Street Fighter Blu-ray Review

The video presentation of the "Street Fighter" Blu-ray is decidedly underwhelming, with a multitude of technical shortcomings. Utilizing an outdated VC-1 encoded transfer, the image quality fails to meet contemporary standards. A significant issue is the pervasive edge enhancement, leading to visible halos that detract from the image integrity and causing a detrimental stair-stepping effect along sharp edges. This is compounded by excessive de-noising and re-sharpening techniques that leave the grain unnaturally clumpy and spiky, leading to an overall poor signal of authenticity in texture.

Compression artifacts abound, often causing surfaces to fluctuate between blockiness and overly smooth textures, undermining the 1080p resolution which already resembles more of an upscaled DVD than true HD. These problems are particularly pronounced in the representation of colors and skin tones. The color saturation is flat and lifeless, failing to deliver vibrancy or depth, with Allied Nations blue notably lacking richness. Skin tones appear pasty and artificial, while black levels are inconsistently rendered, suffering from black crush yet providing a small reprieve from intrusive noise in shadowy areas.

Furthermore, the presentation suffers from an archaic master, indicative of its original source's limitations rather than any enhancements introduced during this release cycle. This leads to a bland resolution where little detail is captured satisfactorily. Speckles and spots mar the image intermittently, signaling a lack of thorough restoration. In summary, the video section of this Blu-ray offers a substandard visual experience with negligible improvements over previous iterations. The combination of poor compression handling, unsatisfactory color accuracy, and inadequate resolution results in a release that disappoints both technically inclined viewers and casual audiences.

Mill Creek's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack delivers a commendable auditory experience for the "Street Fighter" Blu Ray, though not without its imperfections. The mix is audibly robust and offers substantial width at the front end, ensuring an immersive surround integration. Listeners will be met with a rich tapestry of sound that compensates for its minor imbalances with sheer intensity and enjoyment. Music, action sequences, and ambient sounds are delivered with power and clarity, maintaining a center-focused dialogue throughout. While the track falls just short of reaching the upper echelon due to a need for finer tuning, its strength lies in providing a consistently fun listening experience.

The audio mix artfully engages the soundstage, actively transitioning audio through both stereo and rear channels. Action-packed scenes enhance the chaos with expansive debris fields and gunfire, sharply transitioning across speakers. However, despite its energetic execution, the soundtrack suffers from a noticeable absence of depth in its low-end frequencies. The bass tones appear understated and muddy, failing to deliver the impactful rumble that could elevate the overall experience. This lack of bass gravitas reflects the dated elements of the audio presentation yet does not wholly detract from its appeal.

In essence, the DTS-HD Master Audio for "Street Fighter" excels in providing an enthusiastic and engaging auditory experience, albeit with room for improvement in bass delivery and overall balance. Its dynamic presentation remains a highlight, making it the most enjoyable component of this release.

The Blu-ray release of "Street Fighter" from Mill Creek impressively delivers a comprehensive set of features for fans and collectors. The sleek SteelBook packaging with its unique artwork and the inclusion of a replica Bison Buck add a delightful touch for enthusiasts. The array of new and legacy extras provides an engaging insight into the movie's production and universe. Highlights include a range of interviews with key figures such as Steven E. de Souza and Ming-Na Wen, offering deep dives into the creative process. The rich content composition, from interviews to archival pieces, presents a well-rounded exploration of this cult classic.

Extras included in this disc:

• Operation Shadaloo: Making of Street Fighter with Steven E. de Souza.
• I Will Crush You: Interview with Damian Chapa.
• Game Over: Scoring insights from Graeme Revell.
• It Was Tuesday: Producing experiences with Ed Pressman.
• The Strongest Woman in the World: Ming-Na Wen on Chun-Li.
• Ultimate Badass: JCVD retrospective with David J. Moore.
• Attack Me If You Dare: Comparison with Oliver Harper.
• The Making of Street Fighter
• Outtakes
• Deleted Scenes
• Crisis in Shadaloo
• Archives
• Feature Commentary
• Trailers

The 1994 film "Street Fighter" makes a comeback on Blu-ray via Mill Creek, delivering the same shortcomings in video quality seen in its 2009 Universal release. The newly encoded MPEG-4 video and DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless audio fail to impress, suggesting that any upgrades might be worth it only for the fresh extras and unique SteelBook packaging. Fans dedicated to collecting extras will find some value, but those seeking an audiovisual masterpiece may remain disappointed.

The movie casts Jean-Claude Van Damme as Colonel Guile, tasked with liberating Shadaloo from Raul Julia's masterfully over-the-top portrayal of the villain, M. Bison. The narrative is a playful mix of Cold War tensions depicted with low-brow humor and a thinly veiled Gulf War analogy. Bison's villainous antics include bizarre genetic experiments on Guile's friend, Carlos Blanka, setting a tone that teeters between satire and nonsensical action. The story departs significantly from its video game origins, replacing martial arts tournaments with a more spectacular military drama.

"Street Fighter" oscillates between being an unapologetic parody and misguided action flick. While Raul Julia's vibrant performance as Bison stands out, other characters often drift into absurdity, with inexplicable costume changes and accessories like Balrog’s boxing gloves adding to the chaos. The film’s comedic beats—like Zangief’s hilariously oblivious remark about changing TV channels to avoid base invasions—highlight its silliness. As Bison's fortress implodes climactically, characters scramble through an incoherent storyline that fosters its own kind of cinematic immortality. Despite the inconsistencies in tone and plot, "Street Fighter" remains a curious spectacle that equally fascinates and baffles, representing a failure so grand that it circles back to entertainment.

Mill Creek Entertainment's Blu-ray release of "Street Fighter" is a mixed bag that caters primarily to die-hard fans of the 1994 film. The release boasts an impressive array of new supplementary features, which add value for collectors and enthusiasts. The highlight is the set of engaging extras, and the SteelBook case design, including the novelty Bison money, provides a visually appealing package. This enhancement elevates the experience for those interested in the behind-the-scenes aspects and the cult status of the movie.

Visually, however, the Blu-ray transfer leaves much to be desired. The image quality does not meet the standards expected by contemporary viewers, with notable issues in sharpness and overall detail. The transfer does a disservice to the film’s colorful and campy aesthetic, frustrating those who anticipate a polished visual presentation. This lack makes one ponder whether Mill Creek's investment could have better served a more refined video upgrade that respects the film's iconic, albeit flawed, legacy.

In conclusion, the "Street Fighter" Blu-ray by Mill Creek is decidedly for enthusiasts who can look beyond its technical shortcomings in favor of its nostalgia and fun extras. Its campy take on the Gulf War era is endearingly bizarre, delivering unintentional comedy that makes it a quintessential ‘90s camp classic. While casual viewers might justifiably overlook this offering due to its subpar video quality, hardcore fans will find value in its supplementary content and collector-friendly packaging.