Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		3.0
Audio		3.0
Extras		2.0
Overall		3.0

Red Heat Blu-ray Movie Review

“Where is the locker that this key opens?”

Reviewed by Dustin Somner November 14, 2009

The career of writer/director Walter Hill has been an interesting one. Following the cult success of The Warriors, he went on to direct a variety of films during the 80’s and 90’s. For many fans, the pinnacle of his success was 48 hours, which introduced viewers to an unlikely duo of crime fighters. Red Heat was released six years later, but marked Hill’s triumphant return to a subgenre that continued to grow in popularity. Meanwhile, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s career was rapidly picking up steam with audiences across the globe, thanks to his recent roles in Predator and The Running Man. Tapped to play the part of a Russian Captain in Red Heat, Arnold transitioned from making hard-nosed action films, to productions that incorporated a healthy dose of comedy (in the following two years, he starred in Twins and Kindergarten Cop). Red Heat might not be the ultimate buddy-cop film, but it remains a solid entry in the growing genre, and deserves at least some recognition for the talent involved in the production.

"I'm here to balance your budget!"

After witnessing the death of his partner at the hands of a Georgian drug boss named Viktor Rostavili (Ed O’Ross), Captain Ivan Danko (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is sent from Russia to pursue the fleeing cocaine smuggler through the streets of Los Angeles. Upon his arrival, he’s assigned a pair of escorts by the LAPD, and quickly develops a rocky relationship with detective Art Ridzik (James Belushi). Following orders not to involve the American’s in Russian affairs, Danko attempts to extradite the recently captured Viktor back to Russia, but his plans are foiled when the Georgian’s counterparts stage an escape that lands Danko in the hospital, and Ridzik’s partner in the county morgue. Realizing Viktor is well-connected in the drug underworld, the two unlikely cops form a precarious bond as they pursue justice against the man responsible for the death of their partners.

As far as 80’s action films go, Red Heat barely breaks the top 25. It’s not that I don’t enjoy the film, but it’s difficult to compete with a wealth of better action offerings during a period of time when the genre exploded. Breaking the genre down further, audiences were introduced to one of the greatest buddy-cop films of all time just one year prior, with the release of Lethal Weapon. It’s only natural to see other studios take a stab at recreating the same recipe for success that Richard Donner achieved, so for two years following Lethal Weapon, we saw one clone after another hit the screens of our local Cineplex (Tango & Cash, Turner & Hooch, Stakeout, The Rookie, and Walter Hill’s Another 48 Hours). Aside from a simple tendency to get lost in the shuffle, Red Heat was overshadowed by superior films that struck an even balance between action and comedy.

Now that you know Red Heat isn’t as good as Lethal Weapon, and pales in comparison with other action films of the decade, why should anyone bother considering the film as a worthwhile addition to their collection? The answer to that question is simple. The film is downright fun. Throwing all of my nostalgic feelings out the window, the experience of sitting through a viewing of Red Heat is like eating a cheeseburger from a fast food restaurant. You know you’d rather have a quality burger from a sit-down restaurant, but it’s a satisfying consolation prize with little redeeming value once the last bite is gone. Likewise, the film is a formulaic entry in a genre full of superior offerings, but there’s enough lasting enjoyment in the 104-minute runtime to hold your attention until the credits roll.

As we all know, Arnold Schwarzenegger has never landed an acting role for his amazing ability to convey emotion. In fact, if there’s a single actor who’s picked on extensively for his accent and cheap one-liners, it would be the prestigious California governor himself. However, the role of Ivan Danko seems tailor made for his acting abilities. Playing an emotionless Russian officer with broken English is as brilliant of a decision as casting him in The Terminator, since it plays to his physical strengths and downplays his weaknesses. Likewise, James Belushi gobbles up the screen during his scenes, delivering one sarcastic remark after another (this is truly a quotable film) with precise comedic delivery. If you’ve seen Red Heat, it makes sense that Belushi was cast in K-9 the following year. Rounding out the cast, we have the deliciously evil Ed O’Ross as a Russian drug czar, the late Peter Boyle as the police commander (every time he raises his voice I picture him in “Everybody Loves Raymond”), the lovely Gina Gershon (Bound, Showgirls) as the damsel in distress, and a brief appearance by a young Laurence Fishburne as Ridzik’s superior officer. All in all, this is an impressive collection of actors for a semi-cheesy action film.

Red Heat Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in 1080p utilizing the AVC codec (at an average bitrate of 19Mbps), Red Heat offers an impressive upgrade with the transition to high-definition, but still suffers from several deficiencies that leave it firmly entrenched in the "average" category. Fine object detail is far superior to prior home video releases, but still lacks consistency from scene to scene. Those of you familiar with the prior special edition DVD release will remember the same varying level of haziness, and this transfer was likely generated from the same remastered version. However, unlike the grainy background of the prior release, this Blu-ray disc is nearly devoid of film grain, causing some concern regarding the use of DNR. Add in an overall lack of facial texturing (even in extreme close-ups), and it becomes apparent we're witnessing a degree of tampering on the part of the video engineers. It's not extreme enough to ruin the experience, but purists might find themselves a bit disappointed. Similar to the occasional lack of clarity, I was slightly discouraged by the color scheme of the film, which tends to generate yellowed skin tones throughout interior shots. Oddly enough, the effect is most prevalent during close-ups of James Belushi, as if he's plagued by a skin condition of some sort. I know I'm already sounding overly harsh toward the transfer, but it's worth mentioning one other problem, in the form of marginal black level depth, and contrast that struggles to reveal shadow details during the darker sequences of the film.

Despite the complaints I've listed regarding the new Blu-ray edition of Red Heat, this is still a worthy upgrade over prior home video releases, and deserves a spot on the shelf of any Schwarzenegger fan.

Red Heat Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Sound effects have undergone a dramatic make-over in the past two decades, leaving most productions of the 1980's sounding pale and lifeless in comparison. Given these limitations, I wasn't terribly surprised to find the lossless upgrade on this release a bit underwhelming. From the opening fight sequence in the bathhouse, it's clear the action effects won't generate a realistic tone. Punches to the face are afforded the same generic crack every time, and strikes to the body give off a muffled tone that sounds strangely familiar time and time again. Dialogue remains firmly planted in the center channel through 90% of the runtime, and when it rarely escapes to other areas of the surround field, it sounds forced. A perfect example of this effect can be heard during an early scene in the police precinct, when Lt. Stobbs (FIshburne) says something off-camera from the left side. The sound of his voice from the left speaker is so jarring and out of place next to the dialogue from the center channel, that it honestly feels forced. Clarity in the mix is perfectly fine (and represents the largest upgrade in the transition to a lossless track), but I felt the volume balance was slightly off at times. Some of the action-heavy scenes are drowned out by the musical score, pushing the effects into the background (when they should be in the foreground).

In the end, this is a decent reproduction of a dated audio mix, with shortcomings stemming from the source material Lionsgate had to work with.

Note: Russian dialogue pops up frequently throughout Red Heat, so subtitles are prevalent through a large portion of the film. In an early scene with Drago speaking with his superior officer at the funeral of his partner, the following line reads incorrectly as "Hell pay far his crimes against the people." I'm not sure how that slipped by the quality control department at Lionsgate, but it makes for a good laugh at an otherwise somber point in the film.

Red Heat Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

East Meets West (480P, Dolby Digital 2.0, 9:40 min): This extra contains interviews with executive producers Mario Kassar and Andrew Vajna, as they discuss the meteoric rise of Carolco film studio (Rambo, Total Recall, Terminator, Red Heat, and Basic Instinct), and how they arrived at the decision to produce Walter Hill's buddy action/comedy. The two men also touch on several aspects of Red Heat, from Hill's directing style, to the casting of Belushi as Schwarzenegger's counterpart.

A Stuntman for All Seasons (480P, Dolby Digital 2.0, 12:27 min): A well-known stunt coordinator throughout Hollywood, Bennie Dobbins died of a heart attack during the filming of Red Heat (the film is dedicated to his memory). This supplement includes interviews with multiple stuntmen who worked with Dobbins during their career, as they reflect back on his involvement in Red Heat, and the influence he had on the Hollywood stuntman industry.

I'm Not a Russian, But I Play One on TV (480P, Dolby Digital 2.0, 5:14 min): Actor Ed O'Ross is interviewed regarding his role as Viktor, and how he convincingly transformed himself from an American actor into a Russian drug lord.

Original Making-of TV Special (480P, Dolby Digital 2.0, 15:58 min): Hosted by Schwarzenegger and Belushi, this vintage featurette is more of a marketing ploy than anything. In between clips from the film, we're given an overview of the plot, and a look at each character's motivations.

Rounding out the extras, we have a collection of standard definition television spots (four total), and a standard definition theatrical trailer for Red Heat.

Red Heat Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

After all these years, Red Heat remains a marginal entry in the buddy-cop genre, eclipsed by superior films of the past and present. I've seen the film multiple times as I grow older, and I still enjoy it for what it is. If this is your first introduction to the film, I'd recommend you consider a rental prior to a purchase, since nostalgia typically plays a role in the positive assessments given by long-time fans. For those of you who love this film, and are well aware of what's in store, the reasonable retail price of this release coupled with a clear upgrade in the video department make this a must-have addition to your growing library of vintage action titles.