Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		3.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.0

Sexmission Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf February 17, 2024

The future is female in 1984’s “Sexmission.” It’s a Polish production from writer/director Juliusz Machulski, who looks for a way to examine gender roles and power plays while trying to remain slightly cheeky with the endeavor. The helmer delivers a periodically clever understanding of relationships and genre additions, out to craft a B-movie with a brain as the material pokes at the Polish experience in the 1980s and takes on the evergreen tension between males and females, depicted here in all forms of extremity.

In 1991, a scientific experiment is about to commence, with leading minds preparing to put Max (Jerzy Stuhr) and Albert (Olgierd Lukaszewicz) into hibernation for three years, looking to test such revolutionary equipment. Expecting a short slumber in the name of adventure, the men eventually find themselves reawakened in strange surroundings, unable to understand what’s going on. Max and Albert are surrounded by females, including contact Lamia (Bozena Stryjkowna), who informs the duo that it’s now 2044, and Earth, thanks to wayward weaponry during a war, has managed to eliminate all males. Shocked by the news, Max and Albert are forced to experience a lengthy quarantine period where they process all this information, soon facing the leadership of the new world order while looking for a chance to escape.

“Sexmission” isn’t a big-budget endeavor, largely keeping to a bunker setting as Max and Albert are thawed out in the future. They’re mostly stuck in a quarantine room, dealing with their time travel news in their own special ways, with Max the more animated member of the team, exploring new forms of food and surveillance while time passes. Machulski is playing most of “Sexmission” for laughs, and he’s not above some sexploitation to help capture audience attention, keeping nudity common as toplessness isn’t taboo in 2044, which makes Max incredibly happy. Plot is limited to discoveries and relationships, with Lamia becoming a major part of the tale, drawn to the oddness of maleness and all the physical contact it demands at times.

Sexmission Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation is listed as "newly restored and color graded by Vinegar Syndrome from an existing 2K studio master." "Sexmission" enjoys softer cinematography, and visual intent seems intact during the viewing experience. Colors are passable, working with the sharp hues of future world living, delivering bright primaries on liquids and lighting displays. Costuming also carries some power, and last act greenery is distinct. Skin tones are natural. Detail is acceptable, exploring softer skin surfaces and costuming, which carries some texture. Bunker rooms are somewhat dimensional, and a few exterior shots retain depth. Delineation is satisfactory. Grain looks a little processed, but remains film-like. Source is in good shape.

Sexmission Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA secures crisp dialogue exchanges, exploring degrees of character panic and protest. Music is limited, but offers clear support and instrumentation. Sound effects are appreciable, adding some tech noises to bunker life.

Sexmission Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Booklet (14 pages) includes an essay by Tomaz Kolankiewicz.

• Commentary features film historian Jeremy Richey.

• "Mission, Exmission, Sexmission" (15:01, HD) is an interview with actor Olgierd Lukaszewicz.

• "Mission Accomplished?" (17:28, HD) is a video essay by Andrew Nette.

• "Dark Side of the Moon" (11:33, HD) is an appreciation piece by Tomaz Kolankiewicz.

• A Trailer has not been included on this release.

Sexmission Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Sexmission" isn't outrageously funny, and Machulski genuinely believes he can draw out the sitcom premise for a full two hour run time, which is much too long for something this light. However, many scenes hit as intended, challenging viewers with certain gender ideas from the era, and there's plenty of peculiarity in the feature, which runs its end credit scroll over an extreme close-up shot of a baby's penis. "Sexmission" has a few surprises, and performances are largely the reason to stick with it, with the leads offering animated takes on shock, lust, and scheming, leading to an interesting literary-esque conclusion. It's not quite a whip-crack of sophistication, but the film has ideas it communicates somewhat successfully.