6 | / 10 |
Users | 4.5 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
The Russians steal a nuclear device and are stating that unless the Israelis pull out from the West bank, they will detonate it, which they have planted in an oil field and if it should go off; 50% of the World's oil will be contaminated. And the Israelis are unwilling to cooperate and the Americans knowing that they can't allow this are making preparations to force the Israelis off the West bank. The President then calls the Director of the CIA to do something about this. The Director assigns the agent who works outside the official channels codenamed the Soldier. He starts by trying to see if the Russians are indeed behind it but the Russians have him marked for termination. When he tries to contact the Director, the Russians placed a bomb in his office that leaves the soldier with no one but his team and the Israelis to help him.
Starring: Ken Wahl, Alberta Watson, Jeremiah Sullivan, William Prince, Joaquim de AlmeidaThriller | Insignificant |
Adventure | Insignificant |
Action | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.86:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 (48kHz, 16-bit)
BDInfo
None
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (C untested)
Movie | 3.0 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 3.0 | |
Extras | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
After trying his luck with a “Death Wish” knock-off in 1980’s “The Exterminator,” writer/director James Glickenhaus ups his game to the international level, trying on the world of 007 in 1982’s “The Soldier,” which positions Ken Wahl as a James Bond-style superspy trying to prevent the end of the world, or at least the end of affordable gas and peace in the Middle East. Obviously, Glickenhaus doesn’t have the money to bring an expansive thriller to life, but he does have a few scrappy ideas for chases and confrontations. “The Soldier” is clunky, teeming with filler and drowsy acting, but when it makes the effort to lock into excitement and supply some crazy stunt work and multiple explosions, it remains passable entertainment, rarely working overtime to become something special. Wahl isn’t easy to buy as a world-class master of assassination and political relationships, but he’s much more appealing in panic mode, adding his special, slightly sluggish charms to Glickenhaus’s vision for big screen adventuring.
Billed as "Newly mastered in HD," "The Soldier" shares its low-budget visuals with an AVC encoded image (1.86:1 aspect ratio) presentation. Detail is delivered throughout the viewing experience, bringing dimensional distances and location signage. Facial particulars are present, surveying icy stares and personal grooming choices. Costuming remains fibrous. Color stays true to period cinematographic interests, with a cooler palette reflecting the mood of the secret spy game, though period fashion offers bolder hues, and bar interiors bring out blazing reds. Skintones are natural. Delineation is acceptable, dealing well with evening encounters and shadow play. Source is in fine shape, with only mild speckling and scratches.
The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix carries noticeable age, offering a slightly muddier listening event. Precision isn't a selling point here, but the essentials of the movie are secured, leading with dialogue exchanges, which juggle numerous accents and performance exaggeration, while Wahl's periodic mumbling is easy enough to follow. Scoring isn't sharp, but the general synth movement is supportive, achieving some authority during chase sequences. Sound effects are louder, with snappy gunfire and boomy explosions. Atmospherics are limited.
Glickenhaus strives to fashion violent, gritty entertainment, working to make "The Soldier" seem smarter than it actually is, also trying to give the effort a sizable globetrotting feel. The feature doesn't work as well as it should, but it's not without some strong ideas from B-movie confrontations and teamwork, supported by a Tangerine Dream score and solid stunt work. There's even a little bit of lovemaking to secure Wahl's sex appeal, though one has to wonder why a spy hunting for a ticking bomb would stop to enjoy intercourse, but these are questions that shouldn't be asked of "The Soldier." All Glickenhaus wants to do is make a James Bond movie with teeth, and he almost gets there. It just takes some work to hack through the clutter and endless conversations to find the buried treasures spread around the film.
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