7.1 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
During WW2, German POWs in Britain plot to escape from their prison camp in Scotland.
Starring: Brian Keith, Helmut Griem, Ian Hendry, Jack Watson, Patrick O'Connell (I)War | 100% |
Drama | 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 2.0 Mono (48kHz, 16-bit)
English
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (locked)
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 2.5 | |
Extras | 1.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
With war films, the battle between good and evil is often rigidly defined. 1970’s “The McKenzie Break” isn’t celebrating the bad guys, but it pays a considerable amount of attention to their sneaky plans. It’s “The Great Escape” in reverse, following the exploits of Nazi POWs in Scotland planning to tunnel their way to freedom. The only man who can stop them? Surprisingly, it’s Brian Keith, here portraying Irish officer Connor, who’d rather be seducing women and draining a flask than dealing with smug Nazis, led by Captain Schlueter (Helmut Griem).
The AVC encoded image (1.84:1 aspect ratio) presentation does reveal its age, with colors not quite as potent, showing some fatigue. Skintones also run slightly ruddy. Period cinematography isn't concerned with sharpness, but a modest amount of fine detail is found with costuming and dramatic close-up, and some set decoration is open for inspection. Grain is heavy but rarely oppressive, providing filmic texture. Delineation isn't robust, but complete solidification is largely avoided, with the darker tunnel-digging sequences preserved adequately.
The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix also showcases age, offering a thick listening experience that's passable but never pleasurable. Dialogue exchanges are intelligible but retain a slightly muffled quality that mutes dramatic range. Group activity in enemy barracks hits a few crispy highs. Scoring is animated but never dynamic, only retaining life when carrying the film with necessary loudness. Atmospherics are tame, regulated to military bustle and tunnel activity. Grander displays of violence offer bluntness, not precision, though the general idea of mayhem isn't completely diluted.
"The McKenzie Break" is aided by great performances, finding Keith and Griem well-matched as the cat and mouse. Johnson also stages engaging sequences of subterfuge, creating excitement with near-misses as Connor gets closer to Schlueter's plan. The picture is well-paced and periodically amusing, with laughs provided by Connor's general reluctance to take part in the investigation. It all leads to a slam-bang finale of chases and timing, which climaxes a simple B-movie with a necessary punch. "The McKenzie Break" doesn't have much, but it offers a reasonable sense of surprise.
1969
1955
2005
2002
1993
1964
The Rank Collection
1957
1979
1976
2006
2014
1969
2011
1967
Unrated Director's Cut
2005
2014
1976
1967
1946
1983