6.9 | / 10 |
Users | 3.2 | |
Reviewer | 2.5 | |
Overall | 2.9 |
A legendary Texas Ranger is fierce with his gun - but lethal with his black belt! When his teenage daughter's life is threatened the job becomes personal.
Starring: Chuck Norris, David Carradine, Barbara Carrera, Leon Isaac Kennedy, Robert BeltranMartial arts | 100% |
Crime | 8% |
Thriller | Insignificant |
Action | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio Mono (48kHz, 24-bit)
French: DTS-HD Master Audio Mono
German: DTS-HD Master Audio Mono
Italian: DTS-HD Master Audio Mono
Spanish: DTS-HD Master Audio Mono
Castilian Spanish.
English SDH, French, German, German SDH, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish, Catalan, Dutch
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region free
Movie | 3.0 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 3.5 | |
Extras | 0.5 | |
Overall | 2.5 |
Ten years before Chuck Norris donned a duster, black hat, and silver star badge for TV's Walker, Texas Ranger, he played a similar north-of- the-border lawman in Lone Wolf McQuade, a thick slice of '80s action movie cheese. I say that with all possible fondness. In terms of over-the- top, so-dated-it's-hilarious enjoyment, the film is actually one of Norris' best, rife with campy dialogue, martial arts absurdity, and more glistening sweat than a Finnish sauna. If you're anything like me, this is the sort of mindless action fun you'd watch with your dad as a kid on a Sunday afternoon. You'd be channel surfing on the couch, flipping through, and when Norris would appear—hair limp, face grimy, busting some serious chops—you'd put down the remote and settle in, maybe slinging a few Mystery Science Theater-style comments at the television during the more ridiculous scenes. Nowadays—and I realize I'm sounding like a grumpy old man here—low-budget action movies are so ironic and winking and self-aware. In comparison, there's something guileless and loveably pure about Lone Wolf McQuade. It's hokey and laughable, but it's completely earnest.
Sleeveless Vest vs. Argyle Sweater. Round One. Fight!
Looking better than it ever has on home video, Lone Wolf McQuade lopes onto Blu-ray with a faithful 1080p/AVC-encoded transfer that's framed in the proper 1.85:1 aspect ratio. Shot on a grainy 35mm stock with soft spherical lenses, the film ain't exactly eye candy, but the high definition upgrade definitely bring out the best in the picture. MGM's print is practically spotless, with no white specks or scratches, and the image is untouched by digital noise reduction, excessive edge enhancement, or other unnecessary additions. No blatant compression issues either, though the movie sits on a single-layer disc. While the film is far from razor-sharp, there's quite a bit of newfound detail to be noticed, especially if you've only ever seen McQuade on VHS or DVD. Closeups are especially improved, with finer textures and as clean of lines as the film's chunky grain structure allows. Color seems natural—there's been no egregious oversaturation here—and the picture has a good density, with punchy reds and oranges, rich neutrals, and balanced skin tones. Black levels are a bit hazy at times—and crush a bit during others—but in general the contrast seems strong. Not bad at all.
Like the other films in MGM's recent spate of Chuck Norris releases, Lone Wolf McQuade arrives on Blu-ray with a true-to-source DTS-HD Master Audio Mono track. Given the sheer amount of sonic badassery that goes on in the film—explosions, machine gun bursts, body blows—it's unfortunate that we couldn't have also been given an upgraded 5.1 mix. That said, when you think "B-level '80s action move," you also tend to think "single channel audio," so I'm fine with this mono track. Dynamics are obviously limited, and the effects seem a bit canned at times, but everything sounds as it should. The most notable element of the mix is the Morricone-inspired score by Francesco De Masi, which mixes western orchestral motifs with wobbly synthesizers. Dialogue throughout is clear and easy to understand, and the disc includes a number of dub and subtitle options.
The lone supplement on the disc is the film's theatrical trailer, in high definition.
Though it isn't saying much, Lone Wolf McQuade is one of Chuck Norris' best beat-em-up/shoot-em-ups, a hybrid western/martial arts action movie that's over-the-top in all the right ways. No one's gonna mistake this one for No Country for Old Men, but it's goofy fun and it hits the spot if you're nostalgic for '80s cheese. MGM's Blu-ray release is bare-boned, with only a trailer in the "extras" tab, but the film certainly looks better here than it ever has on home video. Is it worth the cost of the upgrade for Chuck Norris fans? Probably. All others would best be served adding Lone Wolf McQuade to their Netflix queues.
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