Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		2.0
Audio		3.5
Extras		2.0
Overall		2.5

The Real McCoy Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf February 22, 2019

It’s easy why 1993’s “The Real McCoy” was made. It’s based on a novel Desmond Lowden and offers actors meaty parts concerning the anxieties of economic and criminal entanglements, unfolding with Georgian thickness as a battle of wits plays out during the preparation and execution of a bank robbery. It’s also a heist movie, which are traditionally easy sells, gifting audiences a chance to spend time with master thieves as they figure out ways to separate piles of cash from their vault home. However, “The Real McCoy” doesn’t have much in the way of dramatic firepower, handing the lead role to Kim Basinger, who’s never been one to project on-screen authority, and the director is Russell Mulcahy, then a mere two years past his nearly career-ending work on “Highlander II: The Quickening.” The puzzle makes sense, but the pieces don’t fit in the picture, which spends more time laboring through tedious confrontations than it does with snappy acts of thievery. It’s clear the feature is trying to do something with its collection of irritable characters and personal connections, but Mulcahy doesn’t get the effort out of first gear, settling on flatness when the material deserves more excitement.

Six years ago, Karen (Kim Basinger) dropped out of a major bank heist when things went south, unable to avoid arrest during a high profile job. Now she’s out of prison and ready to reconnect with the life she abandoned, hoping to see Patrick (Zach English), the son she’s barely met. Struggling with Roy (Nick Searcy), her deadbeat ex-husband, Karen is informed that Patrick thinks his real mother is dead, putting her in a tough position of responsibility. Karen is also targeted by her parole officer, Gary (Gailard Sartain), a corrupt man who reconnects the former thief with Jack (Terence Stamp), the criminal kingpin she disappointed six years ago. Offering Karen a shot at a fortune if she agrees to a new bank job, Jack turns to drastic measures to grab her attention, kidnapping Patrick and holding him in his palatial estate. With no one to turn to, Karen agrees to plan the big robbery, finding support from J.T. (Val Kilmer), a fan of the robber and Jack’s relative, who’s eager to make something happen with his idol, embarking on an elaborate plan to infiltrate a state-of-the-art vault in the bowels of a highly protected Atlanta bank.

The set-up for “The Real McCoy” rolls out with energy, catching up with Karen as she exits a six-year stint in prison for her aborted bank robbery, entering the big house as a master thief with a baby, and exiting as defeated woman trying to rebuild what was lost, hoping to find work to satisfy Gary, her exceptionally tough parole officer, and a man who’s willing to throw Karen back behind bars for even the smallest offence. Early scenes track Karen’s inability to find employment, dealing with a society that doesn’t want a parolee on the payroll, messing with plans to restart her life. The first act of “The Real McCoy” actually contains its most interesting dramatics, with literary plotting pitting Karen against the system, her stained past, and the frantic ways of her ex-husband, who’s in a deep financial hole. Contributing to early woes is the revelation that Patrick has been told his mother has passed away, putting Karen in a difficult position of influence, unsure if she can even reach out and restore what was lost with her son. Also observed is the casual dismissal the main character experiences everywhere she goes, with some men commenting how well she’s “kept her figure” after being in prison, while others decide to paw her whenever possible, adding just a dash of predatory behavior to muddy the waters for a woman who can’t fight back.

“The Real McCoy” eventually moves past Karen’s woes to deal with the bank job, and the whole endeavor flattens once formula starts to take command. There’s a heist to plan and stakes to raise, finding Karen forced to comply after Jack takes Patrick, keeping him inside a mansion that’s populated with exotic animals and hired goons. There are threats made, one extended escape sequence at a lakeside cabin, and some initial hesitation, but soon the screenplay gets into the thick of planning the break in, with Karen and J.T. trying to figure out how to infiltrate a vault that’s covered with security cameras and assorted technical roadblocks. “The Real McCoy” attempts to have some fun with the mission, sending Karen into the bank as a potential customer, giving Basinger a chance to dress-up and play a new personality, adding flavor to her one-note performance. Karen is a tech genius, and the midsection of the movie shows off her expertise. While it’s not terribly compelling, some ideas, including the use of a remote controlled trash can to trigger silent alarms, are amusing.

The Real McCoy Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation is another Universal catalog title that hasn't been rescanned for its Blu-ray debut. Age is apparent throughout the viewing experience, with filtering removing a lot of fine detail, leaving behind processed softness, which isn't welcome. Bank and house interiors aren't compelling, finding room expansiveness dulled, along with outdoor events, which don't provide a sharp look at lakeside encounters and city visits. Facial features are smoothed out some, missing organic appeal. Haloing is present. Colors are muted, offering slightly reddish skintones and flat primaries. More determined hues on dresses and store signage offer a bit more power, but still don't reach their full potential. Delineation isn't strong, with some frame information lost to solidification, especially when the action moves to the heist sequence, which makes use of limited lighting. Source is in fine condition, without elements of damage.

The Real McCoy Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA sound mix isn't exemplary, but offers a compelling overview of the suspense aspects of "The Real McCoy." Dialogue exchanges are compelling, capturing nuances in accents and performance intensity, finding a comfortable balance between Basinger's near-whispered performance and her much louder co-stars. Scoring is acceptable, presented with satisfactory instrumentation and presence, never crowding performances. Surrounds are mostly engaged with musical moods, pushing out the score to create a more circular listening experience. Modest separation is captured along the way. Atmospherics are adequate, isolating the marble interiors of the bank and the animal activity of Jack's compound. Sound effects are a little too soft, muting gunfire, and low-end is seldom engaged.

The Real McCoy Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features director Russell Mulcahy.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (2:02, SD) is included.

The Real McCoy Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The actual heist in "The Real McCoy" is more of a waiting game with local security guards, dialing down typical suspense levels for this type of entertainment. Mulcahy also mutes his style, attacking the material without much cinematic flavoring, which this production desperately needs, finding Basinger, Stamp (an Englishman playing a southern gentleman), and Kilmer miscast, floundering in their respective roles. "The Real McCoy" follows through on complications, trying to stack tense escapes to locate a nail-biting ending, but the feature is better off dealing directly with challenges to Karen's freedom and ache for motherhood. It's one of the few subgenre offerings that weakens when it slips into vault infiltration mode, making more sense as a character study than a presentation of familiar thrills.