UNIVERSAL SOLDIER: DAY OF RECKONING (John Hyams, 2012)

[dolphage]

Oh My God! There are some AMAZING screams from Dolph in this clip. I had no idea he was such a good screamer; in his movies his they are normally terrible (when not re-recorded by a voice actor, like in the UniSol 1 final fight) so I assumed he couldn't scream that well. They need to get this kind of performance out of him in A&R!!! I'm impressed.

[Jox]

Yeah he pulled some awesome s**t for this one, that you don't see well the final film (i.e. my avatar)!

[Jox]

John Hyams interview
http://www.mediamikes.com/2013/01/john- ... reckoning/

Review of the UK Blu-ray edition from Studio Canal
http://www.squabblebox.co.uk/2013/01/th ... ning-2012/

First thing to mention about the UK edition of Day of Reckoning is that we get the full NC-17 rated cut that was denied American audiences, with all the gooey violence intact (totalling around 34 seconds in all). Score one for us!

The Studio Canal release is also presented in a near-pristine technical presentation. The 2.35:1 1098p AVC transfer is a delight, featuring a staggering amount of detail that only lends realism to the bone-scrunching fights. The photography looks fantastic with some pleasingly deep black levels, although the CGI effects don’t look as crisp as they ought to. That isn’t so much a complaint about the Blu-ray as it is the production’s tight funds, so we’ll let it slide. Any way you slice it, the HD debut for Day of Reckoning looks absolutely killer.

Thankfully, the audio matches the image every step of the way. The DTS-HD MA 5.1 sound mix is one brutal bastard. Despite the bass occasionally getting in the way of the dialogue, this is a boisterous and full-blooded stereo workout. As straight-to-video films go, it’s hard to be disappointed with the technical presentation.

Only the bonus material lets the side down, with a paltry assortment of “Cast and Crew Interviews” and the theatrical trailer. But let’s face it, you wouldn’t be buying Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning for the extras.

[Jox]

Blu-ray.com review and screen captures
http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Universal ... 61/#Review

Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning Blu-ray, Video Quality
Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning arrives on Blu-ray with a stunning and practically flawless high definition transfer. The HD video source photography has an evident but not particularly bothersome glossy sheen to it. Though it appears rather inorganic by its nature, it boasts some positively striking details. Close-ups reveal every droplet of sweat, stubble of facial hair, and splotch of blood. Exterior foliage enjoys superb definition even some distance away from the camera, ditto manmade objects such as concrete and automobiles or heavily painted wooden beams as seen in chapter eleven. The image is razor-sharp and crystal clear in every scene, a real pleasure to behold. Colors are just as striking. The palette is rich and satisfying, vibrant and even with every hue true to life and sparkling under the increased resolution and higher scrutiny of Blu-ray. Flesh tones are excellent, and black levels deep and true. There are no major flaws of which to speak; banding, noise, and blocking are largely nonexistent. This is a high end presentation and another great Blu-ray visual from Sony.


Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning Blu-ray, Audio Quality

Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning features a rich and satisfying high definition DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack. Sony's sound presentation carries the movie extraordinarily well; sound plays a critical part in not only supporting action scenes but also defining them through deep, hardened elements that frame the action in a more artistic context. The deep, heavy low end and steady notes are rich and satisfying, playing with excellent clarity and an even spacing around the entire listening area. The track also creates a wide-open world through its atmospherics. Listeners will enjoy an authentic sense of space in most every major location throughout the movie; light background din at a hospital, the subtle electric buzzing of fluorescent lights, and other scene- and mood-critical effects spring to life and, no matter how subtle, seem to always play at just the right level and place around the soundstage to create maximum realistic effect. Gunfire plays with a positive, crisp presence. It's not quite as ear-piercing authentic as it might be -- particularly shots within smaller, enclosed spaces -- but the net effect is at least average for a fast-moving Action flick. Dialogue is always clear and remains grounded in the center channel. This is a top-level soundtrack from Sony.


Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning Blu-ray, Special Features and Extras
Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning contains two meaty extras.
Audio Commentary: Director John Hyams and Actor Dolph Lundgren speak on early ideas for the film, the final film's story and its deeper themes, the process of telling the story but maintaining the mystery, the picture's violence and fight choreography, the general filmmaking process and the difference between making a movie like this and larger theatrical films, special effects, acting and Lundgren's work, and plenty more. Despite stating up front that Lundgren can only hang around for thirty minutes, he stays on through to the end, and the track is much better for his presence. He and Hyams are excellent together; this is an intelligent and very well-spoken commentary. It's a must-listen.
Days of Reckoning: The Making of US4 (HD, 1:20:15 ): This is a three-part feature that takes audiences through the filmmaking process. Things begin with Coming Into Focus (27:30), a piece that opens with a look at casting and examines the script, makeup, plot details, making various practical and visual effect scenes, shooting the sporting goods store fight, and more. There is No End (23:21) begins with a brief discussion of the making of a fight between John and Luc. It also addresses making the end of the movie, including set dressing, setting up the stage for shooting violent mayhem, Actor Scott Adkins' knee injury, the use of stunt doubles in the film, and an extended look at making the John-Luc fight that takes on series significance beyond raw action. Finally, Production Wrap (29:23) goes back to the beginning of the film to take viewers on-set for the making of the home invasion attack sequence. This part also takes a look at Andrei Arlovski's work and making his scenes, crafting more of the film's special effects shots, shooting the John-Andrew fight scene at the end, fight choreography, making the gentleman's club sequences, and more. In total, this supplement is a more dynamic piece than the standard making-of. It's not completely on-the-set raw, but it does blend the usual interview style with far more insightful and "you are there" sort of visuals than any generic extra.
Previews: Additional Sony titles.


Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning Blu-ray, Overall Score and Recommendation
Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning is an excessively violent film but also one that's very well put together. Like Director Peter Hyams' Universal Soldier: Regeneration, his Day of Reckoning blends small-minded action with intense staging and superb choreography. Both are unique pictures and Reckoning is sufficiently different from Regeneration to make them both worth a watch if operatic, hardcore action with a fairly good story fits the bill. Sony's Blu-ray release of Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning features fantastic technical presentations and a supplemental package that's small in number but large in substance. Highly recommended.

[Jox]

Behind the scenes clip of the Dolph vs Adkins brawl!
http://www.break.com/video/dolph-lundgren-2404788/

[Jox]

Dutch release February 19

http://www.moviemax.nl/moviemax/verhuur ... 2/1637903/
(is it the first artwork that actually makes Adkins the central character?)

[leigh1975]

I think so, and it's a far truer representation of the film. I actually think that's the best of the covers so far. Having said that, that tagline is appaling.

[dolphage]

I like that cover too. Whenever there is a cover for an action movie that doesn't feature explosions (but tstill looks cool) I'm impressed.

The tag line AND the misspelling of "Reckoning" are not as impressive.

[Jox]

Swedish cover

[Jox]

Scott Adkins killcount (spoilers)

[Jox]

Review of the French edition (Wild Side Vidéo)
http://www.hdnumerique.com/dossiers/579 ... ent-1.html

[Jox]

O.M.G.
(rant review)

[dolphage]

F*ck me!I can't stand these amateur review videos, there's never any structure or thought behind them, they just drone on for f*cking ever! This one even starts with one of the super long hallucination clips from the movie, and plays the whole goddamn scene! Then some guys starts going; "Uh.. well... So..this is like... Uh... So, I'm going to do... I'm going to MAKE.. Or, like DO... Like a review... Or, whatever.. Uh.. So..."
SOMEONE KILL ME NOW!

[Jox]

Sorry buddy, I know this is painful and dumb...

[Jox]

http://www.slantmagazine.com/dvd/review ... oning/2526

That Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning emerged late last year as something of a critical darling should have surprised exactly no one. Its aesthetic influences, which range from David Lynch to Gaspar Noé, all but guaranteed the film's elevation from the slums of B-movie obscurity to some kind of vulgar-auteurist master class, where a surrealist action niche nobody asked for could suddenly be filled. The idea of a Lost Highway for a post-UFC world is an appealing proposition, at least in cinephilic circles where high-art and exploitation flicks freely intermingle. And the cognitive dissonance generated by seeing Lynchian surrealism applied to what's still essentially a Jean-Claude Van Damme action vehicle, replete with elaborate martial arts bouts and their attendant swaths of blood, makes for a pretty compelling viewing experience, particularly if the stylistic friction remains unexpected going in. There's an element of "seeing it to believe it" built into the presentation: Expectations based on the history of a mostly direct-to-video franchise, an aging action-hero cast, and a patently absurd premise so conspicuously contradict the art-house sensibility of the film itself that you can hardly blame the first wave of audiences for feeling wowed by the shock.

Hummm, we'll see how it stands the test of time...

Image/Sound:
Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning serves as a good case study for the best and worst qualities of high-definition digital photography, both of which this practically flawless 1080p transfer brings into relief. On the one hand, the image's immense detail and sharpness is often gasp-worthy, which is particularly evident during close-ups (check the sweat on Dolph Lundgren's neck during the nightclub raid for proof); one the other, however, the image is clear and high-gloss to the point of transparency, which makes it feel rather sterile and cold. In a technical sense, then, the movie looks superb, but I for one sorely miss the texture of 35mm. In any case, Sony's Blu-ray does a top-notch job of preserving the original look of the film, er, video, and fidelity is paramount. Likewise, the DTS-HD Master Audio delivers precisely the depth and richness a film with this many hard-hitting foley sounds needs.

Extras:
Misleading feature-listing alert: The back cover of Sony's Blu-ray indicates the inclusion of "3 making-of featurettes," but it's really just one hour-long EPK doc divided via on-screen title cards into three segments. The production of Universal Soldier, given its strange history as a franchise and the apparent idiosyncrasies of this new iteration, is well-worth exploring in detail, but, to that end, a talky commentary track from John Hyams and co-star Lundgren provides more substantial context and on-set anecdotes than anything in the stand-alone featurette. Hyams and Lundgren wax nostalgic about old-school movie fights and the giddy violence of exploitation cinema, and Lundgren, after a little prodding, talks at length about his experience working on Rocky IV, which is a treat.

Overall:
Essentially Lost Highway for a post-UFC world, Universal Soldier: Days of Reckoning is an intriguing but ultimately rather empty experience.