy of bleeding among one another (a good example is the introductory walkthrough of the initial murder scene). While I can't say I'm a huge fan of the style this generates, it appears consistent across prior releases on various home entertainment formats (VHS, DVD), and reflects the intentions of the filmmaker. On the bright side, I never noticed artifacts or other digital anomalies, edge haloes were thankfully absent, and black levels remain largely proficient through the duration of the feature.

Jade Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Considering the nature of the genre, I didn't expect the lossless audio track to create a robust presentation. After all, most "erotic thrillers" follow a formulaic sound design that consists of front-focused dialog with jazzy music permeating the background. Jade doesn't necessarily escape that mold completely, but the film contains two elements that set it apart from the rest of the herd. First, I adored the musical score by James Horner, who's always shown a certain knack for composing arrangements that incorporate disarming stretches that culminate in dramatic crescendos. If you watch the initial scene of the film where the camera travels aimlessly around a beautiful house full of ancient artifacts, it's difficult not to feel a little unnerved at the shot of the fertility mask toward the top of the stairs. Now, imagine that sequence without Horner's score attached to it, and there's not much residual impact. The other highlight of the film from an audio standpoint arrives courtesy of a surprisingly effective car chase. The sequence occurs around the midpoint of the film, which is perfect timed within a ninety minute journey that otherwise remained devoid of high-level multi-channel separation. In the end, the lossless audio mix doesn't register anywhere near the top of my favorite audio presentations, but it's still proficient enough to please most genre fans.

Jade Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The only supplement included on the disc is a standard definition trailer for the feature presentation.

Jade Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Jade is a deeply flawed film with few redeeming qualities. The original set-up is interesting enough, and there are fleeting moments of entertainment value, but by the time you reach the conclusion of the story you'll be shaking your head in disbelief. I've personally sat through the film three times now, and my perception hasn't changed one bit. If you happen to find more value in the production than I was able to over the years, you'll still be disappointed in this shallow Blu-ray offering. Between the marginal technical upgrade, the complete lack of special features, and the continued negligence of the director's cut, this is a release that will only appeal to die-hard fans, or collectors who can't pass up a good deal.