Blue Sunshine: Standard Edition – Synapse Films (4k UHD)

Theatrical Release Date: USA, 1977
Director: Jeff Lieberman
Writer: Jeff Lieberman
Cast: Zalman King, Deborah Winters, Mark Goddard, Robert Walden, Charles Siebert, Ann Cooper, Ray Young, Alice Ghostley, Stefan Gierasch, Richard Crystal

Release Date: March 13th, 2026
Approximate Running Time: 94 Minutes 49 seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 2160 Progressive / HEVC / H.265 / HDR10
Rating: R
Sound: DTS-HD Mono English, DTS-HD 5.1 English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $39.95

"It starts off as a great party—just eight people in a secluded lodge. One of the guests suddenly goes on a shockingly violent, murderous rampage. There is something wrong with his hair and pure evil in his eyes. What he does to three of the girls there is too hideous to describe. Falsely accused of the brutal killings, Jerry Zipkin (Red Shoe Diaries' Zalman King) goes on the run. More bizarre murders occur, and while trying to clear his name, Jerry discovers the shocking truth: The people losing their hair and turning into violent psychopaths may be connected to a drug each killer took a decade before. A drug known as "Blue Sunshine." Did you ever hear the words "Blue Sunshine"? Try to remember...your life may depend on it." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "4K restoration of the original 35mm camera negative mastered in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)."

Blue Sunshine comes on a 100 GB triple layer 4K UHD.

Disc Size: 92.3 GB

Feature: 65.9 GB

The transfer looks excellent; it is easily the best Blue Sunshine has ever looked on home media. Flesh tones look healthy; colors are nicely saturated; image clarity, contrast, black levels, and compression are solid; and the image always looks organic.

Audio: 5/5 (Both Audio Tracks)

This release comes with two audio options, a DTS-HD mono mix in English and a DTS-HD 5.1 mix in English. Both audio tracks sound excellent. Dialogue always comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced, ambient sounds are well represented and the score sounds appropriately robust. Included are removable English SDH.

Extras:

Extras for this release include reversible cover art, an image gallery with music from the film playing in the background (stills/posters/lobby cards/home video art/articles), theatrical trailer #1 (2 minutes 31 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), theatrical trailer #2 (2 minutes 32 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), two Anti-drug “scare films”: LSD-25 (26 minutes 41 seconds, 1.33:1 aspect ratio, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles) and LSD: Insight or Insanity? (18 minutes 3 seconds, 1.33:1 aspect ratio, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), two versions of The Ringer, a short film directed by Jeff Lieberman: the original uncut version, from a projection print source (19 minutes 44 seconds, 1.33:1 aspect ratio, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles); and the final release version, remastered in 4K by Synapse Films (18 minutes 32 seconds, 1.33:1 aspect ratio, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), an audio commentary with Jeff Lieberman for the original uncut version of The Ringer,  Fantasia Film Festival 4K Premiere Q&A with moderator Michael Gingold and director Jeff Lieberman (36 minutes 29 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Channel Z “Fantasy Film Festival” interview with Mick Garris and Jeff Lieberman (14 minutes 3 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), an archival interview with Jeff Lieberman titled Lieberman on Lieberman (30 minutes 13 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival interview with Jeff Lieberman from 2003 (40 minutes 44 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a new introduction to the film by Jeff Lieberman (1 minute 29 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an audio commentary with Jeff Lieberman and film historian Howard S. Berger, and an audio commentary with Jeff Lieberman and filmmaker Elijah Drenner.

Summary:

Blue Sunshine was written and directed by Jeff Lieberman, whose other feature films include Squirm, Just Before Dawn, and Remote Control.

A man wrongly accused of multiple murders frantically searches for the truth that will exonerate him.

Although billed as a horror film, Blue Sunshine is better described as a psychological thriller that incorporates body horror elements. While there are several outbursts of carnage, it is primarily a dialogue-driven narrative in which its protagonist, a wrongly accused man, spends most of the duration asking questions and putting everything into focus. That said, the few moments of carnage are sufficiently gory and at times jarring.

Why are so many people having psychotic breaks? Besides all of them losing their hair, what else connects them? While all these events ultimately trace back to a drug called Blue Sunshine, several unresolved questions remain. The most significant of these is why a drug taken by these individuals ten years ago has suddenly begun to produce side effects now. Although there is text at the end of the film that tries to neatly explain what has unfolded, it feels more like a compromise than a definitive answer to what happened.

All around, the cast are excellent in their roles, especially Zalman King (Some Call It Loving) in the role of the wrongly accused man. While some might say that performances veer into over-the-top territory, considering many of the key characters are suffering the side effects of a hallucinogenic drug, their minds would not be unbalanced. That said, the most balanced performance is Zalman King, whose character never breaks from reality.

Blue Sunshine is a film that relies heavily on mood, and its eerie opening setup does a phenomenal job setting the stage for what follows. Another strength of the narrative is how it always holds your attention by keeping you guessing where it might go next. The visuals and composer Charles Gross's exemplary score create a perfect fusion that greatly heightens the mood. Ultimately, Blue Sunshine’s positives far outweigh its negatives, notably its ability to create an unsettling atmosphere.

Synapse Films gives Blue Sunshine a definitive release. Highly recommended.

Note about the 4K screenshots: It is not possible to make Dolby Vision or HDR10 screenshots that faithfully match the experience of watching a film in motion on a TV. Instead of not having any screenshots, all of the 4K screenshots are m2ts taken with a MPC-HC player and lossless PNGs.

Written by Michael Den Boer

The Girl Who Leapt Through Time: 2 Disc Edition – Cult Epics (UHD/Blu-ray Combo)

Theatrical Release Date: Japan, 1983
Director: Nobuhiko Ôbayashi
Writer: Wataru Kenmotsu
Cast: Tomoyo Harada, Ryōichi Takayanagi, Toshinori Omi, Toshie Negishi, Ittoku Kishibe, Yukari Tsuda, Akiko Kitamura, Wakaba Irie, Takako Irie, Ken Uehara

Release Date: February 24th, 2025
Approximate Running Time: 104 Minutes 7 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 Widescreen, 1.37:1 Aspect Ratio Opening and Closing Scenes / 2160 Progressive / HEVC / H.265 / HDR10
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Japanese, DTS-HD 5.1 Japanese
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region Free (4K UHD), Region A (Blu-ray)
Retail Price: $49.95

"After suffering a fainting spell in her school's laboratory, 16-year-old Kazuko Yoshiyama (Harada) begins to experience a strange phenomenon throughout her daily life—temporal leaps backward and forward in time—disorienting her as she relives moments time and time again, as days past return to the present. Lost in a sea of time, Kazuko's desperate plea to exist in the present is answered amidst the swell of FX wizardry, musical overtures, and, most of all, the anchor of young love." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5 (4K UHD), 4.25/5 (Blu-ray)

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "4K Transfer & Restoration + HDR."

The Girl Who Leapt Through Time comes on a 66 GB dual layer 4K UHD.

Disc Size: 61.2 GB

Feature: 59.1 GB

The source looks excellent; it is a noticeable improvement over Third Window Films' 2022 Blu-ray release. Also, this release presents the film in a 1.66:1 aspect ratio, while Third Window Films' release is in a 1.78:1 aspect ratio. Flesh tones and colors look correct; image clarity, contrast, and black levels are solid; and there are no issues with compression.

The Girl Who Leapt Through Time comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 46.1 GB

Feature: 26 GB

This Blu-ray uses the same master that is used for the 4K UHD disc.

Audio: 4.25/5 (Both Audio Tracks)

This release comes with two options, a DTS-HD mono mix in Japanese and a DTS-HD 5.1 mix in Japanese. Both audio tracks sound clean, clear, balanced, and robust when they should. That said, the 5.1 track does a good job opening up the original mono source. Included are removable English subtitles.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a theatrical trailer for The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (2 minute 43 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Japanese with removable English subtitles), Toki O Kakeru Shojo music video (3 minute 2 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Japanese with removable English subtitles), an archival featurette titled The Tomoyo Harada Story (10 minute 33 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Japanese with removable English subtitles), an archival interview with director Nobuhiko Ôbayashi (24 minutes 26 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Japanese with removable English subtitles), an archival conversation from 2015 with Nobuhiko Ôbayashi at Japan Society NY (21 minutes 59 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English and Japanese with an English translator for the latter), a video essay by Alex Pratt titled Now and Then, Here and There: Onomichi Pt. 2 (16 minutes 28 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a video essay by Max G. Robinson titled A Movie: Ôbayashi’s Cinematic Life (23 minutes 29 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English with non-removable English subtitles for Japanese film clips), an audio commentary with Nobuhiko Ôbayashi Scholar Alex Pratt, reversible cover art with original Japanese poster art, a slipcover (limited to the first pressing), and a reproduciton 24-page Japanese pressbook (limited to the first pressing).

Other extras include theatrical trailers for His Motorbike, Her Island (1 minute 32 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Japanese with removable English subtitles), School in the Crosshairs (1 minute 55 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Japanese with removable English subtitles), and The Island Closest to Heaven (1 minute 41 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Japanese with removable English subtitles).

Summary:

There are many elements in The Girl Who Leapt Through Time that mirror another Nobuhiko Ōbayashi film, School in the Crosshairs. Both films feature a female protagonist who has special powers—in the former's case, the ability to time travel, and in the latter's, telekinesis. Also, The Girl Who Leapt Through Time is another Nobuhiko Ōbayashi film that was based on a novel.

Although The Girl Who Leapt Through Time is one of Nobuhiko Ōbayashi's more straightforward stories, it is far from conventional, especially in terms of its narrative. Notably when it comes to the visuals and overall aesthetic. Most notably, there is a pre-credits sequence and the opening credits, which are in black and white and have a different aspect ratio.

The Girl Who Leapt Through Time is a film that was crafted as a vehicle for Tomoyo Harada (Early Spring Story) in the role of Kazuko, the girl who leaped through time. She delivers a pitch-perfect performance that captures her character's sense of wonder. That said, her performance overshadows the rest of the cast.

From a production standpoint, The Girl Who Leapt Through Time is a film that takes full advantage of its resources. The premise is well-executed, and the narrative does a great job propelling the story forward. That said, the special effects look dated and call attention to themselves. Ultimately, The Girl Who Leapt Through Time is a satisfying mix of melodrama and whimsy.

The Girl Who Leapt Through Time gets a solid release from Cult Epics that comes with a strong audio/video presentation and informative extras. Highly recommended.

Note about the 4K screenshots: It is not possible to make Dolby Vision or HDR10 screenshots that faithfully match the experience of watching a film in motion on a TV. Instead of not having any screenshots, all of the 4K screenshots are m2ts taken with a MPC-HC player and lossless PNGs.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Duel to the Death – 88 Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Hong Kong, 1983
Director: Ching Siu-tung
Writers: Ching Siu-tung, David Lai, Manfred Wong
Cast: Norman Chui, Damian Lau, Flora Cheong-Leen, Eddy Ko, Chang Chung

Release Date: February 24th, 2026
Approximate Running Time: 87 Minutes 24 seconds
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: LPCM Mono Cantonese, LPCM Mono English
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $29.95

"Every ten years, a duel is held between the finest Japanese and Chinese martial artists to determine whose swordsmanship is superior. During the Ming Dynasty, as the next duel approaches, the chosen candidates are caught in the middle of a battle between ninjas and Shaolin monks. "Only a duel to the death will settle the countries' conflicts and stop the bloodshed." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.25/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "2K restoration from the original negative."

Duel to the Death comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray. 

Disc Size: 44.3 GB

Feature: 25 GB

The source looks excellent, and it is comparable to Eureka’s 2021 Blu-ray release. Flesh tones look healthy, colors are nicely saturated, image clarity and black levels are strong, compression is solid, and there are no issues with digital noise reduction.

Audio: 4.25/5 (LPCM Mono Cantonese), 4/5 (LPCM Mono English)

This release comes with two audio options, a LPCM mono mix in Cantonese and a LPCM mono mix in English. Although both audio mixes sound clean, clear, and balanced, the Cantonese track sounds slightly more robust. Included are removable English subtitles and removable English subtitles for Cantonese text when watching the English-language track.

Extras:

Extras for this release include an image gallery with music from the film playing in the background (posters/stills/home video art), a reconstructed Tai Seng trailer for U.S. home media release (1 minute 50 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a Hong Kong theatrical trailer (3 minutes 22 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Cantonese with removable English subtitles), alternate English credits (3 minutes 54 seconds, Dolby Digital mono), an archival featurette about wirework in Hong Kong cinema titled No Strings. Attached (28 minutes 22 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English and Cantonese with removable English subtitles), an archival interview with actress Flora Cheung (9 minutes 34 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival interview with actor Norman Chui Siu-keung titled Duel Identity (19 minutes 54 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Cantonese with removable English subtitles), an interview with screenwriter Manfred Wong (10 minutes 32 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Cantonese with removable English subtitles), an interview with actor Eddy Ko (13 minutes 46 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an audio commentary with Asian Cinema Expert Frank Djeng, reversible cover art, an O-Ring slipcase (limited to the first pressing), and a 32-page booklet (limited to the first pressing) with cast & crew information, an essay about director Ching Siu-tung written by The Fanatical Dragon, an essay titled Ninja, Please! The 1980s Ninja-Boom Makes a Brief Strike in Hong Kong Before Exploding Internationally written by The Fanatical Dragon, and archival images.

Summary:

Duel to the Death was Ching Siu-tung’s directorial debut. HIs other notable films include A Chinese Ghost Story trilogy, Swordsman 1-3, The Mad Monk and Dr. Wai in the Scripture with No Words.

Not only does Duel to the Death draw from Wuxia films; it's a film that predates the 1980s ninja phenomena. Its narrative features a familiar premise, Chinese fighter vs. Japanese fighter, which fighting style is better and who will prevail? Representing the Chinese fighters are Shaolin monks, while the Japanese fighters are ninjas. Where the Shaolin monks' style focuses on spirituality, the ninja’s style is rooted in deception. Besides different fighting styles, they both employ a wide array of weapons.

While the cast has some familiar faces like Norman Chui (The Sword), Damian Lau (The Heroic Trio), and Eddy Ko (Heroes Shed No Tears), unlike other Golden Harvest films of this era, it does not have notable star power. Fortunately, all of the cast excel in their roles, especially when it comes to the acrobatic fight sequences. A performance of note is Flora Cheong-Lee (Buddah’s Palm) in the role of a female fighter with exemplary skills in a world dominated by men.

Duel to the Death is a film that elevated wire work in fight sequences. The narrative quickly jumps into an action set piece where ninjas try to escape after stealing a copy of a scroll from the Shaolin monks. Besides setting the tone for what follows, this scene serves as a showcase for both of their fighting styles. While the narrative leans heavily into action set pieces, it does not give sufficient time to exposition. Ultimately, Duel to the Death is a thrilling action film whose breakneck pacing ensures there’s never a dull moment.

Duel to the Death gets an exceptional release from 88 Films that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and a wealth of insightful extras. Highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Double Impact: Collector's Edition – MVD Rewind Collection (4k UHD/Blu-ray Combo)

Theatrical Release Date: USA, 1991
Director: Sheldon Lettich
Writers: Sheldon Lettich, Jean-Claude Van Damme
Cast: Jean-Claude Van Damme, Alicia Stevenson, Paul Aylett, Geoffrey Lewis, Alan Scarfe, Philip Chan, Bolo Yeung, Cory Everson, Alonna Shaw

Release Date: February 17th, 2026
Approximate Running Time: 110 Minutes 27 seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 2160 Progressive / HEVC / H.265 / HDR10
Rating: R
Sound: DTS-HD 5.1 English, LPCM Stereo English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free (4K UHD), Region A (Blu-ray)
Retail Price: $49.95

"Van Damme leaps into the dual roles of Chad and Alex Wagner, twin brothers who were separated after their parents' brutal murder. Years later, the two couldn't be more different: Chad is a slick Beverly Hills fitness instructor, while Alex is a rough and tumble smuggler on the gritty streets of Hong Kong. But when fate throws them together again, Chad and Alex discover that there's one thing they have in common: they're both fighting machines! Determined to enact revenge on their parents' killers, the martial-arts experts kick, chop and shoot all the way to an electrifying final showdown aboard a gargantuan freighter in Hong Kong harbor." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5 (4K UHD), 4.25/5 (Blu-ray)

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "Director Approved 2025 4K Scan & Restoration (2160p - 16-Bit Scan of the Original Camera Negative) of the movie presented in 1.85: 1 Aspect Ratio in HDR."

Double Impact comes on a 66 GB dual layer 4K UHD.

Disc Size: 61 GB

Feature: 60.5 GB

This new transfer is a noticeable improvement over MVD’s 2019 Blu-ray release. Flesh tones and colors look correct, image clarity is solid, black levels are strong, and there are no issues with compression or digital noise reduction.

Double Impact comes on a 50 GB single layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 46.2 GB

Feature: 21.7 GB

This Blu-ray uses the same master that is used for the 4K UHD disc.

Audio: 4.25/5 (Both Audio Tracks)

This release comes with two audio options, a LPCM stereo mix in English and a DTS-HD 5.1 mix in English. Both audio tracks sound clear and balanced, and they are robust when they should be. The 5.1 track does a great job opening up the original stereo source. Included are removable English SDH.

Extras:

There are no extras on the 4K UHD disc.

Extras on the Blu-ray disc include a theatrical trailer (1 minute 39 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Double Impact MVD Rewind Collection promo with Jean-Claude Van Damme (24 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), 23 deleted/extended scenes (53 minutes 57 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), archival cast & crew EPK interviews featuring Jean-Claude Van Damme, Moshe Diamant and Charles Layton (6 minutes 21 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Double Impact: Film Clips, five full-frame clips from the film for use in TV promos (4 minutes 51 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles) Double Impact: B-Roll Selections (8 minutes 3 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival behind-the-scenes featurette (6 minutes 58 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with director Sheldon Lettich titled Anatomy of a Scene (7 minutes 59 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), The Making of Double Impact: Part 1 (52 minutes 47 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), featuring Jean-Claude Van Damme, Sheldon Lettich, producer Ashok Amritraj, stunt coordinator/actor Peter Malota, actress Cory Everson, photo doubles Jeff and Jerry Rector, and The Making of Double Impact: Part 2 (58 minutes 45 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles).

Other extras include a collectible Double Impact “4K LaserVision” mini-poster, reversible cover art, a slipcover (first pressing only), and trailers for Black Eagle, Lionheart, Double Dragon, Nemesis, Showdown, Walking Tall, and Angel Town.

Summary:

Sheldon Lettich directed Double Impact. He’s most known for the four films he made with Jean-Claude Van Damme, the other three being Lionheart, The Order, and The Hard Corps.

Twin brothers who were separated at birth are reunited to avenge the death of their parents, who were murdered 25 years before.

When it came time to make Double Impact, Jean-Claude Van Damme was nearing the apex of his popularity, and what better selling point than having him portray twins? Instead of having a sidekick, why not have Jean-Claude Van Damme be his sidekick? While having an actor portray twin brothers is not an uncharted area, it can be tricky for an actor to convincingly pull it off. Fortunately, Jean-Claude Van Damme brought his A-game, and he delivers two outstanding performances that are distinctly different.

The rest of the cast is rounded out with familiar faces, notably Bolo Yeung (who had previously worked with Jean-Claude Van Damme on Bloodsport) in the role of the villain's main henchman. Nobody in Hong Kong cinema could deliver menace as convincingly as Bolo Yeung; his characters are ruthless when it comes to eliminating those who stand in the way of his boss. Other notable cast members are Philip Chan (Hard Boiled) in the role of Raymond Zhang, an underworld crime boss who had the twin brothers' parents killed, and Geoffrey Lewis (Night of the Comet) in the role of Frank, the parents' bodyguard who rescued and raised one of the brothers.

A key contributor that should not be overlooked is Sheldon Lettich; before Double Impact, he co-wrote Bloodsport, the film that put Jean-Claude Van Damme on the map, and directed him in Lionheart. His direction, in particular the action set pieces, is exemplary. While he would make two more films with Jean-Claude Van Damme, they would not match the quality of their early collaborations. That said, Double Impact is arguably the best of the four Jean-Claude Van Damme films he directed.

Double Impact is a film where everything works: its location, Hong Kong; the cast; and, of course, Jean-Claude Van Damme in two roles. The opening setup does a phenomenal job setting the stage for what unfolds, and the narrative effectively builds momentum to a revenge-served explosive finale. Although the moments of exposition are well-executed, Double Impact shines brightest in the action sequences. The action sequences are a mixture of martial arts and shootouts, and in one scene, via some creative editing, Jean-Claude Van Damme fights himself. Ultimately, Double Impact is a solid action film and one of the high-water marks of Jean-Claude Van Damme’s filmography.

Double Impact gets a solid release from the MVD Rewind Collection that comes with a strong audio/video presentation and a wealth of informative extras. Highly recommended.

Note about the 4K screenshots: It is not possible to make Dolby Vision or HDR10 screenshots that faithfully match the experience of watching a film in motion on a TV. Instead of not having any screenshots, all of the 4K screenshots are m2ts taken with a MPC-HC player and lossless PNGs.

 

Written by Michael Den Boer

Knock Off: 2-Disc Collector's Edition – MVD Rewind Collection (4k UHD/Blu-ray Combo)

Theatrical Release Date: Hong Kong/USA, 1998
Director: Tsui Hark
Writer: Steven Edward de Souza
Cast: Jean-Claude Van Damme, Rob Schneider, Lela Rochon, Michael Fitzgerald Wong, Carmen Lee, Paul Sorvino

Release Date: February 17th, 2026
Approximate Running Time: 91 Minutes 27 seconds
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 2160 Progressive / HEVC / H.265 / HDR10
Rating: R
Sound: DTS-HD 5.1 English, LPCM Stereo English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free (4K UHD), Region A (Blu-ray)
Retail Price: $49.95

"When a shipment of jeans to the U.S. proves counterfeit, Marcus Ray, the 'King of The Knock-Offs' (Van Damme), finds himself at the center of a Russian Mafia plot to hold the United States security for ransom. Thousands of tiny micro-bombs, disguised within other manufactured goods, are scheduled for departure from Hong Kong to America. When Ray's company's jeans are found to be the housing for the explosives, he's the one man the CIA can count on to prevent certain disaster. In a territory where loyalty can change hands overnight, Marcus Ray's survival will depend on him knowing the fakes from the real thing." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4/5 (4K UHD), 3.75/5 (Blu-ray)

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "HD Restoration (16-Bit Scan of the Original Camera Negative) of the film presented in its original 2.35:1 Aspect Ratio in HDR."

Knock Off comes on a 66 GB dual layer 4K UHD.

Disc Size: 60.6 GB

Feature: 60.1 GB

While not as big of an upgrade as MVD’s Double Impact 4K UHD release, it is still a stronger release than this film’s previous Blu-ray releases. Flesh tones and colors look correct, image clarity and black levels are strong, and there are no issues with compression or digital noise reduction.

Knock Off comes on a 50 GB single layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 38.5 GB

Feature: 24.6 GB

This Blu-ray uses the same master that is used for the 4K UHD disc.

Audio: 4.25/5 (Both Audio Tracks)

This release comes with two audio options, a LPCM stereo mix in English and a DTS-HD 5.1 mix in English. Both audio tracks sound clear and balanced, and they are robust when they should be. The 5.1 track does a great job opening up the original stereo source. Included are removable English SDH.

Extras:

Extras on the 4K UHD disc include an archival audio commentary with action cinema experts. Mike Leeder and Arne Venema.

Extras on the Blu-ray disc include a theatrical trailer (1 minute 57 seconds, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles), an archival featurette titled Making of: Knock Off (23 minutes 15 seconds, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles), an archival interview with screenwriter Steven E. de Souza (9 minutes 49 seconds, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles), a new interview with Steven E. de Souza (40 minutes 51 seconds, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with producer Moshe Diamant (18 minutes 24 seconds, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles), and an archival audio commentary with Mike Leeder and Arne Venema.

Other extras include a collectible Knock Off “4K LaserVision” mini-poster, reversible cover art, a slipcover (first pressing only), and trailers for Double Impact, Lionheart, Black Eagle, Death Warrant, and One Tough Cop.

Summary:

Tsui Hark directed Knock Off. He’s known for Zu Warriors from the Magic Mountain, Peking Opera Blues, Once Upon a Time in China, The Banquet, Twin Dragons, and Time and Tide. Besides directing, he’s also produced these notable films: A Better Tomorrow, A Better Tomorrow II, A Chinese Ghost Story, The Killer, Iron Monkey, Burning Paradise, and Black Mask.

Knock Off is the second of two films that Jean-Claude Van Damme made with Tsui Hark, the other film being Double Team. Set in Hong Kong on the eve of the 1997 handover ceremony, Knock Off has all the more in common with Hong Kong cinema than Hollywood. The outlandish narrative features Russian mobsters, the CIA, nanobombs, and a person manufacturing "knockoff" jeans. That said, Knock Off is a melting pot of genres: action, melodrama, and comedy, pulled off in a way only Hong Kong cinema can.

From a casting perspective, Knock Off surrounds Jean-Claude Van Damme with one of the strongest ensembles he ever worked with. Paul Sorvino (Goodfellas) portrays Harry Johansson, the head of a clandestine CIA operation in Hong Kong; Lela Rochon (Gang Related) in the role of a CIA operative named Karen Lee; and Rob Schneider (Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo), who portrays Tommy Hendricks, a CIA operative who becomes friends with Marcus Ray, Hong Kong’s king of “knock-offs." While the two former bring some gravitas to the film, the latter is the source of the majority of the comedic relief.

The star and main draw of Knock Off is Jean-Claude Van Damme (Bloodsport) in the role of Marcus Ray. He’s a well-dressed, suave character who's a smooth talker that kicks ass and takes names later. While Jean-Claude Van Damme would often portray this type of character, he really excels in this type of role. The most surprising aspect of his performance is how well he executes humor, and not in an unintentional way.

After Knock Off, Tsui Hark would return to Hong Kong and never work again in Hollywood. Jaded by the experience, he felt restrained creatively, while he pretty much had free rein to create in Hong Kong. While Knock Off is not without its shortcomings, when it comes to the action set pieces, they are outstanding. The most notable of these are fruit factory sequences, where Marcus and Tommy frantically search for an escape from an angry mob and the finale, a lengthy action set piece that lasts nearly 30 minutes. Ultimately, Knock Off is a film that fans of Jean-Claude Van Damme will thoroughly enjoy, while it will be a hard sell for just about everyone else.

Knock Off gets a first-rate release from the MVD Rewind Collection that comes with a strong audio/video presentation and a wealth of informative extras. Highly recommended.

Note about the 4K screenshots: It is not possible to make Dolby Vision or HDR10 screenshots that faithfully match the experience of watching a film in motion on a TV. Instead of not having any screenshots, all of the 4K screenshots are m2ts taken with a MPC-HC player and lossless PNGs.

 

Written by Michael Den Boer