Terminal Velocity Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.0

Terminal Velocity Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov April 1, 2020

Deran Sarafian's "Terminal Velocity" (1994) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber. The supplemental features on the disc include a vintage trailer for the film and exclusive new audio commentary by entertainment journalist and author Bryan Reesman. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-A "locked".

From Russia with love

Don’t overanalyze the plot of Deran Sarafian’s film Terminal Velocity because you will get a headache. Actually, don’t analyze it at all, just stay with the film and accept that it needs to be a little silly to work as intended. If you do so, you’ll have a good time with it. If you don’t, you’ll need an aspirin. Maybe even two.

Charlie Sheen -- still looking sharp and very healthy -- is Ditch Brodie, a skydiver with a wild side who does jobs his competitors won’t. He is single but not a loner. Despite his best efforts he just hasn’t met the right girl to have a meaningful relationship with.

On a sunny day, a girl, who very much looks like the right girl, walks into Ditch’s office and asks that he takes her skydiving. Ditch ‘reluctantly’ agrees, they get up in the sky, and he begins explaining to her what to do after they jump off the plane. However, while he checks his parachute, the girl jumps off the plane and dies in the desert. Stunned by the ‘accident’, Ditch then begins digging for information about the girl’s past -- and nearly gets killed by a psycho hiding in her apartment. Not too long after that Ditch encounters Ben Pinkwater (James Gandolfini), who works for the government and is also interested in the dead girl’s story, and agrees to keep in touch with him. Then another beautiful girl (Nastassja Kinski) enters Ditch’s world and before he can fully grasp why the two become targets for the Russian mafia.

The script for Terminal Velocity came from David Twohy, whose work has been all over the place -- The Fugitive Waterworld, The Arrival and the Riddick films are all part of his legacy -- but in this particular film the quality of the script, which is inconsistent to say the least, is not a deal breaker. Here’s why:

There is nonstop action that leaves very little room for strong character arcs, but the film does not object. It very quickly moves from one situation to another and ratchets up its energy as best as it could, creating a sizzling atmosphere that makes the many questionable details of its plot practically irrelevant. A problematic concept for a film? Not really. The Jason Bourne films do the same, only on a much bigger stage and with plenty of exotic flavor.

This film also has a good sense of humor, which also hides the shortcomings of the script. Once it becomes clear that no matter what Ditch and his beautiful assistant do their opponents will be defeated, the action completely overtakes the plot. So, the variety and surprises come from the action, not the twists and turns a solid script would have produced, with the good sense of humor producing virtually all of the exotic flavor.

Sheen and Kinski share a good overall chemistry, but occasionally it does look like the former is itching to have a lot more fun with his character. Gandolfini is unpredictable, in a good way, and has the right type of energy. Christopher McDonald looks trapped in the body of a foreign character that has driven him on the verge of a complete nervous breakdown. He is funny but not the right actor for the part.

The action footage is sleek and very nicely edited. Often it is quite easy to tell that the camera does not just move along with the action but is positioned in places that make it appear far more elaborate than it really is. The film was lensed by Oliver Wood (TV’s Miami Vice, Face/Off).

Terminal Velocity Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 2.40:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Terminal Velocity arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber.

The release is sourced from an old master, but the only flaw that I can see is, well, its age. Here's what I mean:

The master is free of digital corrections and boasts a very solid overall organic appearance. Its density levels are strong as well, so on a large screen the visuals hold up about as nicely as possible. While a few nuances can be expanded, the current grading job is very convincing. Also, there are no age-related imperfections, so this is a very healthy master. In other words, its basic characteristics are strong. Now, here's where its age begins to show and where a future proper modern master will offer some minor but meaningful improvements. In some of the wider panoramic shots smaller background details will be better defined (see the couples in the upper area of the frame in screencapture #7). Also, in darker/nighttime footage shadow definition can be improved, and once it is, you will again see new ranges of finer nuances. But this is basically it. Yes, a modern master will deliver a finer grain structure as well, but this is a wide format film where the grain will become extremely tight if the master is done right and should appear extremely close to what you see on the current master. Bottom line is this: the current master maybe old, but it is very healthy and with extremely small limitations. (Note: This is a Region-A "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-A or Region-Free player in order to access its content).

Terminal Velocity Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are two standard audio tracks on this Blu-ray release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 and English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature. When turned on, they appear inside the image frame.

I don't have this film on DVD and therefore cannot comment on the type of improvements the lossless tracks offer. However, I viewed the entire film with the 5.1 track and was quite impressed with it. The film has a lot of action sequences with strong dynamic activity and the 5.1 track handles the, with great authority. Separation, dynamic stability, and balance are outstanding. Can a newly remastered audio mix offer any noticeable improvements? I am unsure. I think that when the current master for the film was created someone transferred the audio with great precision. On my system, the lossless 5.1 track sounds terrific.

Terminal Velocity Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Trailer - a vintage trailer for Terminal Velocity. In English, not subtitled. (3 min, 480/60i).

• Commentary - in this new audio commentary, entertainment journalist and author Bryan Reesman shares plenty of interesting information about Charlie Sheen's career and downfall, the production history and box office performance of Terminal Velocity, its visual style, and even some trends in action cinema during the late '80s and '90s. A really, really good commentary that is worth listening in its entirety.

• Additional Trailers -
  
  1. No Man's Land
  2. Aces: Iron Eagle III
  3. Fire Birds
  4. Bat 21
  5. Playing God
  6. City of Industry
  7. Retroactive

Terminal Velocity Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Charlie Sheen's downfall started with this film, at least officially, because it was his first major box office bomb and the mainstream critics used it to do a lot of damage to his image. Even though it does have a problematic script, I think that it is a fine film -- it promises high-octane action and delivers plenty. Kino Lorber's release is sourced from an old but very nice master and features an outstanding exclusive new audio commentary by entertainment journalist and author Bryan Reesman. (The commentary is one of the very best that I have heard recorded for a Kino Lorber release to date). HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.