DARK ANGEL / I COME IN PEACE (Craig R. Baxley, 1989)

[Jox]

http://www.avsforum.com/t/1485884/shout ... dark-angel

Here we have another very nice transfer from Shout/Cream Factory that boast great black levels, color saturation that looks natural yet pops of the screen. This is an over-all pleasing image. The audio is well above average as well, with an overly aggressive surround mix that ads fun to the on-screen action. LFE never blew me away, but it was there enought.

http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/61354/dark-angel/

The Blu-ray:
Dark Angel debuts on Blu-ray framed at a 1.78.1 widescreen aspect ratio in a really nice looking AVC encoded 1080p high definition transfer. There's the odd speck here and there but overall the picture s quite clean and shows very nice color reproduction. The oranges that show up in the scene with the fire are bright and bold without looking artificially boosted or bleeding all over the place. Black levels are nice and strong and while the image does look like the product of its time that it is, there's nothing wrong with that. Detail consistently surpasses what standard definition ever offered (think back to the MGM MOD release) as does texture. You'll notice this not only in the close up shots of the cast throughout the movie but throughout the background as well. A good example of this is the scene early in the film where the robbery takes place and you can note dirt and grit on some of the products in the store that could use a good dusting. There are no obvious problems with compression artifacts nor is there any obvious noise reduction or edge enhancement. All in all, this is a nice, solid transfer that feels very true to the source material.

Sound:
DTS-HD Master Audio options are provided in English in your choice of 2.0 Stereo or 5.1 Surround Sound with optional subtitles offered up in English only. Both tracks sound pretty nice, offering clear dialogue and properly balanced levels. The 5.1 mix predictably makes the action scenes a bit more fun by using the rear channels for some of the sound effects and to spread out bits and pieces of the score as well, but the dialogue doesn't sound quite as strong and there are some spots where it feels a little thin. The 2.0 mix is probably closer to what the movie would have sounded like theatrically and it seems to have slightly stronger dialogue and maybe a bit more punch behind it. Either way, both tracks offer decent depth and are free of any hiss or distortion. Both tracks sound pretty decent. Optional English closed captioning is provided.

Extras:
The main extra on the disc is a featurettes entitled A Look Back At Dark Angel which is made up of interviews with director Craig R. Baxley and actors Dolph Lundgren and Brian Benben. Clocking in at twenty-four minutes this is a decent look back and what happened with this movie. Baxley notes that the budget for the movie was supposed to originally be about twenty-five million and how the studio chopped it down to five million but insisted on more action in the film. He discusses some of the challenges that arose in the picture, most of which were budget related, while Dolph talks about what happens when some of your co-stars miss your mark during an action scene (spoiler: you get clocked in the head by Dolph and it hurts). Dolph discusses the comedic elements of the movie and Benben talks about how his character was basically a movie cliché but notes but Dolph talks about how he brought the ‘everyman' to the movie that helped to complete the combo. We also learn that Brian had to wera four inch lifts in his shoes so that he didn't look so tiny when standing next to Dolph. There's a lot more to it as well, and ultimately, this is a really nice retrospective look back at the making of the movie courtesy of three of the principal participants.

Aside from that, we get the great theatrical trailer for the movie, a poster and still gallery (not advertised on the packaging but definitely on the disc), menus and chapter selection. All of the extras on the disc are presented in high definition. You also get some keen reversible cover art so if, like some of us, you'll always call this one I Come In Peace you can flip the cover around and satiate your OCD a bit.

Overall:
Dark Angel might not be a masterpiece but it is a fun mix of sci-fi, action and horror spearheaded by Dolph's loveable lunkhead persona and some pretty decent action scenes. It's definitely dated and it may not have aged so well but the entertainment value is still there. If you can't have fun with this one, you probably have no soul. Scream Factory's Blu-ray release is a very nice upgrade from the previous MGM ‘burn on demand' DVD-R release. The transfer is considerably improved as is the audio and the inclusion of the featurette helps to document the history of the movie and proves to be a pretty interesting watch in its own right. If you're an action movie fan or a disciple of Dolph? Oh yeah, this one comes highly recommended.

[Jox]

Menu made from the textless Thai poster artwork I sent them (onto which they added the French title treatment):

(click to enlarge)

Clips from the 25 mins featurette A LOOK BACK AT DARK ANGEL:




http://veryaware.com/2013/08/from-the-f ... eace-1990/

Special Features: While not quite as stacked as the last “Factory Floor” entry (THE INCREDIBLE MELTING MAN), DARK ANGEL comes with a few enlightening extras. A featurette entitled A Look Back At Dark Angel is made up of interviews with director Craig R. Baxley and actors Dolph Lundgren and Brian Benben (who both are looking more than a little worse for wear). Clocking in at twenty-four minutes, its a solid addendum, answering just about any question I imagine fans of the film would have. Baxley highlights budgetary struggles as being the major problem during production, as the movie was supposed to originally cost about $25 million (it ended up costing seven and the studio apparently kept calling for “more ‘splosions!”). Dolph rips on Benben a bit, highlighting what happens when you miss your mark during an action scene (I would imagine any kind of unwanted bodily contact with Dolph would sting a bit). Benben acknowledges the fact that his character is basically cliché, but Dolph paints the actor (action scenes aside) as nothing but a professional, saying it was his “everyman” charm that united the two. Outside of that, there’s the usual trailer included and the movie looks incredible on blu (all those early ’90s neon hues!). Someone up there in the Shout! building really loves this one.

http://www.cinematicautopsy.com/2013/08 ... 90blu.html

When it comes to the video quality of this Scream Factory release it simply looks awesome! The detail is fantastic and the film is very well cleaned up. The audio is very clear and quite robust. Now the only thing this release lacks is just that it only has one special feature that is interviews with director Craig Baxley and actors Dolph Lundgren & Brian Benben. Now that is not to say that it's not a good featurette because actually it's quite awesome to hear what went on while making the film from the view of those involved. In the end this is a damn good release and is worth the upgrade!

[Jox]

http://whysoblu.com/dark-angel-aka-i-co ... ay-review/

Video 4.5/5
Dark Angel says “I Come in 1080p MPEG-4” encode. It’s a great looking picture. There’s a perfect amount of grain helping add to the mood of the film. The level of detail is solid. There are a lot of dark alley type scenes, but it does a good work with them as they are lit pretty well. You can see the wetness, light reflection and surface of the city roads perfectly. Also, check out agent Smith’s care at night. You can make out about every noticeable amount of dirt, smudges and whatnot on his windows and auto body. It’s quite a beautiful image. Skin tones are good and consistent. Clothing textures and patterns are distinct and well detailed.

Audio 3.5/5
Dolph Lundgren performs through a 5.1 DTS-HD MA track. The volume on it is a little low, so you’ll have to turn it up a little bit more than your normal levels. Once set though, this thing is crisp and clear. The explosions and gun fire are nice and loud. The “I come in peace” line is quite striking and chilling in the track every time its said. Scream Factory also provides a 2.0 DTS-HD MA track for those wanting the original theatrical experience. This track is quite impressive as it gives more “oompf” than one would expect. It’s loud and clear. Both tracks result in a win-win scenario with whichever you pick.

Extras 2.5/5
For those of you who prefer the title I Come In Peace, like usual, Scream Factory provides a reverse cover with the original poster/VHS art for the US release. The extras appear light, but through the interviews, provide plenty of content. They appear with 1080p MPEG-4 video and Dolby Digital 2.0 audio.

• A Look Back At “Dark Angel”: Featurette With Dolph Lundgren And Director Craig R. Baxley – Dolph, the director and actor Brian Benben go through the production of the film from start to finish. Its amazing how much more intelligent Dolph is in these interviews than his characters have come across on the screen over the years. Oh, and take a drink every time one of these guys talks about how CGI wasn’t used back then and it was all real.

• Trailer (2:43) – The trailer features the original title Dark Angel

• Poster And Still Gallery – 47 behind the scenes photos, publicity stills, lobby cards and posters from all territories.

Summary 4/5
It’s pretty obvious I had a ton of fun with this movie. If you’re a fan great B-movie action or a fan of The Terminator or Highlander, don’t pass this one up. Scream Factory delivers a great picture with a very complimentary surround track. There’s a great featurette looking back at the film that provides sufficient content for fans and those wanting extra. This is a really cool movie I never knew about, but I am now quite a fan of. I’ll definitely be showing this one to people I know that haven’t seen it yet.

[Jox]

http://www.dustinputman.com/bluray/90_darkangel.htm

Blu-ray Picture/Sound
A-/B+

The crisp high-definition picture presentation of "Dark Angel" guarantees that the film has never looked so spiffy since it was in theaters twenty-three years ago. Errant dirt and debris pop up sparingly, but otherwise this is an accurate representation of how it was meant to be seen. Now, to be fair, audiences shouldn't expect a miracle—it is, after all, a $5-million film from a couple decades ago—but just because it doesn't look like as sparkling, new and blemish-free as something like "Oz the Great and Powerful" doesn't mean it isn't impressive. Some shots, particularly close-ups of the actors, especially exhibit that special 1080p charm that brings appreciable dimension to the image. In regards to audio, consumers are offered two choices: the DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio and the original 2.0 track. Both are solid, with the sound effects of the pyrotechnics getting a bigger workout in the otherwise mostly front-heavy 5.1 mix and the dialogue sounding ever so slightly more clear and full-bodied in 2.0. Take your pick between the two; they're both solid.

Blu-ray Features
"A Look Back at Dark Angel" Featurette with director Craig R. Baxley and actors Dolph Lundgren and Brian Benben (24:19,HD); Theatrical Trailer (2:43, HD); Poster and Still Gallery; Reversible Cover with Original "I Come in Peace" Key Art

Bottom Line
...this Blu-ray release is about as close to a dream as one could ever hope to see from this little-known title. Without Scream Factory, "Dark Angel" might have been destined to forever gather dust in a Hollywood warehouse. Now, at least, it will be readily available for people to make up their own minds on its quality. In the meantime, the A/V components are satisfying and strong, while the newly produced featurette offers a bevy of interesting behind-the-scenes tidbits from director Baxley and stars Lundgren and Benben...

http://www.mediamikes.com/2013/08/blu-r ... ark-angel/

Film: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 1.5 out of 5 stars

The Blu-ray transfer for “Dark Angel” is like film itself screams 90′s. But it still delivers the action and works well with the special effects. Like most Shout! Factory’s older release titles, the audio track included is a DTS-HD Master Audio track and also like the video it works for the action. The special features included on this release are a bit lacking. There is three interviews included with director Craig R. Baxley, Dolph Lundgren and Brian Benben. Lastly there is a theatrical trailer included.

http://www.thedigitalbits.com/item/dark-angel-bd

Film/Program Grade: B
Video Grade: B+
Audio Grade: B+
Extras Grade: C

The film’s Blu-ray presentation is very good for the most part, although it did appear a little soft. I think it’s the film itself though and not necessarily the transfer. The image is stable and the grain is mostly solid throughout. There aren’t many colors on display to speak of, but they look fine. Blacks looks nice, and the brightness and the contrast look pretty good, although I think the latter could have maybe been raised a couple of notches. It’s nothing to write home about, but it’s good enough for what it is. The audio comes in English DTS-HD in both 5.1 and 2.0. I actually found the 2.0 track to be a little better, but both tracks are on an equal playing field. There aren’t an enormous amount of aural dynamics, but there are enough thrown in to keep the speakers busy at times. Dialogue is clear and the sound effects, especially those pertaining to the killer flying discs, have some nice panning moments. It sounds as it should and is very reflective of low budget movies from the time period that it was made in. My only complaint would have been to make it a little louder, as I had to crank my system up to hear it properly. Otherwise, this is a fine presentation. There are also subtitles in English for those who might need them.

The extras are sparse, but what’s here is mostly good. There’s a featurette entitled A Look Back at “Dark Angel”, containing some decent interviews with Baxley, Lundgren and Benben, the film’s theatrical trailer, and a poster & still gallery. It’s a shame that there isn’t a commentary, at least from the director, but we should be happy that we get some kind of representation from the people that made it.

[Jox]

http://bloody-disgusting.com/reviews/32 ... at-action/

A/V

Dark Angel is presented in 1080p HD in 1.78:1 widescreen. The natural film grain is intact and blemishes are pretty much non-existent. It’s a great transfer. There are a lot of night scenes in the film and the clarity and definition never gets lost in the darkness.

Special Features

Pretty slim in this department, but there is a great interview with Baxley, Lundgren, and Benben. They mainly talk about the film’s stunts, which is fine with me. Lots of interesting anecdotes are presented, like how Baxley asked their weapons master to create gun for the alien cop that could fire faster than Robocop’s auto-9 pistol. He did, and they burned through over 300 firing pins over the course of shooting. Daaamn. This is a brief feature and definitely worth a watch. The three guys look back on the film very fondly.

[Jox]

http://www.dreadcentral.com/reviews/dar ... ce-blu-ray

Shout! Factory likely used the same HD master MGM prepared for the previously-issued DVD that was part of their Limited Edition (read: burned DVD-r) Collection. As such, the picture looks very cleaned up and polished without featuring any post-processing deficiencies like DNR. There’s a healthy layer of grain present, which provides a more filmic appearance. Fine details are more apparent than ever, although sometimes they are lost to the picture’s rich black levels. Colors appear strong and have a bit of pop to them, and skin tones reveal nice texture and coloration. Hues of blue tend to dominate the color palette. This is clearly a case where the studio commissioned an HD master with minimal tinkering (probably because they simply didn’t feel the film was worth it), resulting in a natural image that benefits from the added resolution. The back cover only lists a stereo track, but rest assured this disc comes packed with a DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround sound track. Still, even with the extra channels most of the soundtrack is relegated to the front and center speakers. Jan Hammer – of "Miami Vice" fame – provides a pulse-pounding synth score that echoes his work on that popular ‘80s culture staple show. It can get a little bombastic when there’s action to be seen, but more often than not the rear speakers are on standby.

There’s one main supplement here, along with a few minor ones. A 25-minute featurette, “A Look Back at Dark Angel”, features recent interviews with director Craig Baxley and stars Dolph Lundgren and Brian Benben. Baxley is clearly still exuberant about his work here, talking up every aspect of the production process he can. Did you know that famed screenwriter David Koepp did a rewrite here under a pseudonym? He dispenses with as much information as possible in the runtime, even extending his thoughts into the credits. Dolph and Benben both recall the film with fondness and have a lot of good to say about it. This disc also includes the theatrical trailer (HD) along with a poster and stills gallery that runs for about five minutes, featuring production stills, poster art, etc.

As much as we all love to see Shout! give fans ultra-deluxe editions of our favorite films, it’s fantastic when they tackle titles that have never been given the proper respect on home video. Dark Angel is one helluva fun time, and if it weren’t for Shout!, I don’t know if we’d ever have seen it hit hi-def.

Special Features:

A Look Back at the Making of Dark Angel
Theatrical Trailer
Poster and Stills Gallery

[Jox]

Reversible cover

[Jox]

http://cinema-crazed.com/blog/2013/08/2 ... -ray-1990/

Dolph Lundgren fans will appreciate the treatment on Blu-Ray and DVD from Scream Factory.

On the Blu-Ray, there’s the original trailer for “Dark Angel” as well as a Still Gallery. There’s also a Making of Feature that garners interviews with the director, as well as stars Brian BenBen and Dolph Lundgren. Fans of the man will be happy to see that the cast and crew speak highly of Lundgren describing him as intelligent, warm, and a hard worker who embraced the crew on the film.

[Jox]

http://www.dvdactive.com/reviews/dvd/dark-angel.html

Video
Dark Angel never got a proper US DVD release. MGM released various anamorphic versions throughout Europe and in Japan, then did one of those Manufactured On-Demand, single-layered, burned disc things in the US. The results were better than a bootleg, but not what I’d call impressive, even for standard definition. Shout Factory’s 1080p, MPEG-4, 1.78:1 Blu-ray is, obviously, a sizable upgrade. Detail levels are generally limited, which should be expected, though they are still sharper and more complex than the single-layer release. Here, the edges and textures are a bit soft, but clean and not blocky (the footage in the special features is more in line with the jaggy SD versions). The image is a bit dark without obscuring important details or overstating the mood. Blacks are deep with only minor edge enhancement along the harshest high-contrast edges. Shout Factory (or whoever supplied them with this transfer) hasn’t taken any major effort to scrub the natural grain using DNR, leading to plenty of film texture. Baxley and cinematographer Mark Irwin don’t do anything particularly fancy with the colour palette. There are some Cameron and McTiernan-inspired blue gels, though I suppose the overall look is most comparable to Robocop and Verhoven’s neon/grey landscape. The red and pink highlights are particularly vibrant without blooming, but the warmer hues tend to have some low level noise during daylight scenes. The cooler hues are natural with only a bit of cross-colouration.

Audio
Dark Angel was originally mixed for the bygone Ultra Stereo process. This makes for a nice, effective Dolby surround soundtrack, as featured on every DVD release. Scream Factory, however, has gone the extra mile and included a 5.1 remix, which is available alongside the original 2.0 track, both in lossless DTS-HD Master Audio. If I’m honest, I have to admit that I can barely tell the difference between the two tracks. The 5.1 track doesn’t even fully separate the dialogue into the center channel (though it does make a better effort than the 2.0 track) and features very few discrete directional effects in the surround speakers. The track’s problems revolve around volume consistency, specifically in the dialogue, which fiddles all over the place. It seems that the original tracks weren’t in the best shape, because the exact same artefacts can be heard on the 2.0 and 5.1 versions. Generally speaking the sound design is pretty thin and does not feature a whole lot in the way of aural layering. However, like many budget-constrained action flicks, Dark Angel attempts to make up for its lack of cash with some very big and loud explosions and these are plenty punchy, with decent LFE and stereo presence. The coolest sound effects relate to the alien weapons, especially the directionally enhanced, screaming, flying CD weapons. Jan Hammer’s synthesizer score is definitely ‘of the period,’ right down to the wailing electric guitar embellishments.

Extras
The brief extras begin with A Look Back at Dark Angel, an interview/featurette with director Craig R. Baxley, and cast members Lundgren and Brian Benben (24:20, HD). The discussion mostly surrounds the film’s script, limited budget, casting, and stunts, which were made simple thanks to Lundgren and Baxley’s previous experience and Matthias Hues physical prowess. The disc also features the original trailer (2:40, HD) and a poster/still gallery (4:10, HD).

Overall
I Come in Peace, or Dark Angel, whatever you want to call it, is a perfectly entertaining B-action/sci-fi hybrid that doesn’t quite transcend its modest roots, but is still more enduring than most of its contemporaries. Shout Factory’s Blu-ray release is a welcome upgrade for fans still stuck with single layered, manufactured on-demand DVDs, though, of course, a bit limited by the source material. The DTS-HD MA soundtrack sounds good in both 5.1 and the original 2.0 and the brief extras include a fun retrospective interview piece.

[Jox]

Shout! Factory has done it again with another amazing release. Dark Angel AKA I Come in Peace (as it's known here in the states) is a film that had never gotten the proper digital release until about a year ago with it's first ever DVD release by MGM On Demand. But here we finally get a good release, complete with a few extras and in glorious widescreen.

It's just ridiculous, and completely fucking awesome.

http://robotgeekscultcinema.blogspot.fr ... es-to.html

Now on to the extras on the new Blu-ray from Scream Factory. There is a sizable featurette on it called “A Look Back at Dark Angel” that runs over 24 minutes and is a behind the scenes retrospective with actors Dolph Lundgren, Brian Benben, and director Craig R. Baxley. I found it very enjoyable and informative, and perhaps the best bit is a story Brian Benben tells that begins with, “Dolph almost killed me once…” Yeah they just don’t make movies like this no more. Sadly other than the theatrical trailer and a poster and still gallery, that’s all there is for special features here. Yeah, that means this Blu-ray is a little light in the goodies department, but the fact that it is out on BD at all when there are still many other movies that have yet to come out on Blu-ray, well that’s special enough for me.

Dark Angel is the type of fun, silly, and deliciously machismo-fueled action movies they just don’t make any more, and that’s a huge shame. I would gladly give the super hero spandex crowd a break (you know, what passes for action flicks these days) and give the badass cops of the 80s some big screen time. Since it is sadly unlikely to happen, the next best thing is to get high-def copies of movies like Dark Angel and bask in the goodness from days gone by. So for sci-fi action junkies everywhere, I give this new Blu-ray a high recommendation.

http://hellnotes.com/dark-angel-blu-ray-review

[dude hallenbeck]

It's a shame I live in Australia and my PS3 doubles as my Blu Ray player (Therefore can't be region hacked), I miss out on so many of these great Shout Factory releases. I wish Synapse would do more releases like Red Scorpion.

[Jox]

Great news! NSM Records (who released the German PUNISHER 3 discs mediabook with Koch Media) just announced their acquisition of DARK ANGEL!

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... =1&theater

http://www.dvd-forum.at/news-details/36 ... es-zuhause

[Jox]

http://eurocultav.com/Reviews/Dark_Ange ... y__bl.html

Audio/Video: 4/5

The Blu-ray case may bear the title Dark Angel, but the HD print prepared by current rights holder MGM sports the better-known original theatrical release title I Come in Peace. Remastered in 1080p and presented by Shout! Factory - through their consistently amazing Scream Factory imprint - in a widescreen aspect ratio of 1.78: 1 that is compressed from the 1.85:1 theatrical aspect ratio, Dark Angel doesn't look fantastic but this transfer is good enough to put to shame many years of worn-out VHS tapes. MGM had previously issued the movie on a DVD that was only available online as a DVD-R on demand title. I can't attest to the quality of that disc, but I can however say that Shout's Blu-ray looks very clean and removes much unnecessary and print damage so that Mark Irwin's vivid, neon-drenched cinematography shines and sparkles probably for the first time since the movie briefly played theaters.

Our audio options are English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and 2.0 tracks. Most of the time I couldn't detect any apparent divergences in the twin tracks, though the volume level for the music and effects mixes rises noticeably on the 2.0 track. Audio distortion is minimal though detectable in certain dialogue-heavy scenes and the action sequences with heavy gunfire, hand-to-hand combat, and explosions will rattle your speakers. English subtitles are included.


Extras: 3/5

The brand new retrospective documentary "A Look Back at Dark Angel" (24 minutes) documents the making of the film through interviews with Baxley, Lundgren, and Benben. We get interesting stories about how the movie was originally budgeted at $20-25 million but was reduced before the start of shooting to around $7 million and how Baxley's expertise as a stunt man and the presence of several members of his stunt performer family ensured that the budget would be stretched to its breaking point and that the stunts would look real and keep the cast and crew protected from harm. The script with co-written by future Jurassic Park/Spider-Man scribe David Koepp under the pseudonym Leonard Maas Jr.

Not listed on the packaging is a still gallery featuring production photos and domestic and foreign lobby cards and poster art. The original international theatrical trailer with the Dark Angel title closes out the extras.

Shout! Factory has rescued another genre obscurity from video limbo and given it an updated digital polish with a few choice extra features. Recommended with an appreciative yet silly grin.

[Jox]

Caps Blu-ray/DVD comparison
http://www.caps-a-holic.com/hd_vergleic ... #vergleich

[Jox]

http://badassdigest.com/2013/08/26/blu- ... Digest+ALL)

Oh, but if you DO want to bitch about the script, take it up with David Koepp, who wrote it under a pen name for reasons unknown (embarrassment doesn't work - he's fine with Crystal Skull?). I never knew this, but it's the first thing revealed by director Craig Baxley on the film's retrospective interview piece. Dolph and co-star Brian Benben also offer up new interviews, and they are all proud of the film and pretty much everyone that worked on it. Sometimes these things, with 20+ years having gone by, are a treasure trove of dirt, but apart from Dolph accidentally kicking one of the stuntmen in the face (the other guy missed his mark), it seems everything about the movie went perfectly. It's not the best edited piece I've ever seen; in addition to the frequent use of lo-res clips (they look like they were swiped from Youtube), there are a couple of occasions where they reuse a piece of an interview - you'll twice hear Benben discuss a particular stunt he had to perform. They also don't mention the film's two names, a source of confusion that continues to this day (the disc is being released under Dark Angel, but the film itself has I Come In Peace), though thankfully Shout! has you covered for whichever name you prefer - the I Come In Peace title/artwork is on the reverse side of the standard Dark Angel cover. The Don LaFontaine-voiced trailer (“It’s Christmas. Someone special is coming to town. And it’s NOT Santa Claus!”) and a collection of lobby cards/posters are also included, making this a pretty nice package.

Like the recent release of The Joshua Tree (aka Army of One - what is it with Dolph movies?), I really enjoyed going back to the time of stunt-driven, practical, and simple action movies. I think this is the superior film, but either one is a fine example of how much different (and in my opinion, better) action movies used to look and feel. We don't get anything like this anymore; even Dolph's modern movies tend to be more complicated and feature less variety in their action sequences - not to mention look much cheaper. And whatever you want to call it, this one has been long abandoned on home formats - it never got a real DVD release, only one of those cheapo "on demand" disc releases from MGM, so to finally have a legit release - on Blu-ray! - is a real treat to this fan. 5.1 HD sound for the film's glorious final exchange between Dolph and the alien? Worth every penny.