Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		0.0
Overall		2.5

Kandahar Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman July 24, 2023

Gerard Butler may not be "Action Star Extraordinaire," but he has certainly carved out a nice little niche for himself in that arena. His work in the "Fallen" franchise (Olympus, London, and Angel) seemed an effort to make his name synonymous with the genre, and while he performed admirably in the Die Hard-style role, the franchise did not leave an indelible mark on the Action movie landscape. Work in other films like Law Abiding Citizen certainly helped to gain him notoriety in the action genre, but it was in the sword-and-sandal hit 300 where he truly built, and simultaneously cemented, his screen legacy. Kandahar is an effort to return Butler to the screen in something of an action hero role, but the film is too methodical and grounded to soar. It lacks the kinetic draw of Olympus Has Fallen, the teeth of Law Abiding Citizen, and the lore of 300, resulting in a stale, sluggish film that will draw audiences with Butler's presence and the promise of action but leave viewers disappointed with what is an overly complex yet simultaneously hollow geopolitical action/thriller moviegoing experience.

Tom Harris (Butler), an undercover CIA operative, is stuck deep in hostile territory in Afghanistan. After his mission is exposed, he must fight his way out, alongside his Afghan translator, to an extraction point in Kandahar, all whilst avoiding elite enemy forces and foreign spies tasked with hunting them down.

The plot is as simple as they come, yet in Kandahar the simple becomes complex. The film admirably attempts to build a stauncher, bigger story with more complex tentacles all converging on Harris and his companion, forcing them to keep moving and keep firing on their way to an extraction point in Kandahar. But even as the story pushes forward, the forward momentum stalls on this side of the screen. The film bogs itself down under the weight of its lumbering, laboring first half as it sludges through the usual black ops and undercover stuff that has been seen a hundred times before, not to mention the inner working complexities of various fundamentalists and extremists factions who pose the threat. It's admirable to seek to build something beyond flying bullets and exploding vehicles, but Kandahar takes too long to set up and offers a less than memorable payoff as the second half shifts to a more fluid and focused Action-style film, albeit a second half that is still too slow for the movie's own good. The movie would have benefited from significant trimming in its first half to reduce or remove plot points which are not disinteresting but that do disable momentum and additional finessing in its second to tighten the pace there as well.

Butler gives a middling performance in the film, clearly lacking energy and zeal but likely more zapped by a sour script than his own lack of enthusiasm. His character is flat and monotone, giving him precious little to build upon. Butler is a face who fills the role and little more because that is all that is asked of him; the character as written has almost zero personality. He's surrounded by a plethora of character actors who are likewise neither poor nor wonderful in their roles, again accredited to a flat script with bland inner workings and minimal character development despite the honest effort at building a world, story, and framework for the action. Shoot-em-up scenes satisfy in general, but the gunfire and thumping explosions never stand apart as uniquely designed or engagingly immersive. The movie offers a very detached experience that never invites the audience in, resulting in a stalling, stagnant picture that, at its best, is slow and at its worst struggles to hold interest and keep its viewers for its two-hour length.

Kandahar Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Universal brings Kandahar to Blu-ray with a rock-solid 1080p transfer. The image meets all expectations for a new Blu-ray release in 2023. The digital framework is home to exceptionally clear and vivid details. Facial complexities soar in close-up, allowing audiences to see with great clarity every pore, hair, line, and bead of sweat and drop of blood. The dusty Middle Eastern locales thrive in overall definition and tactile clarity as well. Obviously bright daytime exteriors are where the real visual magic and muscle are found, but most low light interiors likewise offer higher end texturing. Color output is great, too. Red blood, orange fireballs, green grasses, and various additional support colors on clothes and location specifics present with wonderful life and vitality. The palette is full and rich within the film's natural color timing. Black levels are good enough and flesh tones are healthy, if not a little warm by design. The image features minimal noise and no immediately obvious compression issues. This is a textbook representation of a modern Blu-ray new release of a midlevel, digitally shot film.

Kandahar Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Kandahar's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack is up to par. The presentation is full and able, offering excellent low-end response to music, atmospherics, and explosions. Every time the subwoofer is needed, it is present and accounted for, bringing first-class oomph and depth to the proceedings. Musical engagement is clear and plays with satisfying front-side stretch and balanced surround support. Location details are impressively refined and immersive, drawing listeners into one of several different locations throughout the film, from bustling city streets to dank compound interiors. Gunfire hits hard and action scenes spring to life throughout the entirety of the soundstage. Dialogue is clear and centered for the duration.

Kandahar Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This Blu-ray release of Kandahar contains no supplemental content. A DVD copy of the film and a Movies Anywhere digital copy code are included with purchase. This release ships with a non-embossed slipcover.

Kandahar Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Film need not be brainless, but Kandahar tries too hard to build a complex social, political, and religious contexts for a story that didn't need such depth. It would have worked better as a film in the more kinetic, forward, and focused style of Butler's Fallen films, or at least with a good bit of the fat trimmed. There's both too little and too much world development in filmdom, and Kandahar drifts too far into the latter, resulting in waning interest and just not enough grit to support what are merely run-of-the-mill modern Middle East action elements. Universal's Blu-ray is featureless, but the video and audio presentations are very strong. Worth a look.