Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

We Die Young Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf June 24, 2019

He’s battled robots, M. Bison, Dolph Lundgren (multiple times), and he almost, in the mid-90s, went head-to-head with the abominable snowman. And now Jean-Claude Van Damme is going after the MS-13 gang. It’s a sobering change of pace for the action star, as “We Die Young” intends to be a grittier endeavor, with a streetwise sense of horror from writer/director Lior Geller. Van Damme isn’t the traditional hero here, but a broken man barely clinging to life, inspired to stand between the street gangs that control America’s capital and the young lives threatened by violence. “We Die Young” isn’t going to blow minds with its offering of chases and intimidation, but Lior sustains credible peril while examining an urban fight for survival.

Just outside of Washington, D.C., the streets are controlled by MS-13, a gang that uses unspeakable acts of violence to maintain authority, with Rincon (David Castaneda) the local leader, ruling the area with help from his heavily tattooed soldiers. Lucas (Elijah Rodriguez) is a teenager working for Rincon as a drug runner, trying to stay safe to best protect his younger brother, Miguel (Nicholas Sean Johnny), who has baseball dreams but an MS-13 future. In charge of distributing chemicals to the local junkies, Lucas makes a connection to Daniel (Jean-Claude Van Damme), an ex-Marine struggling with pain issues from an attack in Afghanistan, which has left him mute and a habitual pill-popper. While Rincon plans for his sister’s wedding, he presents Lucas with the responsibility of moving two large bricks of heroin to a special location. However, complications soon arise as Miguel is set up for a beat-in, forcing Lucas to intervene, losing the stash in the commotion, inspiring him to collect his brother and get out of town, pulling Daniel into the chase.

While Geller is dealing with low-budget limitations during some action set pieces, he’s also trying to work in as much realism as possible, painting a vivid portrait of Washington, D.C. as a gang-infested hellhole. The screenplay also enjoys the irony of such El Salvadorian rule, which is positioned just 20 minutes away from the White House, with MS-13 maintaining rule not only because they’re quick to annihilate snitches, but also due to ICE’s presence in the area, with illegal informants deported while trying to do some good. Outsiders stay quiet and out of the way, permitting Rincon to expand his operations, keeping junkies well-stocked with drugs while desperation paralyzes the community. Daniel isn’t the hero of the story, but a reminder of humanity lost, finding the mechanic struggling with his addictions and his limited ability to communicate, teasing comfort with a local woman and experiencing distress with issues of self-control. Daniel is part of the problem, but he’s a gentle soul, often trying to connect with Lucas by offering him books to read, urging the young man to dream of a more fulfilling life.

Geller strives to provide some dimension for everyone in the screenplay. Rincon is a monster, but one who cares deeply for his physically disabled sister, trying to give her a wedding to remember while growing aware of the presence of federal agents in the neighborhood, while a representative from Central America stops by to collect a large cash payment. Lucas sells drugs to support himself, but wants something more for Miguel, terrified he’ll be pulled into gang life, with both boys still reeling from the loss of their older brother, who died in military service. “We Die Young” makes an attempt to engage on an emotional level, which connects for the most part, though work on Rincon is a bit ham-fisted at times, with the gang leader prone to quoting Shakespeare before murdering underlings. Daniel’s arc of awareness is stronger, and Van Damme is tasked with acting in complete silence, forced to use body language to communicate the character’s inner pain.

We Die Young Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (2.38:1 aspect ratio) presentation is certainly facing an uphill challenge when it comes to clarity in "We Die Young." There's a lot of handheld camerawork to deal with, giving the film its intended blur of violence, but detail, when it has a chance to breathe, is quite appealing. Tattoos are common, and the details of such art are open for study, making facial surfaces and makeup achievements interesting. Interiors are equally textured, along with street visits, making signage and community wear and tear easy to examine. Colors are defined to satisfaction, offering more varied hues with wedding day decorations, while mood lighting is understood. Skintones are natural. Delineation is adequate. Some mild banding is detected.

We Die Young Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA sound mix is an active event, with fine sense of circular position, keeping surrounds active with community bustle and action sequences, which carry enjoyable separation and panning effects. Dialogue exchanges are sharp and true, handling heavy accents with decent weight. Low-end does well with explosions and harder acts of violence. Music is defined, from traditional scoring to more active soundtrack selections, which capture sharp beats and vocals.

We Die Young Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features writer/director Lior Geller and actors Elijah Rodriguez and Nicholas Sean Johnny.

• Storyboard to Screen Comparison (4:38, HD) collects a few scenes from "We Die Young" for pre-production study.

• "On the Set" (10:16, HD) is a short but interesting collection of BTS moments from the film shoot, presented without narration. While this is not a deep dive into the creation of "We Die Young," the featurette supplies evidence of stunt labor, watching as the professionals work out moves and execute dangerous physical challenges. Camera specifics are also explored.

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

We Die Young Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"We Die Young" slips into action mode on occasion, most notably during a mid-movie chase between Lucas and MS-13 goons that slams through the neighborhood, gifting the picture some kinetic energy to go with all the hard stares and gangland struggles. Geller fumbles some ideas (the ending is too light for a setting this grim), and the low-budget shows in limited locations, but "We Die Young" provides Van Damme with a needed acting challenge, putting his natural screen presence to good use in a more socially minded bruiser that's timed to tap into current national fears.