McBain – Synapse Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: USA, 1991
Director: James Glickenhaus
Writer: James Glickenhaus
Cast: Michael Joseph DeSare, Chick Vennera, Michael Ironside, Steve James, Eric Granger, Thomas G. Waites, Jay Patterson, Christopher Walken, Maria Conchita Alonso

Release Date: July 11th, 2023
Approximate Running Time: 103 Minutes 22 seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVCC
Rating: R
Sound: DTS-HD 5.1 English, DTS-HD Stereo English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $29.95

"When prisoner of war Robert McBain (Academy Award winner Christopher Walken, The Deer Hunter) is rescued in the jungles of North Vietnam by a group of Rangers, he expresses his thanks and gratitude. The leader of the Rangers, Santos (Chick Vennera), takes out a $100 bill, tears it in two, gives half to McBain and says, "If the other half of this bill ever finds you, you can pay me back." Eighteen years later, Santos is killed in Colombia while leading a fight against drug lords and corrupt politicians. His sister, Christina (Maria Conchita Alonso, Predator 2, The Running Man) goes to New York with the other half of the bill and seeks out McBain to enlist his help in overthrowing the Colombian regime. With the surviving ex-Rangers from his Vietnam rescue, including Michael Ironside (Total Recall, Top Gun) and Steve James (The Exterminator, The Soldier), McBain's team travels to Colombia to break the power of the drug lords and avenge Santos' death." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5

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

Disc Size: 33.7 GB

Feature: 32.9 GB

Though no information is provided about the source used for this transfer, the result is another exemplary transfer from Synapse Films. The source looks excellent; colors and flesh tones look correct; image clarity, contrast, black levels, and compression are solid; and the image always looks organic.

Audio: 4.5/5 (DTS-HD 5.1 English), 5/5 (DTS-HD Stereo English)

This release comes with two audio options, a DTS-HD 5.1 mix in English and a DTS-HD stereo mix in English. Here's the information provided about the DTS-HD 5.1 track: "all-new remixed 5.1 surround sound created specifically for this release." Both tracks are in great shape; there are no issues with distortion or background hiss. Dialogue always comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced. Range-wise, ambient sounds are well represented, and action sequences sound robust. The DTS-HD 5.1 track does a good job expanding the sound spectrum. That said, the DTS-HD stereo track is clearly the winner of these two tracks. Included are removable English SDH subtitles.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a theatrical trailer (1 minute 25 seconds, DTS-HD mono English, no subtitles), and an audio commentary with director James Glickenhaus and film historian Chris Poggiali.

Summary:

Directed by James Glickenhaus, whose other notable films include The Exterminator and The Protector. Anyone who is familiar with James Glickenhaus’ other films knows what to expect from McBain. His films are known for their bombastic action sequences and ample amounts of carnage.

The narrative revolves around a Vietnam vet named McBain who witnesses via television the death of a man who saved him from certain death in Vietnam. From there, he recruits ex-army rangers who served with him, and they travel to Columbia to avenge their murdered friend.

To simply pigeonhole McBain as yet another film about the Vietnam War would do this film a great disservice. Though it uses the Vietnam War as its starting point from which the story at hand evolves. McBain is more about the bond the characters have formed than the war that brought them together. During the opening moments, the Dire Straits song Brothers in Arms, sung by Ann Corfield, can be heard in the background. This song perfectly sets the stage for the events that unfold.

McBain opens big with a solid action sequence in which a group of army rangers on their way out of Vietnam see a dome that houses prisoners of war. Not wanting to leave anyone behind, they decide to rescue anyone who is still being held captive. This is a tense action set piece that is full of explosions and a ridiculous amount of ammunition. That said, this sequence does a superb job laying the foundation for the events that follow.

McBain has a solid cast who are all great in their roles, especially Christopher Walken (The Dead Zone) in the role of the protagonist Robert McBain. Though not one of his more memorable performances, when he is on screen, he dominates the frame. Another performance of note is that of Maria Conchita Alonso (Colors), in the role of the sister of an ex-ranger who was executed by a dictator after a failed coup. Though most of the characters are one-dimensional, her character has the most depth.

From a production standpoint, there is not a resource that is not fully exploited for all its worth. Besides making great use of locations, notably a few New York landmarks, the production design is solid. Another area where McBain stands out is the aerial photography when military jets engaged with the place with the ex-rangers. Though the more dramatic moments are not always as strong as they could be, when it comes to action sequences, these are the moments that James Glickenhaus is most invested in. 

Though the premise ensures that there is rarely a dull moment, the narrative is not without its shortcomings. Needless to say, there are many moments that require a suspension of belief. Ultimately, McBain is a well-made action film whose over-the-top action set pieces overshadow its antiwar message.

McBain gets a first-rate release from Synapse Films that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and an informative audio commentary, recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer