Eliminators – Blu-ray Movie Review

Synopsis

Thomas McKenzie is a former federal agent hiding out in London. One night, three men break into his home looking for cocaine and he is forced to kill them to protect his daughter. He wakes up in a hospital, under arrest by a clueless Scotland Yard, to find his face all over the TV news. Now that his former enemies know his whereabouts, they send a notorious assassin after him. Thus begins a game of cat and mouse that ends in a final battle where Thomas will do anything to protect his family.

Specifications

Universal
2016, Color, Rated R, 1 Hr 34 mins
DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, 1.78:1 Aspect Ratio
Starring: Scott Adkins, Stu Bennett, Daniel Caltagirone
Directed by James Nunn

Rating

Entertainment:

Video:

Audio:

Extras:

Violence: Yes
Sex: No
Language: Yes

Commentary

This film reminded me greatly of the Schwarzenegger vehicle Commando where a retired agent must rescue his daughter from kidnappers. I’ll admit that the acting is better in Eliminators but entertainment-wise, it’s so predictable that it becomes boring after a while. Fans of popcorn action will probably enjoy the movie, and there are some interesting bits here and there. But the fight scenes were a huge letdown for me. They appeared to have been choreographed by a WWE star rather than an experience Hollywood stunt coordinator. Body slams, clotheslines, flying kicks; it was like watching Smackdown without the bright lights and colorful costumes. No surprise that the assassin is played by none other than… a WWE star! And the WWE is listed as one of the production companies.

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Armchair action heroes will have plenty of eye-rolling moments as Thomas misses countless opportunities to end the bloodshed. On the upside, the pacing is quick, the story doesn’t drag out and the movie is an ideal 90-minutes in length. It’s just the thing for a Saturday night rental. Just have a beer or two while watching and it’ll seem much better.

Technical

Image quality is inconsistent. Some scenes are bright and saturated with awesome contrast and deep blacks but others, particularly those shot at night, are pasty and smeared with elevated black levels and murky detail.

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Audio is the best thing about this Blu-ray. Ambient sound effects are done quite well and will make the most of your surround channels. The sub wakes up once in a while too. Dialog is clear and never harsh or chesty.

Extras

Bonus features are minimal and consist of two making-of shorts and a set of trailers.

Chris Eberle

Chris' passion for audio began when he took up playing the bassoon at age 12. During his third year at the New England Conservatory of Music, he won a position with the West Point Band where he served for 26 years as principal bassoonist. He retired from the Army in 2013 and is now writing full time and performing as a freelance musician in Central Florida. As an avid movie lover, Chris was unable to turn away the 50-inch Samsung DLP TV that arrived at his door one day, thus launching him irrevocably into an obsession with home theater. Dissatisfied with the image quality of his new acquisition, Chris trained with the Imaging Science Foundation in 2006 and became a professional display calibrator. His ultimate theater desires were realized when he completed construction of a dedicated cinema/listening room in his home. Chris is extremely fortunate that his need for quality audio and video is shared and supported by his wife of over 25 years. In his spare time he enjoys riding his recumbent trike at least 100 miles per week, trying out new restaurants, going to theme parks and spending as much time as possible watching movies and listening to music. Chris enjoys bringing his observations and discoveries about every kind of home theater product to as many curious and well-informed readers as possible. He is proud to be a part of the Team and hopes to help everyone enjoy their AV experiences to the fullest.