Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.0

Missing in Action 2: The Beginning Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov February 21, 2023

Lance Hool's "Missing in Action 2: The Beginning" (1985) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber. The supplemental features on the release include exclusive new audio commentary with Lance Hool and moderated by critic Daniel Kremer and vintage trailer for the film. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-A "locked".

The Missing in Action trilogy would not have become as popular as it is without the success of Joseph Zito’s original film, which was supposed to come out after Lance Hool’s film. Interestingly, Hool was supposed to do the second film in the trilogy as well but was so exhausted after completing his first film for the Cannon Group that he requested a break, which was not an acceptable option. So instead of directing the second film, the one that Zito shot and became the first film, he created the original story for it.

In an outstanding exclusive new audio commentary that is included on this release, Hool describes Menahem Golan’s initial reaction to Missing in Action 2: The Beginning, which was not a positive one. Apparently, Golan complained that what Hool had shot was a “prison film” and what he had hoped to see was a “Vietnam war film”. So, the original story Hool created for Zito’s film was essentially an attempt to meet Golan’s expectations of what a proper Missing in Action film should have been. Another very interesting bit of information that emerges from the commentary is Hool’s confirmation that his film was never supposed to compete with George Cosmatos’ Rambo: First Blood Part II, which was released theatrically at approximately the same time.

But even if one concedes that there was a lot of drama that impacted the production and ultimately identities of Hool and Zito’s films, one would still be left with plenty that the two directors did differently while working on them. This is important to keep in mind because the thematic material that overlaps in these films produces a very different environment that makes their star, Chuck Norris, look quite different as well. (This is one of many reasons Golan’s expectations for Hool’s film were not met as well. Unlike Zito’s film, it does not have the instantly recognizable vibe of a “Vietnam war film”).

Hool’s film jumps back in time and shows how Colonel James Braddock (Norris) and a few of his boys are captured by the Vietnamese and then repeatedly tortured in a secret camp somewhere in the jungle. The camp is run by the sadistic and corrupt Colonel Yin (Oh Soon-tek), who is as determined to force Braddock to sign a document that smears him as a coward and traitor as he is to become a very rich man while dealing with a French black marketeer. Because he has already successfully transformed another prisoner, Captain David Nester (Steven Williams), into a traitor, Yin believes that it is only a matter of time before he breaks Braddock as well. But his famous nemesis proves tougher than expected, so to speed up the process Yin begins executing his boys.

The progression of the drama is very predictable, so the few good surprises come from the rapidly growing tension between Braddock and Yin. Hool mentions in the commentary that he wanted Yin to appear as nasty as possible and the authentic negative energy that he oozes is undoubtedly one of the biggest strengths of his film. The other is the quality of the action. While not breathtaking, it is very effective because it is done at real locations without any elaborate special effects. For example, Hool reveals that he shot the dangerous hanging bridge as it was and set the stuntman on fire while it was shaking. The explosions were done on a budget and as realistically as possible, too.

The Missing in Action films meant a lot to Norris. He had lost his elder brother during the Vietnam war and was eager to do them. According to Hool, Norris felt that he became a real actor while doing one of the toughest sequences in his film. It is easy to see and understand why -- in this sequence, Norris looks genuinely overwhelmed and has real tears in his eyes.

Missing in Action 2: The Beginning Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Missing in Action II: The Beginning arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber.

The release is sourced from a gorgeous new 4K master that was struck from the original camera negative. I think that the entire film looks really, really good now and there are only two areas where some minor improvements can be made. First, a few darker areas could reveal better shadow nuances, but I did not see any troubling crushing. In fact, I think that in native 4K these areas probably look exactly as they should. Second, I think that color saturation could have been a bit better, though I again suspect that in native 4K the primaries would look even better. The rest is as good as I hoped it would be. Delineation, clarity, and depth are either very good or excellent. The fluidity of the visuals is as convincing and consistent as you would expect from a brand new 4K master. Image stability is excellent. The entire film looks very healthy, too. My score is 4.75/5.00. (Note: This is a Region-A "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-A or Region-Free player in order to access its content).

Missing in Action 2: The Beginning Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

The lossless track sounded great on my system. The film has a lot of action with plenty of shootouts and explosions that produce great dynamic contrasts. The dialog is always very clear, stable, and easy to follow. Can the audio sound even better? I am unsure. Perhaps a new Atmos track can produce some meaningful improvements, but I was very happy with what I heard coming out of my speakers.

Missing in Action 2: The Beginning Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Trailer - an original trailer for Missing in Action 2: The Beginning. In English, not subtitled. (2 min).

• Commentary - this exclusive new audio commentary was recorded by director Lance Hool and moderated by critic Daniel Kremer. I thought that it was outstanding. Mr. Hool shares a lot of very interesting information about the production history of Missing in Action 2: The Beginning, his interactions with Chuck Norris, dealings with the Cannon Group, and involvement with various other films. He even shares a very moving story about Charles Bronson and his decision to adopt a young girl. The entire commentary is very similar in nature to the ones Fred Olen Ray is known for recording, which are always terrific.

Missing in Action 2: The Beginning Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

I think that Menahem Golan's instincts were right and the decision to screen Joseph Zito's film first was the correct one. Lance Hool's film is good but has a different vibe and personality, and I do not think that it would have generated the same excitement Zito's film did. Kino Lorber's release of Missing in Action 2: The Beginning is sourced from a gorgeous new 4K master and features an outstanding exclusive audio commentary with Hool. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.