Target Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.5

Target Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov April 27, 2026

Arthur Penn's "Target" (1985) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber. The supplemental features on the release include archival program with Gene Hackman; archival program with Arthur Penn; archival program with producers Richard D. Zanuck and David Brown; and exclusive new audio commentary by critic Adrian Martin. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

Old tricks

Target is the twin brother of Gotcha!. The two tackle the same material, look equally ridiculous, and are equally entertaining. Both were released in 1985. One of them has a slightly bigger ego, but this is a common flaw among twins. Am I shooting in the dark here by declaring that these films have an unmissable bond? No, and it makes perfect sense that they do. I will explain why shortly.

The fun begins in a small town in Texas where the Lloyds are living the good life. Well, sort of. They are all busy making other people happy, and most of the time, they openly share their frustration with the mismanagement of the little things that should make their lives worth living. They are a functional family, but all three are looking in different directions.

One of the Lloyds is heading in a different direction, too. Donna (Gayle Hunnicut) is packing her bags to go to Paris, a city she has always wanted to explore. It would have been better to do it with her husband, Walter (Gene Hackman), but after wasting numerous opportunities waiting for him to stop working and join her, she is going there alone. Well, not entirely alone. She is going with several coworkers, some of whom she considers good friends. Donna is not going to Paris on vacation either, but to work, so she will be mixing business with pleasure. However, shortly after Donna lands in Paris, Walter is informed that she has been kidnapped. He panics but then regains his composure and, several hours later, together with his twentysomething son, Chris (Matt Dillon), boards the next plane heading her way.

In Paris, at the overcrowded airport, while Chris is away talking to a beautiful stranger, someone attempts and fails to kill Walter. At the very busy American embassy, Walter then uses several tricks to get in touch with Taber (Josef Sommer), an old friend and colleague, while the utterly perplexed Chris gradually realizes that his father may not be the man he grew up loving in Texas. In the days ahead, as a plan is put together to free Donna, various shadow figures emerge, and Walter once again becomes a target. However, this time, Chris is next to his father, helping him stay alive.

For approximately twenty minutes, Target works hard to convince that it might be a legitimate thriller whose understanding of crime and its consequences is as good as those of the many similar films that emerged from the 1970s. But by the time Hackman initiates the irreversible transformation of his character, a former CIA employee who has quietly reset his life in Texas while using a new identity, it is already painfully obvious that neither screenwriters Don Petersen and Howard Beck nor director Arthur Penn wanted it to be that kind of film. Indeed, Target was always meant to be like Gotcha!.

What does this mean exactly? It means it was supposed to be a crowd pleaser first, and then everything else, and during the 1980s, crowd pleasers did a lot of very silly things to entertain. For example, all such films that recognized the ideological division of our planet produced very goofy characters who had practically nothing in common with the rough and tough characters who ruled the films of the previous decade. Also, the goofy characters enthusiastically engaged in silly material of the kind that made it virtually impossible for 1980s films to appear authentic. MTV had a lot to do with this dramatic change because many of these films began capitalizing on the popularity of the content it aired. As a result, by the late 1980s, MTV also evolved into one of the best platforms where these films were promoted.

The MTV influence is not as obvious in Target as it is in Gotcha!, which proudly blasts huge hits like Frankie Goes to Hollywood's Relax and Two Tribes and Bronski Beat's Smalltown Boy, but its depiction of the supposedly deadly spy game is full of the same silly surprises. For example, both films have very sexy female spies who accidentally bump into their male targets and then enthusiastically go to bed with them.

Hackman and Dillon are an awkward pair. However, the mismatch makes the silliness more effective. The former takes his character very seriously and is predictably good, while the latter is clearly miscast and stumbles throughout the entire film. The wild contrasts, which are practically everywhere, are absolutely hilarious.

Target Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

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

In 2024, we reviewed this American release of Target, produced by Kino Lorber. It was sourced from a good organic master, likely prepared a while ago. Imprint Films' release is sourced from the same master and offers an identical presentation of the film. While there is room for some small but meaningful improvements, this is good news.

On a large screen, it is easy to see that in some areas, grain exposure can be more even and tighter. However, there are no traces of any problematic digital corrections, and this is why the entire film has a stable organic appearance. Color reproduction and balance are very good. However, this is the other area where some small yet meaningful improvements can be made. For example, several ranges of supporting nuances can be strengthened. Saturation levels can be rebalanced as well. If such improvements are made, the dynamic range of the visuals will be more convincing. Finally, some small white flecks can be seen popping up here and there. Regardless, the current master preserves the film's native appearance and produces strong visuals. (Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray release. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your player regardless of your geographical location).

Target Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are two standard audio tracks on this Blu-ray release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and English LPCM 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

I decided to revisit the film with the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track. It is a good lossless track, free of any major age-related anomalies. However, like the 2.0 track on the Kino Lorber release I have in my library, its dynamic strength could be a bit better. Or, at least it seems so to me. During the big car chase sequence, for instance, dynamic strength is slightly underwhelming. This could very well be an inherited limitation, but I also feel that is how the audio was finalized when the current master was prepared.

Target Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary - this exclusive new audio commentary was recorded by critic Adrian Martin.

• Gene Hackman - in this archival program, Gene Hackman discusses his involvement with Target and the work that the famous French stuntman Remy Julien (and his son) did during the action sequences. Hackman also comments on differences between Target and Twice in a Lifetime, another film he made at approximately the same time that deals with divorce issues. In English, not subtitled. (7 min).

• Arthur Penn - in this archival program, Arthur Penn discusses his collaboration with Gene Hackman in Target and reveals why he is one of the best of his generation, and comments on Matt Dillon's performance and his chemistry with Hackman. In English, not subtitled. (7 min).

• Richard D. Zanuck and David Brown - in this archival program, producers Richard D. Zanuck and David Brown discuss the conception of Target. Also, the two interviewees comment on the state of the film industry in 1985, as well as VCR's impact on theatrical revenue and film production. In English, not subtitled. (6 min).

Target Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Gene Hackman stars in a legit '70s Cold War thriller, while Matt Dillon stars in an '80s parody where just about anything is possible. This makes Target an awkward film, but a pretty entertaining one, too. I think that it will be appreciated by folks who enjoyed Gotcha!, which competed with it in 1985. Imprint Films' release of Target is sourced from the same older but good organic master that Kino Lorber used to produce the film's American release in 2024. However, it has several exclusive archival bonus features. RECOMMENDED.