Broken Arrow (1996/Blu-ray)
Picture:
B Sound: B+ Extras: C- Film: C-
One of
these days, someone needs to do a documentary about the Americanization of John
Woo and how that did and did not work.
After the Jean-Claude Van Damme film Hard Target served as the awkward U.S. debut of director Woo, he
quickly moved on to the larger-scale Broken
Arrow in 1996. It brought together
John Travolta at the height of his revival and Christian Slater at the hoped
for commercial launch of his career that never caught on. This film is one of the reasons why.
Not a
remake of the classic 1950 Western, but a silly thriller (written by Graham
Yost) about a stolen nuclear warhead, indicated in the jargon of the film’s
title, which is military shorthand for one of those warheads gone missing. The leads play former Air Force buddies, but
Travolta has stolen two warheads and intends to betray the U.S. to the highest
bidder. Slater intends to stop him,
supposedly the only one who can and the chase is on. Though Woo loves doing opposite characters
who have disturbing common denominators, this does not work out very well in
this film, which is more concerned with its visual effects and being slick than
about its characters.
Definitely
a silly piece of pre-9/11 fluff, the supporting cast that includes Samantha
Mathis, Delroy Lindo, Frank Whaley, Vondie Curtis-Hall and Kurtwood Smith as Secretary
Of Defense Baird cannot save this form being a banal actioner. Furthermore, the worst piece of casting is
former football player Howie Long, cast because Fox hoped he could be the next
action star before he settled for a broadcasting career. He never got material that gave him a chance
and that makes his appearance the second most-dating aspect of the film next to
the old digital work.
Woo
continued to struggle with U.S. productions that were as much hit as miss, but Broken Arrow may just be the nadir of
them all. However, it has a small cult
following like all Woo films that fail do.
The 1080p
2.35 X 1 digital MPEG-2 @ 21 MPBS High Definition image looks like it is from
an earlier HD master, likely the one used for the D-VHS and HD channel
use. The older use of digital video
effects are the worst part of the image, but Peter Levy, A.C.S., delivers very
generic cinematography making the film not very visually memorable. It may look like money is on the screen, but
who cares if it has no character.
The DTS
HD Master Audio lossless 5.1 192kHz/24-bit soundtrack is the real star of the
film for most people, especially those who have considered it sound demo
material since the 12” DTS LaserDisc arrived with great sound design in keeping
with most Woo films. Not only is the DTS
here superior and upgraded, but it has the additional enhancement of a D-BOX
track. The D-BOX Technology
Odyssee Motion Simulator is a new version of the classic system Sensurround,
except that it has more direct bass and motion placement like a specialty
amusement park attraction. Most people
will not have this item either as of this posting, but it may catch on and this
will be one of the primary titles that will make its success possible. We look forward to retesting the sound on
this title.
The only extra is the original theatrical trailer, but
this does deliver enough sound performance to make it one of the better
Blu-rays on the market and diehard fans of Woo or Travolta will be happy
despite this being a basic edition.
- Nicholas Sheffo
