6.4 | / 10 |
Users | 4.5 | |
Reviewer | 2.5 | |
Overall | 2.6 |
A government agent discovers a plot by a cartel of seven gangsters to take over the state of Hawaii. He hires a team of seven hitmen to stop them.
Starring: William Smith (I), Barbara Leigh, Guich Koock, Christopher Joy, Art MetranoCrime | Insignificant |
Drama | Insignificant |
Action | 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 (48kHz, 16-bit)
BDInfo
None
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (locked)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 2.5 | |
Audio | 2.5 | |
Extras | 3.0 | |
Overall | 2.5 |
The title “Seven” is most associated with the chilling 1995 David Fincher hit, which provided a depressing reminder of the world’s cruelties and capacity for evil. Director Andy Sidaris actually used the title earlier, and I think most people would rather live in his world. 1979’s “Seven” is a secret agent actioner from Sidaris, who’s best known for movies such as “Hard Ticket to Hawaii,” “Savage Beach,” and “Malibu Express,” creating a career that often highlights pretty people engaging in ultraviolence, always in a warm, tropical setting. He’s a master in the “girls with guns” subgenre, and “Seven” is his second pass at establishing exploitation career interests, this time taking the mayhem to Hawaii, where the battle begins between wicked men and the select few hired by the government to assassinate them. Sidaris is known for one thing, and he does it relatively well in the picture, which understands ridiculousness, but remains focused enough to supply a fun ride of chases, bikinis, and extreme concentration on villain routines.
Apparently, "Seven" has gone without a home video release since the VHS days, making the jump to Blu-ray potentially special for fans of the film. Unfortunately, the AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation is stuck with aged materials, coming through without much in the way of detail, as softness dominates. Hawaiian vistas are flattened, missing natural vibrancy and depth. Costuming is adequate, though true textures are smoothed out. Facial and body particulars don't stun, even with all the skin on display. Colors are slightly faded but remain appreciable, with island hues, including yellows and blues, passable. Ample skintones remain in the neighborhood of tanned appeal. Delineation thickens periodically. Chroma noise is an issue throughout the viewing experience. Speckling is found and brief warping is detected.
Age is also apparent during the "Seven" listening experience, with the 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix hit pretty hard with hiss issues that carry throughout, and other signs of rhythmic damage are found intermittently. Dialogue exchanges aren't difficult to follow, but crispness is elusive, diluting expositional stretches and violent stand-offs. Scoring is also limited, with tribal beats reaching slight distortion when reaching their most aggressive rumbling. Sound effects are loud enough to add punch to explosions and gun shots. Atmospherics manage to communicate the Hawaiian way.
"Seven" often plays like a travelogue, taking viewers all over the islands, occasionally employing a helicopter to secure the grandest vistas. Sidaris clearly adores the location, and he uses it well, keeping flesh exposed, greenery vivid, and beaches loaded with people. However, the movie has a mission to explore, and the final act is devoted to the team and their efforts to pull off a seemingly impossible task of coordination, giving themselves a half hour to change to future of Hawaii. Sidaris lubricates the thrill ride atmosphere with explosions, highway shootouts, and the return of the skateboard killer. And when the physical stuff won't do, the screenplay piles on wordplay (including period references to Helen Reddy), trying to remain as mischievous as possible without becoming overly silly. The production doesn't have a large budget to work with, but Sidaris knows what production elements to emphasize to sustain proper escapism, and while he would go on to perfect his B-movie attitude, "Seven" is the foundation poured for future bikini shenanigans, gifting viewers a series of thrills, some cheap, but all quite satisfying.
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