Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		4.0
Audio		3.5
Extras		2.0
Overall		3.0

The Victim Blu-ray Movie Review

Work both sides of the camera. It's the only way to be sure.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman September 26, 2012

I come all the way out here to get away from people and this crap lands at my doorstep.

Once the face of James Cameron's future fighters in The Terminator and Aliens, Actor Michael Biehn has made the transition to Jack of all trades with The Victim, his Grindhouse-inspired tale of a recluse coming to the aid of a young woman in peril, on the run from a pair of dirty cops with whom she and her close friend have a rather sordid history. He and real-life spouse Jennifer Blanc (The Divide) star in the sexy, grungy Thriller which Biehn also co-wrote and directed. It's a decent time waster, but it hardly pushes the envelope or excels beyond angry characters going for one another's throats. It's rather bloated, too, not a good sign seeing that the picture clocks in at well under ninety minutes. The Victim is tame for this sort of movie; it lacks chills and thrills and excess violence, but genre aficionados might find it to be of just enough value to warrant a watch.

Sob story.

Roommates Annie (Blanc) and Mary (Danielle Harris, Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers) are spending some quality time away from civilization in the company of a couple of dirty cops, Harrison (Ryan Honey) and Coogan (Denny Kirkwood), who supply the fun with an obviously fake Beretta, hard drugs, and harder sex. When Mary doesn't quite fully satisfy Harrison, he does what any lover would do: he kills her in cold blood. Now, Annie is on the run, fearing that she'll be killed, too. She winds up on the doorstep of a recluse named Kyle (Biehn) who takes her in, believes her story, makes love to her, and vows to protect her at all costs.

The Victim is one of those lamentable motion pictures that's neither truly awful nor exceptionally awesome. It's not really all that bad, but it's not particularly good, either. It's a forgettable little example of tame and sometimes lame Grindhouse, a rather uninteresting, slowly paced picture that struggles to find a rhythm and never quite elevates itself beyond adequately crafted low-budget cinema. Worse, there's not much to what amounts to a linear and usually predictable story. The characters are dull, the plot isn't particularly novel, the action's bland, and the drift towards the film's twist and revelation that kinda-sorta leaves viewers hanging isn't all that difficult to see coming. The violence is minimal and the sex is frequent but never quite steamy. There's a bit of T&A and an all-grown-up Danielle Harris in some revealing clothes and compromising positions, but otherwise The Victim has very little to offer.

Michael Biehn's direction may be the film's saving grace. He handles the behind-the-camera duties with a knowhow and polish that makes it easy for the audience to feel the tension and experience the story almost firsthand. Biehn gives the movie an immediate, dangerous feel, and even if it's all rather tame, he does manage to ensure a sense of dread hangs over the proceedings. Unfortunately, the picture comes up short everywhere else. A rather weak script fails to fully develop most of the main characters, and the performances are left wanting as a result. Biehn has the snarly, angry thing down to a science, though when his character is left with nothing to do but scream at his opponent -- check out a scene where he and one of the villains search for a grave under a full moon -- the performance falls flat and Biehn cannot find a natural cadence to breathe authentic life into the scene. Jennifer Blanc turns in a satisfying performance as the teary, sexy victim, but it's hard to find a real sense of menace and terror in the villains.

The Victim Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The Victim arrives on Blu-ray with a polished and satisfying 1080p transfer. The image reveals fantastic details even in lower light interiors or day-for-night exteriors. Facial details are quite complex, revealing every line, pore, and hair. Clothing textures hold up nicely, as do some of the woodland elements around the frame. Clarity is strong and the image remains rather sharp throughout. Colors are somewhat muted by design; this is a dark film, but brighter shots of green vegetation and Danielle Harris' red lingerie appear even and accurate. Black levels are fine, and flesh tones never stray too far from natural shades. The image delivers no major compression issues. This isn't a dazzling movie by design, but Anchor Bay's transfer does right by Michael Biehn's vision.

The Victim Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The Victim contains a satisfactory Dolby TrueHD 5.1 lossless soundtrack. The opening heavy, industrial-styled music offers a a strong presence, fine spacing, and adequate bass. It's not all-immersive; the surrounds don't output much information, but the overall presence and effect is fine. Music plays with similar dynamics through the film. Light ambience lingers around the front primarily, and there's not often a full sense of spatial immersion, particularly noticeable in the woodland exteriors. Various action effects pack sufficient heft and presence. Dialogue is suitably clear and focused in the front. This is a technically proficient track, but it's not one that will leave listeners dazzled by the results.

The Victim Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The Victim contains two supplements.

• Audio Commentary: Writer/Director/Actor Michael Biehn and Producer/Actor Jennifer Blanc open with a discussion of the opening titles and score and also speak on working with Anchor Bay, the shooting process, the film's style, visual effects, post-production challenges, details of the performances, and plenty more. The track is well spoken and balanced between anecdotal and technical. It's a strong track and a fine supportive element. A must-listen for fans.
• The Victim: Behind the Scenes (1080p, 24:54): A detailed behind-the-scenes supplement in which cast and crew discuss the picture's style, the process of bringing the film to fruition, cast and crew work and contributions, and more. The piece includes plenty of raw on-set footage. Audio often sounds scratchy and of low quality.

The Victim Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The Victim is a simple and unremarkable movie that's best enjoyed on an empty brain and best left with a shrug of the shoulders. It's not a terrible movie by any stretch of the imagination, but it won't capture the imagination, either. It's a rather tame wannabe Grindhouse picture that isn't short on sex but comes up lacking in violence and grit. Genre fans will want to check it out, but casual audiences should probably skip. Anchor Bay's Blu-ray release of The Victim delivers good video, fine audio, and two supplements. Rent it.