6.5 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
A homeless man is lured out into the wilderness where he is hunted for sport by a bunch of rich weirdos.
Starring: Ice-T, Rutger Hauer, Charles S. Dutton, Gary Busey, F. Murray AbrahamThriller | Insignificant |
Adventure | 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 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (locked)
Movie | 1.5 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 3.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Certainly the ways of competing productions is nothing new in Hollywood, with studios periodically doing battle with the same ideas, often racing to reach the screen first to at least claim some freshness before comparisons begin. We’re used to it with animated pictures (“Shark Tale” vs. “Finding Nemo,” “Antz” vs. “A Bug’s Life”), but dueling takes on “The Most Dangerous Game” featuring the physical might of homeless men on the run from a pack of relentless human hunters? 1993 and ’94 were a wild time for this stuff, with Universal first to the market with the wonderfully furious Jean- Claude Van Damme actioner, “Hard Target.” New Line Cinema showed up eight months later with “Surviving the Game,” which traded Van Damme’s muscular hustle and capable goon-smashing presence for Ice T and his less credible offering of self-defense. The two features share the same idea, but they’re truly worlds apart in execution, with “Surviving the Game” dismally directed by Ernest Dickerson (“Juice,” “Demon Knight”), who presents a viciously overacted take on rabid acts of survival, unwilling to control his hammy cast as they try to out-crazy one another, leaving Ice T to carry the little dramatic weight in the endeavor, and that’s…not happening.
The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation is listed as a "New 4K scan of the interpositive." There's a decent amount of detail during the viewing experience, examining the tattered appearances of the characters and their hunting outfits. Skin particulars are present, along with makeup additions. Cabin interiors retain decorative additions, but the feature mostly takes place in the outdoors, and the forest hunt remains dimensional, offering an appreciation of the vast locations. Colors retain defined greenery, and costuming carries sharp earth tones. Skin tones are natural. Delineation is satisfactory. Grain is decently resolved. Source is in good condition.
The 2.0 DTS-HD MA mix is the default option for "Surviving the Game," with IMDB listing this feature as a Dolby Stereo production. Dialogue exchanges are crisp throughout, with the actors occasionally reaching the limits of the sound equipment with their booming voices and overall volatility. Scoring supports with clear instrumentation, ranging from orchestral offerings to bluesy guitars to light jazz. Sound effects are appreciable, with snappy gunfire and heavier explosions. A 5.1 DTS-HD MA track is also provided, making use of some surround activity, but low-end lacks weight.
There's no reason to cheer on Mason, as Ice T can't summon a personality, bringing nothing but flat line readings to "Surviving the Game." Dickerson isn't sure what kind of movie he wants to make, electing to support the feature with the sounds of the blues, light jazz, and orchestral movements, which doesn't help the mood of the film. And there's the threat posed by the hunters, who act in such an unhinged manner, it's hard to believe they've kept their sinister business a secret for so long. Perhaps Dickerson was aiming for pure exploitation with "Surviving the Game," but the execution of this picture is so clumsy and spiritless, it never connects, even as brain-dead entertainment.
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