Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		3.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		0.0
Overall		2.5

The Killing Machine Blu-ray Movie Review

Pretty standard stuff.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman February 28, 2011

No one cares if I walk out so long as the mark doesn't.

In The Killing Machine, aging Action star Dolph Lundgren (Universal Soldier: Regeneration) plays a former KGB agent forced back into action after years of trying to make a go of a normal life. It's a straightforward run-and-gun sort of movie that's high on action and at the same time nicely focused on the personal drama and development of its characters. It's all well and good, a fair movie that's a step up from the lower rungs of the DTV universe, but it doesn't compete with the bigger and better Action films in terms of scope and "wow" factor. It's a cookie-cutter sort of film that's made from better ingredients than low-rent junk like Game of Death thanks to a script that actually gives a darn about things like plot and characterization, as generic as both may be in the grand scheme of the movie at large. Props to The Killing Machine for actually taking the time on those things that don't normally matter in a movie like this; audiences (and reviewers forced to sit through some pretty bad Action movies) really do appreciate the added effort.

Dolph doing work.

Edward Genn (Lundgren) is a straight-shooter trying to live a normal life. He's ex-KGB, a hardened killer, and a skilled assassin, but he wants only to put that life behind him for good. He's gone straight, working an honest job in Vancouver, but his past has caught up with him, forcing him to leave his wife and daughter for their own safety. Unfortunately, some of Genn's former associates see him as a liability, and they've taken to hunting the man they know as code name: Icarus down, even if that means destroying his family along the way. When Genn's new girlfriend is killed and his daughter barely escapes the attack, he has no choice but to take the fight to those who would kill him to protect his family and save himself, no matter the cost.

The Killing Machine is fairly representative of the absolute midpoint of the Action genre. The film is built around gunplay, but it takes just enough time to build up its primary characters to the point that audiences will care about their fates, at least for the duration of the film. The action is of the typical shoot-em-up variety with a straight-shooting and mostly bulletproof hero gunning down a bunch of bad-shot thugs through the course of the film. The acting is passable in spite of a generic storyline, the pacing is solid, and the direction is of the newfangled handheld shaky-cam sort that strives, it seems, to give the action a little more of a first-person perspective and urgency. It's all well and good, enough to satisfy Action fans and with a storyline that's just good enough to pass the time between gun battles and beat-em-up fisticuffs. Really, there's not much else to say in that regard. The Killing Machine is nothing new, but it does "average" about as well as can be expected of a film of this sort.

The gunplay is pretty standard, but where The Killing Machine stands apart from like-minded films is in the importance of characterization and relationships. The Killing Machine does a fair enough job of painting the protagonist as a hardened man, a man scarred by the pains of murder, violence, and divorce, hoping to now put the past behind him and discover a semblance of a normal existence. Dolph Lundgren plays the part well enough, giving some weight to the character and playing it in convincing fashion, both his Action movie skills and age coming into play and giving a bit more credence to the story arc. Lundgren is often dismissed as nothing more than a leftover 1980s fad; he's certainly not a top actor, but he's a hard worker who's put in his time, paid his dues, and actually does a fair job in most of his movies. The Killing Machine is no exception; sure he mumbles some of his lines, but both is body and heart are in the right place, and he commands the movie to the point that both the action and characterization are improved upon thanks to his efforts. The Killing Machine does stumble a bit in terms of its sheer predictability -- those characters who are not as they appear do indeed switch sides at some point in the film -- but the movie overcomes its shortcomings just enough to make for a passably entertaining flick that challenges its audience to pay a bit more attention and care a little more for the characters than is the norm for a movie of this stature.

The Killing Machine Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The Killing Machine features a nice-looking 1080p Blu-ray transfer. Though shot on HD video, the image yields a fair sense of depth, and while a moderate amount of noise creeps in from time to time, banding is minimal and blocky backgrounds are never a concern. Fine detail is quite good; the transfer reveals every heavy line running across Dolph Lundgren's face, and the transfer also handles clothing textures and general "real world" detail quite well. Colors favor a slightly warm texture but appear well-balanced and generally natural; unfortunately, black crush is evident in places, but skin tones retain a neutral/natural flavor. This is a pretty basic image; it's highly proficient even considering a few trouble areas, and most viewers will be pleased with the amount of effort given to an otherwise invisible Blu-ray release of a low-end Action movie.

The Killing Machine Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The Killing Machine's Dolby TrueHD 5.1 lossless soundtrack encounters a few bumps along the way, but the presentation is generally satisfying, if not even a bit likable during several action scenes. Music can sometimes play with a slightly muffled effect, whether intentional or not; some of the beats heard early in the film lack a distinct clarity, but there's a mushiness to some loud and thumping club music that nicely recreates what one might reasonably expect to hear in a similar real-world locale. Generally, however, music is accurate as it plays across the front, with enough volume and a good deal of pinpoint clarity. It's not super-great, but it's certainly adequate for a bargain-basement Action picture. Gunfire, much like music, sounds a bit muffled early on, but the track really opens up nicely and delivers a commanding, hard-hitting texture during most of the later gunfights. Bullets impact surfaces with authority, and the cracks of various gunshots are delivered with a hard-hitting oomph. The surround channels carry much of the action and even some ambient sound effects, such as pouring rain. Dialogue represents the track's primary problem; it's regularly unbalanced and words are sometimes hard to hear, and not simply because Lundgren muffles some of his lines. There's a clear problem in the track that doesn't render it unlistenable but that definitely puts a damper on an otherwise solid all-around Action movie listen.

The Killing Machine Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The Killing Machine features no extras and no menu, whether of the "top" or "pop-up" variety.

The Killing Machine Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The Killing Machine won't win any awards. It's not even Dolph Lundgren's best B-level Action movie, but the film does strive to be a little bit more than a generic run-and-gunner, even if the plot probably took a whole 20 seconds to conceive. It's a decent enough effort that will probably be overlooked by all but the most hardcore of Action movie fans and admirers of Dolph Lundgren's work. It's worth a bit more than that, but this is a film destined to languish at top of the "generic Action movie" cesspool. At least being on the top is better than floundering around at the bottom. Anchor Bay's Blu-ray release of The Killing Machine doesn't even offer a menu, let alone extras. Fortunately, the video and audio transfers are in relatively good shape, only some hard-to-hear dialogue really dragging the latter down. It's worth picking up given viewers have the right expectations in hand alongside the few bucks Best Buy wants for this store exclusive release.