Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		3.5
Extras		0.0
Overall		3.5

The Muthers Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf March 6, 2018

1976’s “The Muthers” is happy to participate in a multitude of subgenres, hoping to appeal to as many audiences as possible with a relatively simple product. The overall mood is rooted in Blaxploitation, focusing on tough black women and the nonsense they reject, but there are also cinematic avenues to explore that include martial art displays and women-in-prison entertainment. “The Muthers” isn’t classy, trying very hard to follow filmmaking trends, but director Cirio H. Santiago launches an amusing assault, working to keep the endeavor on the go with action encounters and assorted survival challenges.

Kelly (Jeannie Bell) is the leader of The Muthers, a pirate squad patrolling the seas looking for trouble and sorting out enemies, often clashing with Turko (John Montgomery), a rival. Contacted by the U.S. Justice Department, Kelly is informed that her sister, Sandra, has been captured by Monteiro (Tony Carreon), the wicked leader of Salir Si Puede, a sprawling coffee plantation that doubles as a prison. Setting out to rescue her sibling, Kelly and co-pirate Angela (Rosanne Katon) go undercover in Salir Si Puede, meeting a friendly face in Marcie (Trina Parks), who advises against challenging Monteiro. Facing trouble from the men in charge and their lackey, Serena (Jayne Kennedy), Kelly and Angela make a plan to bust out of the plantation, only to find Monteiro a tougher opponent than expected.

“The Muthers” actually does a little pirating before it finally makes its way to the prison location. Kelly is established as a force of nature, guiding her team through dangerous encounters with bad men, with Turko a particular irritant, creating a rivalry that supports some first-act fireworks. However, Santiago doesn’t have the money to keep “The Muthers” on the high seas, eventually settling into the plantation location, which provides a chance to showcase power plays between Kelly and Monteiro, a brutish man who uses the inmates as his personal playthings (especially Serena), and deliver some mild torture sequences and displays of nudity to preserve the feature’s marketability. There are no surprises when it comes to the exploitation interests of the production, but Santiago casts well, finding Bell a powerful figure of resistance, and the movie has a terrific stunt spirit, keeping the cast in action with flexible martial art showdowns and leap-happy jungle escapes.

The Muthers Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encode image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation for "The Muthers" deals just fine with aged materials, finding Vinegar Syndrome reviving the core viewing experience, which delivers detail throughout. Facial particulars are valued for atmospheric punishment, picking up on sweaty appearances, but exploitation interests are also open for examination, including thin fabrics and bodily harm. Distances offer some clarity. Colors are appropriately refreshed, with strong primaries on costuming and jungle greenery. Blue waters are appealingly pronounced. Grain is fine and filmic. Delineation is secure. Source has its share of scratches and speckling.

The Muthers Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 1.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix delivers the basics of "The Muthers." Due to the age and obscurity of the picture, precise definition is lacking, but as these types of blunt endeavors tend to go, dialogue comes through without any major issues, achieving dramatic exchanges and action intensity. Scoring is thin but supportive, handling various moods. Sound effects are harsh but effective, with louder gunfire and whooshing sound library classics for displays of martial arts.

The Muthers Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

There is no supplementary material on this disc.

The Muthers Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"The Muthers" eventually transitions from the prison to the jungle, delivering more survival situations for the characters, including treatment for a snakebite. There are also chases to enjoy on land and sea, and the intimidation factor for this type of production is reasonably strong. Santiago doesn't always know where to go with his story, leading to a few mid-movie dead spots, but interesting characterizations remain, including Serena's compliance with her captors, with Angela equating her subservience with a cowering slave. Not that "The Muthers" is ever political, but there are hostilities here that spice up the norm, adding some racial sensitivity to a rescue tale. The rest of the feature isn't that ambitious, but there's enough bodily harm, near-misses, and scripted twists to make for an engaging sit. Even if Santiago doesn't go far enough with the women-in-prison routine, he manages to stage an exciting stunt show.