6 | / 10 |
Users | 3.5 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
A group of Marines must protect a U.S. embassy in the Middle East when it suddenly comes under attack from enemy forces.
Starring: Scott Adkins, Charlie Weber, Dennis Haysbert, Sasha Jackson, Stephen HoganAction | 100% |
War | 24% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
Spanish: DTS 5.1
French: DTS 5.1
English SDH, French, Spanish
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (1 BD, 1 DVD)
UV digital copy
DVD copy
BD-Live
Slipcover in original pressing
Region free
Movie | 2.5 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 1.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
It seems almost random what movies spawn direct-to-video franchises. 2005's Jarhead was a rock-solid wartime picture that took viewers back to the first Gulf War of 1991, telling the story of a Marine sniper desperate to see action in a conflict that was moving too fast for a task meant to be taken slow. Nary a hint of a sequel -- particularly not a real major release sequel of a movie that doesn't even beg for one -- was in the air until, nine years later, Jarhead 2: Field of Fire drooped onto the home video marketplace. That film was not connected to the original beyond its name, and neither is Jarhead 3: The Siege, 2016's "follow-up" to a first film now more than a decade old. Seemingly out of nowhere, this has become a bonafide DTV franchise that only borrows a name to spearhead and raise awareness for an otherwise unrelated story. In all fairness, both sequels are capable and entertaining within the confines of the DTV arena, but one cannot help but think that studio execs felt neither could stand on their own were they simply titled Field of Fire or The Siege, though the decision to borrow from a movie that's not exactly obscure but not exactly hailed as a wartime classic (this reviewer loved it, though) is curious at best.
No, I'm not Jake Gyllenhaal.
Jarhead 3: The Siege arrives on Blu-ray sourced from a digital shoot. The transfer presents with that unmistakable clean, fairly glossy and flat digital sheen. Light noise and banding are visible at times, but rarely bothersome. The image may lack that typical gritty wartime texture, but details still impress. Military uniforms are crisp, revealing creases and stitches with ease. Heavier tactical gear is the most impressively complex element in the film; the material density is impressive in every close-up. Close-cut haircuts, facial pores, and other more intimate individual details excel. Various rough surfaces outside the compound and some of the cleaner lines inside represent well. Colors are satisfyingly neutral, with the earthy desert camo patterns standing out nicely even against the film's rather bright lighting. More intense colors are less frequent but hold to a satisfyingly natural shading. Black levels impress and flesh tones appear accurate. Overall, the presentation is rather typical of a new, digitally shot DTV movie. Most viewers should find very little room to complain.
Jarhead 3: The Siege features a solid all-around DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack. The movie's audio lacks the precision scale and intensity of larger budget and more finely engineered tracks, but there's enough action energy to please. Gunfire pops with fair authority from all corners. RPG rounds zip through the stage and explosions pack a suitably healthy wallop. The entire stage is frequently engaged in action. Light atmospherics are infrequent but come alive in a few early moments, particularly inside an airport. An alarm klaxon at the embassy is well positioned but not substantially aggressive. Music is nicely weighty and widely spaced, with good definition throughout the scale. Dialogue delivery is clear and center positioned. Prioritization even through gunfire and mayhem is fine.
Jarhead 3: The Siege contains one supplement. The Making of 'Jarhead 3: The Siege' (1080p, 7:02) features cast and crew covering plot, their appreciation for the military after making the movie, characters and arcs, the film's humor, shooting guns, Dennis Haysbert's presence on the set, and cast camaraderie. The release contains two cuts of the film: a rated version (1:29:06) and an unrated version (also 1:29:06; that's either coincidence, or there's an authoring problem on the disc that selects the same cut regardless of menu choice). Also included with purchase is a DVD copy of the film and a voucher for a UV/iTunes digital copy.
Jarhead 3: The Siege is a rather pedestrian movie that has nothing to do with the original, or even the sequel that had nothing to do with the original, for that matter. The film works well enough as a kinda-enjoyable "remember when you were 10 and movies like this rocked!" sort of way. Characterization is empty, there's not much to the plot beyond "they shoot at us, we shoot back," and the action isn't exactly Black Hawk Down levels of authentic, but it's a decent enough mind-off time killer, a lighter version of 13 Hours, perhaps. Universal's Blu-ray features good video and audio. One supplement is included. Rent it.
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