Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

Undeclared War Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf July 13, 2023

1990’s “Undeclared War” is something of a take on “The Day of the Jackal,” with the material exploring the ways of an assassin and his elusive presence on the international scene, inspiring law enforcement types to find him before he kills again. There’s an opening for a political thriller, but director Ringo Lam doesn’t have the patience for that, going after big action and short tempers with the endeavor. Guns blaze in “Undeclared War,” which has a defined villain and a clear quest for its protagonist, and the violence of the feature is periodically thrilling, sold with attention to mayhem and bodily destruction. Dramatically, the effort lacks focus, dealing with cop cliches and a tangled sense of allegiances, with the central drive for a revenge story losing its potency as the movie makes its way through an overlong tale of rage and terrorism.

Hannibal (Vernon G. Wells) is the leader of the World Liberation Army, a terrorist group looking to disrupt American capitalist interests around the world. In Poland, Hannibal and his team, including Rebecca (Olivia Hussey), target a U.S. ambassador for assassination, killing him and his wife and child on the day of the baby’s baptism. Witnessing the horror is C.I.A. Agent Redner (Peter Liapis), a brother to the ambassador’s wife, and while he misses bringing Hannibal to justice, he swears revenge. This intense focus inspires Redner to travel to Hong Kong, tracking underworld activity from Rebecca, who’s captured by the Special Branch, with Inspector Bong (Danny Lee) and Lt. Tang (Tommy Wong) in charge of their prisoner while the American demands access to her, helping his quest to find Hannibal. Struggling to develop a relationship with the Special Branch, Redner picks up on clues that Hannibal is looking to strike again, while Bong’s girlfriend, television reporter Ann (Rosamund Kwan), gains access to Rebecca, complicating the situation for all as the terrorist targets American financial interests in Hong Kong, while Redner is gunning for vengeance, working with his instincts and propensity for violence to capture a vicious and methodical killer.

“Undeclared War” begins in Warsaw, where Hannibal is looking to slaughter the ambassador and his family during a day of celebration and hope. It’s a brutal sequence, involving the murder of an infant, but Lam tries to keep things as genre as possible, immediately capturing attention with his use of a red mist for bloody bullet hits, giving shots of horror an operatic visual presence. He also has a strong starting point for rage, with Redner going from a happy man surrounded by family to a fried C.I.A. agent with one goal on his mind. It’s an exciting start to the chase, which is complicated by Rebecca’s blunder, putting her in play as two law enforcement agencies battle for control over the situation.

Instead of tightening tensions, Lam keeps “Undeclared War” at a low boil. He clearly has some energy with Redner’s journey, following the broken man as he stops at nothing to acquire information concerning Hannibal’s whereabouts, even resorting to torture. There’s a little buddy cop atmosphere with Bong as well, as the straight-laced Special Branch inspector can’t stand the invading American, learning to deal with the hothead. It’s Hannibal who helps to deflate “Undeclared War,” with the bad guy not prioritized by the screenplay, only periodically showing up to cause trouble. The material can’t juggle all of the characters, with superfluous players, such as Ann, stealing screentime away from the hard-charging actioner Lam intermittently creates.

Undeclared War Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (2.35:1 aspect ratio) presentation is listed as "Newly scanned and restored in 2K from its 35mm original camera negative." There's also an info card at the beginning of the film stating how Vinegar Syndrome worked to improve on the source provided by the distributor. The end result is satisfying, capturing decent detail throughout the viewing experience, exploring the rough appearances of the cast and the fibrousness of their many clothing changes. Interiors are dimensional, visiting hotel rooms, a police station, and a conference room, with crowd activity open for study, along with decoration. Exteriors are deep, showcasing harbor events and street chases. Color is stable, with a nice sense of red for blood hits, and greenery is distinct. Period style is preserved, offering lively primaries. Skin tones are natural. Delineation is satisfactory. Grain is nicely resolved. Source is in good condition.

Undeclared War Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Age is a bit more obvious in the 2.0 DTS-HD MA Cantonese mix, which deals with sibilance issues and a general muddier quality. Intelligibility isn't threatened for the most part, but a handful of dialogue exchanges are tougher to catch. Scoring is simple, but synth moods are understood, and action emphasis is acceptable. Sound effects are basic but appreciable, with gunfire common.

Undeclared War Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Booklet (ten pages) contains an essay by John Charles.

• Commentary features film historian Samm Deighan.

• "The Business of Revolution" (23:31, HD) is an interview with actor Vernon Wells, who hit the big time with his role in "The Road Warrior," with Hollywood soon calling, hiring him for parts in "Weird Science" and "Commando." This rising profile led to his casting in "Undeclared War," with director Ringo Lam allowing Wells to find his character and play multiple parts, also putting the actor into many stunt sequences, which didn't always sit well with him. Dangerous situations are recalled as the production traveled from Hong Kong to Poland, but the interviewee has a special memory of hair bleaching, which caused more pain than all the physical activity required of him during the shoot. Co-stars are recalled, with Wells especially unnerved when time came to treat Olivia Hussey roughly, who was a gentle presence on the set. Formative years are assessed, with Wells used to being tossed around due to an active upbringing. A reaction to "Undeclared War" is provided, including thoughts on the state of stunt work today, with the industry changing radically over the years.

• "Undeclared Score" (17:27, HD) is a video conference interview with composer Noel Quinlan, who tracks his development from an Australian musician to a film worker, frustrated with his early jobs, which weren't handled well by producers. Excited to work with director Ringo Lam, Quinlan found someone who was attentive to sound, allowing him to deliver a quality effort. Talk of digital sound, use of a synthesizer, and his relationship with Lam is also explored.

• A Trailer has not been included on this release.

Undeclared War Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Undeclared War" has plenty of highlights, including bombings, shoot-outs, and some time crawling around on scaffolding. There's a defined climax as well, with the action headed to a conference setting for Hannibal's latest offering of mass death. Lam takes advantage of the setting and pushes the cast to get rough for the camera, but there's a distinct lack of escalation in the picture, which sort of lumbers to a conclusion instead of sprinting to one. It's a passable distraction, highlighting Lam's visual gifts and dramatic limitations, but it lacks a snowballing sense of danger and frenzy, with asides crowding out the purity of its central retribution plot.