5.1 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 2.0 | |
Overall | 2.0 |
He's a former Navy S.E.A.L. with the combat experience to protect U.S. interests anywhere. But the day he arrives at his new post in a turbulent Eastern European nation, Commander Sam Keenan is thrust into a bloody and chaotic scene.
Starring: Jean-Claude Van Damme, Julie Cox, Razaaq Adoti, Vlad Ivanov, Emanuel ParvuAction | 100% |
Thriller | 67% |
War | 6% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1
English, French, Spanish
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 1.5 | |
Video | 2.5 | |
Audio | 3.5 | |
Extras | 0.0 | |
Overall | 2.0 |
Well, well, well. It's another direct-to-video Action dud set in Eastern Europe and filmed there, too. In Second in Command, Romania doubles for "Moldavia," a country, surprise, on the brink of chaos, and only Jean-Claude Van Damme can save the day! Sadly, Van Damme is also the obligatory washed-up star who absolutely sleepwalks through the film. The picture is also the victim of poor pacing, dull action scenes, a secondhand plot, nobody characters, and almost zero production values. Yes, it's the DTV Action flick at its bad movie zenith. At least Van Damme is still in good physical condition, unlike some of his more pleasantly plump peers. But no matter the shape or size of the star, the place or time in which the action takes place and the movie was filmed, or the quality of the picture or lack thereof. It all boils down to a formula movie made entirely with the idea of profiting on the bankability of its star, even if he's a faded star. It's clearly been thrown together with little thought, which is far more work than it demands from its audience.
It's always wet at the end.
Second in Command isn't the prettiest Blu-ray at the dance. Mill Creek's presentation of this Sony property is about as exciting and stimulating as watching beige paint dry. The picture plays with a stuffy, hazy, color-sucking yellow/brown/bronze sort of tint. Color is drained, and even the overlay looks awfully faded. There's no brilliance at all. The entire thing appears worn down and washed out. A few shots of camouflage uniforms look good enough, but this is about the worst color palette Blu-ray fans will find. Details aren't exactly leaping off the screen, either. The grain structure remains intact, and there's a basic proficiency to faces and clothes, but as far as nuanced textures go, there are none. Flesh tones are defined by those same awful color parameters, and black levels are usually terrible, appearing pale and pasty. For a good-looking picture, go elsewhere.
Second in Command's lossless soundtrack fares better than its video counterpart. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 presentation finds some real energy in places, and it's fairly well defined. There's a decent presence and fair heft to even the most routine scene and sound effect. The crowd ambience heard throughout the film is rarely authentically engaging, but it gets the job done with a fairly wide front end and a generous surround support. Gunfire never really explodes out of the speakers, but it's adequate for a low-end DTV flick. On the other hand, RPG projectiles zip through the stage with some accuracy and explosions pack a fairly hefty wallop. Music isn't all that aggressive, but that's its nature. Dialogue plays clearly enough through the center. The track offers an above-average listen for a below-average movie, but it's hardly reason enough to labor through the film.
Second in Command contains no bonus content.
Second in Command may not finish last in the ranking of "worst DTV Action movies," but it's a prime example of just how awful they can be. It's a bland experience all around, right down to the lifeless color scheme that sucks the energy straight out of the audience. The acting is terrible, the action is boring, and the plot is so thin that the movie could be rearranged a number of ways and still make sense, because it's literally almost nothing but boring action and equally boring and repetitive scenes in between. Mill Creek's Blu-ray release of Second in Command features bland video, good audio, and no extras. Skip it.
(Still not reliable for this title)
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