My take: Kickboxer

http://images.blu-ray.com/movies/covers/4911_medium.jpg
Title: Kickboxer
BD-25 Single-Layer Disc
Video: 1080p/AVC MPEG-4
Audio: 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio
Aspect Ratio: 1:85:1
Subtitles: English and Spanish
Run time: 97 minutes
Studio: Lionsgate Films
Rating: R
Player used for review: LG BH200

My take: (the breakdown)

There were many films in the mid to late 80s that in a later years would become extremely dated due to the music and hokey scripts. However, there are a few decent movies made in that time period and of them is Kickboxer. When Kurt's (Van Damme) older brother Eric is crippled by an Taiwanese kickboxer known as Tong Po he seeks revenge on the much better fighter. Before he can face him he must learn to fight in the way the Asian cultures do. With instruction from a man named Xian, Kurt must struggle to learn this different fighting style. More importantly will he good enough to beat Tong Po?
This is definitely one of the better Van Damme movies and it should warrant a purchase for fans.

For a 19 year old movie I was expecting more that what was supplied, but I imagine the film did not have much of a budget to begin with. This transfer is more very bad need of a new remaster. Speckles and scratches are numerous and clearly visible. Background grain has also been wiped away with DNR. Colors do extremely well most of the time and fine detail can shine every now and again. For the most part though is a very disappointing transfer, but it's probably the best this title is going to look without a remaster.

The audio is nothing to brag about either. We are given a 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track that never really gets off the ground. The one major strong point is the dialogue which is clear and understandable. Music is also decent and fills the surrounds nicely. However, other than just a couple discrete effects and the score the surrounds are silent. Also, the LFE seemed to be extremely weak as I just didn't hear much at all from the sub. This is not awful audio, but it's barely above average.

We get trailers for a couple other Lionsgate films in 1080, but that's it. I would have liked to have seen a trailer for Kickboxer, but there was no help on that request.

Movie: 7/10
VQ: 5.5/10
AQ: 6/10
Supplements: 0/10
Final word: A Purchase For Fans

As always thanks for reading folks.

Goofnut did you notice audio sync problems? I'm getting them.

I was lucky enough to own an anamorpic DVD which featured the correct widescreen aspect ratio of Kickboxer. Having compared them both now, the Blu ray is an obvious (although not fantastic) step up in PQ, but I think the review sites are right in saying that it is a very disapointing transfer. The scan that they used must have been very old.

I also noticed in the opening scenes on the river that the skyline looked LESS DNR'd on the DVD (more film grain present - if that is possible). I may be wrong about that though (might have just been compression related video noise I was seeing???)....

Overall the BD has better clarity/definition and better colours. But a fresh scan would surely yield a much better image.

Goofnut did you notice audio sync problems? I'm getting them.

I did with some of the Asian speakers, but that's probably just because they're voices were dubbed over with more coherent English.