Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		3.5
Audio		2.5
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.5

Raw Courage Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf April 15, 2020

“Raw Courage” demands a lot from its audience just from the main title sequence. One of the first images in the picture is a shot of Ronny Cox spreading Vaseline on his crusty feet, working the substance around his toes and into the skin. There’s a point to it, as the actor portrays a long- distance runner preparing for an extended marathon, but it’s quite the introduction, offering a harrowing visual before the rest of the film has a chance to get going, with subsequent frights not quite as potent as a greasy Cox foot. Thankfully, “Raw Courage” stays away from corn chip toenails for the rest of the feature, which is actually an effective B-movie that pits athletes against militia morons in the vast New Mexico desert, taking in all the hostility and panic such a premise provides. Perhaps foot fetishists might get a little more out of the endeavor than most, but the effort connects as low-budget escapism, doing well with most chases and levels of characterization.

Doing their part for the Pioneer Days Celebration, Pete (Ronny Cox), Roger (Art Hindle), and Craig (Tim Maier) have agreed to complete a 72 mile run through the desert, endeavoring to test themselves in new ways. Embarking on the marathon with a great deal of hope and concern, the trio follows Roger’s lead, dealing with the elements and conflicts in their own lives, offered time on the trail to reflect on family and lovers. What the men don’t expect is the sudden arrival of the Citizens Brigade, a right-wing militia led by Colonel Crouse (M. Emmet Walsh), who are conducting war games in the wild. At first playfully captured by the civilian unit, the runners are soon terrorized by Sonny (William Russ), a soldier who doesn’t take kindly to the athletes, subjected to his aggression as their simple stunt turns into the fight of their lives.

Cox not only stars in “Raw Courage,” he co-writes the screenplay with his wife, Mary Cox, gifting himself a level of control to help best define character motivation while remaining within the confines of exploitation cinema. The couple does very well when building personalities, giving each of the runners a specific headspace to explore as they gear up for a punishing run for a small town party, mentally dealing with their lives and the physical exhaustion ahead. Pete is a family man with severe anxiety issues, unsure about his participation in the marathon, which promises to bring him to his limit. Roger is sleeping with Ruth (Lois Chiles), and she wants more, trying to talk the expert jogger into domestication he doesn’t want anything to do with. Craig is the puppy of the pack, with the 22-year-old kid dealing with his overbearing father, yearning for freedom. The trio plans to use 72 miles to banter and bond, forming a team as they enter the desert, embracing the open air and the beautiful landscape as they attempt a seemingly impossible task.

As with most B-movies, best laid plans are usually disturbed by malevolent goons, arriving here in the form of a Denver militia making plans for the “crunch,” a sort of apocalyptic event that probably involves skin color in some way. Crouse is a goon in charge of idiots, leading the soldiers on tracking missions, and the men also enjoy time harassing a female volunteer when she’s hurt. For Sonny, Craig’s attitude after the men are captured is too much to ignore, commencing a violent attack on the runners, who try to make their escape into the sand and mountains, soon coming up against trials of thirst, exposure, rattlesnakes, and guilt, with Pete especially disturbed by thoughts of the family he left behind and may never see again. The pursuit sequences are exciting, dealing with Sonny and his motorcycle-riding brothers, but “Raw Courage” does have trouble with repetition, with the stretch to meet a contractually obligated run time of 90 minutes grinding on the pace of the endeavor. The movie runs out of ideas in the second half, but it continues to serve up frantic sprints through dangerous areas, with the marathoners also dealing with moral challenges as they seek to kill their assailants.

Raw Courage Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Billed as a "Brand new 2019 2K master," "Raw Courage" is preserved adequately on Blu-ray. The AVC encoded image (1.78:1 aspect ratio) presentation provides a passable appreciation for frame elements, securing a softer level of detail, finding some dimension with the New Mexico locations. Personal wear and tear is appreciable, with increasing amounts of sweat and blood adding light texture to close-ups, and costuming is reasonably fibrous, from military uniforms on the militia to the thin, cottony running gear on the marathoners. Colors embrace the desert palette, with satisfactory greenery and earthy landscapes, while flashes of white sands remain distinct. Blood is vivid, as is small town celebratory decorations. Skintones are natural. Delineation secures evening events with periodic solidification. Source highlights speckling and a few deep emulsion scratches.

Raw Courage Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix doesn't have ideal clarity, offering a muddier listening experience for "Raw Courage." Heavy hiss is encountered, along with intermittent popping, and occasional sibilance issues are detected. Intelligibility isn't destroyed, with an appreciation for performances available, just not distinct. Scoring is inherently thin, lacking snap, but synth efforts support the action as necessary. Sound effects are blunt.

Raw Courage Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Interview (21:37, HD) is a pleasingly candid chat with co-writer/star Ronny Cox, who opens with his early obsessions with acting, working on his dream while pursuing rock and roll in New Mexico, occasionally mingling with music history. After chipping away at a career, Cox found his breakthrough with "Deliverance," but was seldom offered roles he really wanted to play, inspiring the creation of the "Raw Courage" screenplay, authored with his wife, Mary Cox. The interviewee explores the movie's story, with Cox looking to examine "white panic" with the militia group, while the whole effort became a personal project for the actor, forcing him to play different production roles during the shoot. A discussion of mistakes is included, with Cox lamenting the synth score used in the feature, unable to pay Jerry Goldsmith a small fortune to provide the music. Doubt in director Robert L. Rosen is shared, with Cox too timid to put his foot down at the time, while the helmer ultimately battled producer Sandy Howard for control of the endeavor. Cox was forced to edit "Raw Courage" on his own, using lessons learned while working with Hal Ashby, and he provides an overview of co-stars and New Mexico locations, with blazing heat causing crew dissent.

• A Trailer has not been included.

Raw Courage Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

A few moviemaking issues hold "Raw Courage" back (including a painfully budget Casio-esque score from Johnny Harris), but for something with the potential to be cheap and ugly, the screenplay preserves as much dramatic texture as possible, getting into the psychology of the runners as they manage all sorts of problems. There's certainly a degree of stupidity to keep the thrills coming, but "Raw Courage" earns some absurdity, with the rest of the endeavor an absorbing look at physical limits and personal concerns.