Certain Fury Blu-ray Review

Certain Fury receives an AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) in this newly remastered HD Blu-ray release. Despite its origins as a low-budget 80s film, the presentation exhibits commendable stability. Notably, details are reasonably rendered, allowing viewers to appreciate specific facial features and set designs, such as the wallpaper adorned with graphic photography in Sniffer's apartment. Urban environments are well-articulated, offering engaging street and sewer textures with preserved distances. The delineation remains consistent and satisfactory. Colors, while showing signs of age, stay lively and highlight period-specific costuming and outdoor settings with accurately depicted blue skies and greenery. Skintones appear natural, and the source material shows minimal speckling without significant damage.

The 1.85:1 1080p transfer does a credible job for a film of this caliber and vintage. Source elements remain clean with persistent but not overwhelming speckling. The grain is noticeable, particularly in darker scenes, yet avoids becoming excessively noisy or smoothed out. Colors retain a faded quality without losing primary vibrance, keeping black levels even and adding appreciable depth and dimension. However, occasional contrast issues arise, with whites sometimes appearing overly bright and a slight haze impacting the depth in certain scenes. Despite these minor quibbles, the overall presentation is satisfactory, preserving the integrity of the original material while offering a viewing experience that balances the film's age with its visual ambition.

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix for "Certain Fury" largely reflects the audio standards of its era, offering a serviceable but unremarkable listening experience. The track preserves the film's original recording limitations; dialogue clarity is often compromised by overlapping sound effects, particularly in scenes involving rushing sewer water or intense urban environments. While dramatics and emotional pacing improve outside of noisy backgrounds, such sequences occasionally make dialogue hard to discern.

Sound effects and atmospheric elements do their part in fleshing out the movie's environment, without ever becoming intrusive. The scoring is functional, adding a modest layer of support without standing out. During more chaotic scenes, such as the drug den fire, the balance between dialogue and environment can become cluttered, making it challenging to fully appreciate conversations. Minimal hiss is present but does not overshadow the overall sound mix.

In summary, the audio mix remains a product of its time—neither exceptional nor deplorable. It provides an adequate auditory backdrop for the film, fulfilling its basic requirements without introducing any significant technical enhancements.

The Blu-Ray extras for "Certain Fury" provide a noteworthy set of bonus materials that complement the main feature effectively. The highlights include an insightful and informative audio commentary by film historians Nathaniel Thompson and Tim Greer, offering a comprehensive dissection of the film's themes and production details. For fans of vintage trailers, the disc includes multiple trailers in both standard definition and high definition formats, broadening the perspective on the era's cinema.

Extras included in this disc:

• Audio Commentary: Featuring insightful discussion by film historians Nathaniel Thompson and Tim Greer.

• Trailer Gallery: A selection of original trailers.

  • Certain Fury Theatrical Trailer: Presented in HD (2:33).
  • Malice Trailer: Presented in SD (1:57).
  • Rush Trailer: Presented in SD (2:20).
  • They're Playing With Fire Trailer: Presented in HD (1:25).
  • Heart of Midnight Trailer: Presented in HD (2:20).

Stephen Gyllenhaal's 1985 film Certain Fury attempts a blend of gritty exploitation and introspective character drama, anchored by two Academy Award winners, Irene Cara and Tatum O'Neal. The film opens with the chaotic courtroom escape of prostitute Scarlet (O'Neal) and privileged but naive Tracy (Cara), setting the stage for a relentless chase. Gyllenhaal employs excessive violence from the outset, delivering graphic scenes like a throat slashing and explosive shootouts that embrace the R-rating. While these moments provide a visceral jolt, they often edge into gratuitous territory, struggling to elevate the film above its B-movie confines.

Once on the run, Scarlet and Tracy form an uneasy alliance, navigating the seedy underbelly of their environment. Certain scenes teeter between grim seriousness and absurdity—most notably a cop triggering a sewer explosion by lighting a cigarette, a moment more befitting of slapstick than suspense. The screenplay by Michael Jacobs oscillates between fostering a partnership rooted in socio-economic contrasts and indulging in unsettling depictions of violence, such as an overextended sexual assault sequence involving Sniffer (Nicholas Campbell). Attempts to build suspense through pursuits by antagonists like Sniffer and Rodney (Peter Fonda) feel tired and uninspired, lacking the momentum needed to sustain audience engagement.

Despite their acclaimed careers, Cara and O'Neal struggle to breathe life into their characters, with their performances falling short of convincing. O'Neal's portrayal of Scarlet as a hardened criminal feels forced, while Cara's turn as Tracy fails to encapsulate the innocence and desperation demanded by her role. The emotional arc intended to underscore their unlikely friendship is overshadowed by the film's tonal dissonance, oscillating between melodrama and gore-filled mayhem. While Certain Fury offers sporadic entertainment with its trashy appeal and outlandish scenarios, it ultimately lands as an inconsistent effort that doesn't quite succeed in balancing its dual ambitions of exploitation thrills and heartfelt storytelling.

"Certain Fury" is a curious relic, embodying both the quirks and flaws of 1980s exploitation cinema. While the movie fails to deliver a coherent narrative or depth in character development, it compensates with its sheer audacity and unintentional humor. The plot, which involves the protagonists navigating an urban landscape filled with danger, is laden with clichés and uninspired performances, particularly from Tatum O'Neal and Irene Cara. The action sequences often border on the absurd, a highlight being Jake Gyllenhaal's curious direction on firearm usage, which renders the film almost like a bizarre parody.

Technically, Kino Lorber's Blu-ray release of "Certain Fury" is commendable. The video transfer is solid, preserving the film's gritty aesthetic, while the audio mix, though not exceptional, satisfactorily supports the chaotic on-screen action. Additional features, including an audio commentary and several trailers, offer modest insights into the film's production and cultural context. However, this Blu-ray edition won't magically transform "Certain Fury" into a hidden gem; it remains what it has always been—a piece of 80s trash cinema.

In conclusion, "Certain Fury" holds value primarily as a cult oddity rather than a genuine cinematic achievement. Its blend of exploitation elements with insincere attempts at serious themes makes for an entertainingly haphazard journey. While some may find charm in its unabashed embrace of sensationalism, others will likely view it as a tedious exercise in mediocrity masked by moments of unintended comedy. This Blu-ray edition offers a competent presentation of the film, but it is best approached with tempered expectations and a fondness for 80s 'trash cinema'.