Sergeant Ryker Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		3.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		2.5
Overall		3.0

Sergeant Ryker Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov February 21, 2023

Buzz Kulik's " Sergeant Ryker" (1968) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber. The supplemental features on the release include exclusive new audio commentary by critic and filmmaker Daniel Kramer as well as vintage trailer for the film. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-A "locked".

The traitor

Sometime during the Korean War. It is over. Captain David Young (Bradford Dillman) has been terrific in the courtroom and proven beyond a reasonable doubt that sergeant Paul Ryker (Lee Marvin) is a traitor. In a couple of days, the traitor will be hanged.

But when Ryker’s beautiful wife, Ann (Vera Miles), unexpectedly arrives at the military base where her husband is kept and asks Young to reexamine the overwhelming evidence proving his guilt, something strange happens. Young reluctantly agrees to reconsider his legal victory and then ignores protocol to gather new information, instantly causing odd ripple effects among his superiors, some of whom he considers very good friends. While interacting with Ann, Young then realizes that he is beginning to fall in love with her.

Still very much a skeptic, Young repeatedly meets Ryker in his cell, but the latter’s angry outburst and refusal to cooperate in any meaningful way that could help his exoneration push him on the verge of giving up. However, right before he does, Young discovers a procedural error that allows him to convince General Amos Bailey (Lloyd Nolan) to order a retrial. However, this time Young is ordered to defend Ryker in the courtroom while facing his superior and good friend Major Whittaker (Peter Graves).

The original material for Buzz Kulik’s film Sergeant Ryker comes from a short story written by Seeleg Lester, who adapted it for the big screen with William Gordon. A few years earlier, the same story had been used in two episodes of the TV series Kraft Suspense Theatre (1963).

Sergeant Ryker has plenty in common with Time Limit, the one and only film Karl Malden directed in 1957. For example, both films are set during the Korean War and tell stories that reexamine the classic definition of heroism. Both films dare to promote the idea that during a time of war, right and wrong are not as transparent as they may appear. These films have distinct chamber qualities that make them look like elaborate theater plays as well.

But Sergeant Ryker has more power plays that come from different directions. Indeed, after Miles appears Dillman begins to lead but is routinely interrupted by Marvin, Graves, and even a very good Murray Hamilton who plays a loose character with a drinking problem. As a result, while not necessarily superior, the drama that flourishes in Sergeant Ryker has more layers than the one in Time Limit. (It is worth pointing out, however, that Richard Widmark is significantly better than Dillman, so his nuanced performance single-handedly expands the drama in Time Limit).

In the second half, a couple of important discoveries begin reshaping Marvin’s story about a secret mission that has unjustly transformed him into a traitor. However, it is never perfectly clear whether the progress Dillman makes during the retrial is slowly transforming Marvin into a hero, which is very, very interesting. (In Time Limit, at the end there is a crystal-clear resolution). The bits of new information Marvin reveals point to a monumental error of judgment, but only if one accepts that Dillman’s comprehension and presentation of it before the court-martial is one hundred percent accurate. Also, Marvin’s final testimony is remarkably direct and moving, but no one can corroborate key revelations in it, so is he a hero that survived against all odds or an incredible chameleon that is outsmarting everyone, including Miles?

While Sergeant Ryker is difficult to describe as a visually striking film, the simplicity and precision of Oscar-nominated cinematographer Walter Strenge’s photography feel pitch-perfect. A young John Williams was hired to compose the soundtrack.

Sergeant Ryker Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.78:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Sergeant Ryker arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber.

The release is sourced from a very beautiful new 2K master, but I found the technical presentation a bit frustrating. I will do my best to describe what I saw and what I did not like because it is puzzling, to say the least.

The entire film has a very pleasing organic appearance. There are various density fluctuations during the flashbacks and the footage from the present, but they are introduced by the original cinematography. However, select areas of the film look unusually tight and some of the framing is clearly problematic. It affects close-ups and wider shots, and sometimes transitional footage as well. Usually, it is the upper end of the frame that reveals the most obvious anomalies because portions of heads are chopped off (see examples in screencaptures #2, 9, 24, 26, 28, and 29). There is one particular sequence with Peter Graves at the end of the film that just looks very awkward. I do not know why that is, but I do know that an Oscar-nominated cinematographer would not have shot the film this way. Similar misframing could happen if someone attempted to reframe a 1.37:1 master to 1.78:1/1.85:1 and did not do it properly, but I am unsure what has happened here. Color balance is very good. Saturation could be slightly better and if it is the overall dynamic range of the visuals would be improved as well, but I like how the film looks now. A few blemishes, black marks, and small scratches can be seen, but there are no distracting large cuts, warped or torn frames to report. My score is 3.25/5.00. (Note: This is a Region-A "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore,

Sergeant Ryker 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 audio is very clear, sharp, and easy to follow. Stability is good, too. However, dynamic contrasts are very modest even in areas where the music is prominent and there are a few shootouts and explosions. This is a limitation that is inherited from the film's original sound design. I did not encounter any age-related anomalies to report in our review.

Sergeant Ryker Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary - this exclusive new audio commentary was recorded by critic and filmmaker Daniel Kramer.

• Trailer - vintage trailer for Sergeant Ryker. In English, not subtitled. (2 min).

• Cover - reversible cover with vintage poster art for Sergeant Ryker.

Sergeant Ryker Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The ambiguity at the end of Buzz Kulik's Sergeant Ryker is very unexpected and raises quite a few interesting questions. The cast is wonderful, but I do not think that anyone would be surprised. If you decide to see Sergeant Ryker, I also recommend that you track down a copy of Karl Malden's Time Limit, which is a very similar, terrifically acted film. Kino Lorber's release is sourced from an exclusive new 2K master that gives Sergeant Ryker a very healthy organic appearance, but I think that it has some framing issues.