6.2 | / 10 |
Users | 3.2 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
An action-packed thriller starring Charles Bronson as Jack Murphy, a cop who is running to stay alive long enough to even the score with his wife's killer.
Starring: Charles Bronson, Kathleen Wilhoite, Carrie Snodgress, Robert F. Lyons, Richard RomanusThriller | Insignificant |
Crime | Insignificant |
Drama | Insignificant |
Action | Insignificant |
Mystery | 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 2.0
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A (locked)
Movie | 3.0 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
J. Lee Thompson's "Murphy's Law" (1986) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber. The supplemental features on the disc include new program with actor Robert F. Lyons; archival audio commentary recorded by actress Kathleen Wilhoite and critic Nick Redman; and vintage promotional materials. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-A "locked".
The cop
Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Murphy's Law arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber.
The release is sourced from an older master that was supplied by MGM. This master isn't plagued by problematic digital corrections, but it isn't too convincing. Its main weakness is the darker content where a lot of the grain begins to look mushy and as a result native details and nuances struggle to appear as they should. Some highlights could be much better balanced as well. The good news is that the visuals are still quite pleasing, so even on a larger screen they hold up nicely. Yes, you will quickly conclude that the film can look fresher and lusher, but I don't think that the technical presentation will disappoint you. Image stability is good. There are no distracting age-related imperfections to report. (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).
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.
Older master that emerge from MGM's vaults usually have strong audio and this is the case with Murphy's Law. I had the volume on my system turned up quite a bit and liked the clarity and dynamic balance of the DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 track quite a lot. Can the audio sound better? I don't know. I did not encounter any signs of ageing, so if any improvements are made they will likely turn out to be minor.
Murphy's Law is one of the least impressive Charles Bronson films. He looks old and tired in it, and often times it is actually quite easy to tell that he struggles with his part. I don't think that Kathleen Wilhoite, who plays his younger partner, is particularly good either. However, like most films the Cannon Group produced during the '80s, Murphy's Law could be a decent nostalgia fix if, and I always like to underscore this bit, it is seen at the right time. For me, this is usually the wee hours of the night, but as we all know well everyone is different. Kino Lorber's release is sourced from an old but decent master that was supplied by MGM. It has a very interesting new program with actor Robert F. Lyons, who shares plenty of interesting information about the film's production history as well as the legendary producers Yoram Globus and Menahem Golan. RECOMMENDED, but only to the fans.
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