Sabotage: Collector's Edition – MVD Rewind Collection (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Canada, 1996
Director: Tibor Takács
Writers: Rick Filon, Michael Stokes
Cast: Mark Dacascos, Carrie-Anne Moss, Tony Todd, Graham Greene, John Neville, James Purcell, Sarah Rosen Fruitman, Richard Coulter, Heidi von Palleske

Release Date: May 7th, 2024
Approximate Running Time: 99 Minutes 12 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: LPCM Stereo English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $29.95

"Colonel Michael Bishop's (Mark Dacascos, John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum) last mission went horribly wrong. Destroyed from within... sabotaged. His was the only body dragged from the ashes of a black operation that never happened.

After years of recovery, Bishop thought he escaped the Black Ops and began a successful new life as a bodyguard to the rich and famous. He was the best, with skills most men died learning. But his past caught up with him. His clients began to die violently, at the same shadowy hand that conspired against his Black Op unit. Now he must go own one last mission to destroy the faceless men that run an army that doesn't exist." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 3.75/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "Main feature presented in 1080p HD."

Sabotage comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray. 

Disc Size: 34.8 GB

Feature: 23.4 GB

The source looks great; any source debris is minor. Flesh tones and colors look correct, image clarity and black levels are strong, and compression is very good.

Audio: 4.25/5

This release comes with one audio option, a LPCM stereo mix in English with removable English SDH. The audio is in great shape, the dialog comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced and robust when it should.

Extras:

Extras for this release include an interview with actor Mark Dacascos (32 minutes 11 seconds, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with actor Tony Todd (13 minutes 24 seconds, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles), reversible cover art, a collectible mini-poster, a slipcover (first pressing only), and Mark Dacascos trailer reel; Drive, Double Dragon, Angel Town, Boogie Boy, and Instinct to Kill.

Summary:

Directed by Tibor Takács, whose other notable films are The Gate and I, Madman.

A dishonorably discharged ex-navy commando's past and present collide when an assassin kills his clients.

The opening moments feel convoluted before all the characters' motivations are clear. Fortunately, once things start coming together things begin to make sense. That said, the opening setup, a military hostage rescue, actually holds many of the answers to the who and the why’s.

When it comes to action sequences, this is one area where Sabotage delivers in spades. Also, what makes the action sequences so effective is their ability to create tension. Though the action sequences are front and center, that is not to say that Sabotage skims when it comes to characters' backstories.

From a performance standpoint, the entire cast is very good, especially Tony Todd (Candyman), who perfectly portrays a cold-blooded assassin. The other leads, Mark Dacascos (Drive) in the role of an ex-navy commando and Carrie-Anne Moss (Memento) in the role of an FBI agent, are equally good. Mark Dacascos and Carrie-Anne Moss’ characters make an unlikely duo; fortunately, their onscreen chemistry is strong.

From a production standpoint, Sabotage is a film that maximizes its assets. The narrative’s pacing does a great job building momentum, and a solid finale brings everything together. That said, going into Sabotage, I had low expectations because so many action films from this era are all flash and have no substance. Ultimately, Sabotage is a satisfying mix of flash and substance that, most importantly, is always entertaining.

MVD Rewind Collection gives Sabotage a first-rate release that comes with a strong audio/video presentation and a pair of informative interviews, recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer