Rating summary

Movie		1.5
Video		3.0
Audio		3.0
Extras		0.5
Overall		1.5

Kill Switch Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov February 27, 2009

Written by Steven Seagal and directed by Jeff King, "Kill Switch" (2008) is an action-thriller about a killer on the loose in Memphis, Tennessee. Even by the anything-goes standards we are used to apply to Steven Seagal's films, however, this one looks and sounds impressively weak. Courtesy of UK-based Momentum Pictures.

Where is my target?

Kill Switch is one of those really, really, really bad movies that a very small group of people will find very entertaining. It is also the perfect film for wannabe film critics to chew on – it is written by Steven Seagal and, as expected, with the action star in the main role. It is also a direct-to-video release that hasn't yet been given a Blu-ray treatment in the United States.

Kill Switch follows the story of Det. Jacob King (Steven Seagal, Under Siege), who is on a mission to track down a serial killer roaming the streets of Memphis, Tennessee. We don’t know why he kills his victims or how he selects them; we are only told that he likes to carve a small sign on their skins once they are put out of their misery. There is also some sort of a cipher the killer uses which no one has been able to crack.

Fortunately enough, Detective King is very good at cracking ciphers. He is also good at beating people up whenever they decide not to answer his questions. Unsurprisingly, in Kill Switch a lot of people are asked a lot of questions that they don’t want to answer.

I will fast-forward a bit. Detective King finally tracks down the killer at a poorly managed rock club. A wild chase ensues and when the two finally meet face to face, we are forced to endure an incredibly long and frustrating fighting scene. Luckily for us, the two get tired, the killer confesses that he has finally found his match – obviously, this would be Detective King – and runs away. Determined to deal with his opponent once and for all, Detective King goes back to his house to finish decoding the latest cipher his target has left.

Now, here’s where Kill Switch gets truly bizarre. Out of nowhere, a second killer appears and Detective King goes after him. I went back and forth a few times to see whether or not I missed an important detail from the story that might have pointed out to the fact that the rock-enthusiast killer wasn’t alone, but, much to my disappointment, I did not see any clues whatsoever. In fact, the more I thought about how everything was put together at the end of Kill Switch, the more convinced I was that very little from the “mystery” actually made sense.

Here’s something else that also makes very little sense in Kill Switch - Steven Seagal speaks with a Southern accent. This was probably a good idea on paper, but in front of the camera the Master of Aikido sounds terrible. He does not look too good either; maybe it is the same long leather jacket the man always wears that makes him look (how shall I put this?) bulky.

To be honest with you, when I placed the screener for Kill Switch into my player I had a pretty good idea what to expect. I knew that I was in for a good dose of silly talk, an even better dose of Steven Seagal’s treats and a predictable feel-good finale. Folks, I was wrong. In Kill Switch the talk is terrible, Steven Seagal’s pummeling of his opponents very annoying, and the finale one of the worst I’ve seen in quite some time. Give this one a pass!

Kill Switch Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, encoded with VC-1 and granted a 1080p transfer, Jeff King's Kill Switch arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Momentum Pictures.

Kill Switch boasts a Blu-ray transfer that, for the most part, looks healthy. Contrast here is somewhat pleasing, clarity and detail acceptable, and edge-enhancement, aside from a few mildly-disturbing patterns, not a major issue of concern. The color-scheme, however, is somewhat problematic; reds, blues, greens, yellows, browns and blacks often look crushed. Furthermore, during a lot of the night scenes, I noticed some heavy contrast boosting, which coupled with the color-issue I noted above makes Kill Switch look a bit distracting. Still, most of the Blu-ray transfer is passable. It is impossible not to admit, however, that it is quite average looking as well. This being said, I did not detect any disturbing scratches, debris, or stains to report here. (Note:This is a Region-B "locked" Blu-ray release which you will not be able to play on your Region-A PS3 or SA).

Kill Switch Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one audio track on this Blu-ray disc: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. During a lot of the fighting scenes, the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track adds quite a bit of depth; the bass is potent and the rear channels somewhat active (the memory flashbacks that appear throughout Kill Switch reveal plenty of activity in the rear channels). Still, your audio system is most definitely not going to get tested with this film. This being said, the dialog is crystal clear and mostly easy to follow. However, Steven Segal's fake Southern accent as well as his occasional mumbling might force some of you to turn on the optional English subtitles the Blu-ray disc offers. In terms of balance, Kill Switch sounds terrific; the dialog is well blended with the music and there aren't any issues to report here. Finally, I did not detect any disturbing cracks, hissings, or pops either.

Kill Switch Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Unfortunately, aside from the trailer for Kill Switch, there is absolutely nothing else to be found on this Blu-ray disc.

Kill Switch Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

I would be shocked if anyone, even hardcore Steven Seagal fans, can find anything to praise in Kill Switch. Anyway you look at it, this is just a poor film. The Blu-ray disc herein reviewed, courtesy of Momentum Pictures, is of acceptable quality. This being said, if interested in seeing Kill Switch, I would recommend that you consider renting before buying.