The Other Side of the Mountain: Part 2 Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		2.0
Video		3.0
Audio		3.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		2.5

The Other Side of the Mountain: Part 2 Blu-ray Movie Review

A lackluster sequel lacking in imagination.

The Other Side of the Mountain: Part 2 continues the story that explores the journey of the human spirit. Produced by Edward S. Feldman (Witness, The Truman Show), The Other Side of the Mountain: Part 2 brings back Marilyn Hassett as Jill Kinmont – and delves further in to her story. Can Jill find true happiness?

Jill Kinmont (Marilyn Hassett) decides to live life to her fullest. Returning to her roots in her hometown, Jill attempts to rekindle her passions in life. The journey taken is one that is full of unexpected surprises. As Jill meets a kind-hearted trucker, John Boothe (Timothy Bottoms), a unexpected romance begins to stir between the pair. The journey is one that Jill never expected to go on. Despite heartache and turmoil, Jill gasps for air as she fights for her future.

Marilyn Hassett delivers a decent performance as Jill Kinmont. The role has some interesting elements and there are some sequences which make the film worth watching once. The role is well-performed and Hassett has fun with her role. On the other hand, Timothy Bottoms seems like a bottom-of-the-barrel choice. The performance by Bottoms hits rock-bottom as the actor never manages to bring dramatic weight to the role.

Beyond the mountain.

Edited by Walter Hannemann (Smokey and the Bandit, Jet Job) and Eve Newman (Wild in the Streets, Two-Minute Warning), The Other Side of the Mountain Part 2 seems overlong and poorly executed. Nothing seems to click perfectly. No doubt, a huge element behind that feeling is the average edit. While the film is short at 100 minutes, The Other Side of the Mountain: Part 2 would have been better with even less excess – perhaps a 90 minute cut would have yielded better results.

The music composed by Lee Holdridge (Old Gringo, Splash) never makes a big impression and the cinematography by Ric Waite (Cobra, Red Dawn) is acceptable if underwhelming. Even the art direction by William L. Campbell (Black Gold) lacks the kind of finesse one would hope for.

Larry Peerce (The Other Side of the Mountain, The Incident) returns as director and attempts to make a solid sequel. Unfortunately, Peerce misses the mark and The Other Side of the Mountain: Part 2 is less fun than the original was (and that is certainly saying something). The screenplay by Douglas Day Stewart (The Scarlet Letter, The Blue Lagoon) lacks the kind of character- development needed to propel the story forward in a compelling way. The Other Side of the Mountain: Part 2 simply seems to be an ill- conceived romantic-drama. Skip it.

The Other Side of the Mountain: Part 2 Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber, The Other Side of the Mountain: Part 2 is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high-definition in the original aspect ratio of 1.85:1 widescreen. The video presentation is similar in appearance to the first film but actually looks a little less well- preserved. Certainly, The Other Side of the Mountain: Part 2 shows its age even more than the first film did. Throughout the presentation, colors are consistently lackluster and never seem to "pop" off of the screen. The print is in decent shape though and there is an acceptable amount of detail to be seen. Perhaps the best positive to the transfer is that film grain is intact and preserved. The scan simply seems dated and underwhelming nonetheless.

The Other Side of the Mountain: Part 2 Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release is presented in DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. The lossless audio track is serviceable and it manages to "do the trick" well- enough. Dialogue sounds fine – never hoarse or muffled. The track doesn't sound as crisp and dynamic as a more modern film. Nor does the audio ever seem to be as exciting in regards to high-fidelity. Nonetheless, it is a decent audio track that is free from egregious issues with regards to crackle, hiss, pops, clicks, and other audio-related anomalies.

Optional English subtitles are provided.

The Other Side of the Mountain: Part 2 Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Interview with Director Larry Peerce (HD, 19:37)

The Other Side of the Mountain Trailer (SD, 1:10)

The Other Side of the Mountain 2 Trailer (SD, 2:19)

The release also includes a selection of trailers promoting other releases available from distributor Kino Lorber: Hard to Hold (SD, 2:45) and The Landlord (HD, 2:33).

The Other Side of the Mountain: Part 2 Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The Other Side of the Mountain: Part 2 is a lackluster sequel with no real imagination. The only reason to see the film is the performance by Marilyn Hassett (who performs admirably). As far as the direction and screenwriting goes, The Other Side of the Mountain: Part 2 is a mess that is a lackluster effort in more ways than one. The Blu-ray release features an average video-audio presentation. Perhaps it is worth a look for fans (but no one else).