Enemies Closer Blu-ray Review

The Blu-ray presentation of "Enemies Closer" from Lionsgate Films boasts an impressive AVC encoded 1080p transfer in a 2.40:1 aspect ratio. Predominantly set at night, the transfer deftly handles the intricate play of light and shadows, although shadow detail occasionally falls short. The film starts with a sandy brown-yellow color grading during the brief daylight scenes, lending an evocative ambiance accentuated by backlighting. This adds a soft glow to the frames, seamlessly blending with the excellent fine detail in close-ups. You can distinctly see facial features and textures, such as individual sweat drops and stubble, despite a slight softness in wider shots.

The Blu-ray excels in black level performance, delivering deep, inky blacks that enrich the film's gritty aesthetic. The darker scenes are generally well-managed, with minor flaws in shadow details. Colors are predominantly muted, featuring well-saturated hues that enhance the grim tone of the film. The lush greens and vibrant reds during daylight sequences offer a stark, invigorating contrast. Motion is clean with negligible motion blur and no compression issues like banding or artifacts present.

Fine detail is exceptional throughout, from the textures on the actors' faces to the intricacies of twigs and brush in the wilderness. Besides the stellar detail in close-ups, the transfer also provides excellent depth, rendering a three-dimensional quality that establishes clear foreground-background separation. Skin tones remain natural and consistent, contributing to an immersive viewing experience devoid of visual noise or artifacts. Lionsgate's meticulous handling ensures a high-quality Blu-ray presentation that aficionados will appreciate.

The Blu-ray release of "Enemies Closer" features an impressive lossless DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track that brings the film's audio landscape to life with remarkable clarity and depth. From the pre-credits sequence, the soundscape captivates listeners with the calming lap of waters through the side channels, which are suddenly interrupted by a striking burst of LFE as a plane crashes into the water. The surround activity during action sequences is immersive, with a rich variety of foley effects that heighten the viewing experience. Dialogue is consistently clean, concise, and perfectly centered, devoid of any disruptive pops, cracks, or hissing.

The scoring and sound effects are skillfully balanced, ensuring neither element overshadows the other. The low-frequency extension (LFE) is particularly noteworthy, delivering powerful and resonant bass that dynamically enhances each scene—whether it's a plane zooming overhead or bullets piercing through the air. Furthermore, the dynamic range is vast, seamlessly transitioning from quiet subtleties like birds chirping and docks creaking to boisterous action segments that transform your living room into a veritable war zone.

Overall, "Enemies Closer" offers an exceptionally loud and aggressive surround sound presentation that mirrors its on-screen thrills. The ambient sounds add authenticity to the setting, while the dialogue reproduction is among the clearest found in Blu-ray releases, ensuring viewers never miss any spoken lines. Subtitles in English SDH, English, and Spanish are available for additional support. This audio presentation certainly earns high marks for its technical proficiency and engaging delivery.

The Blu-ray release of "Enemies Closer" includes a modest selection of extras that, while sparse, offer noteworthy insights into the film's production. Notable among these is the concise featurette "A Closer Look: Making Enemies Closer," which offers engaging interviews with the cast and crew, including Director Peter Hyams and Jean-Claude Van Damme, alongside brief glimpses into fight choreography and on-set activities. Complementing this is an audio commentary by Peter Hyams, who provides an articulate and informative narrative about the challenges of location shooting, ensuring actor safety, and in-depth character discussions. Despite the limited quantity of extras, these features deliver valuable behind-the-scenes content that enhances appreciation for the film.

Extras included in this disc:

• A Closer Look: Making Enemies Closer: Standard EPK featuring interviews and fight choreography.
• Audio Commentary with Director Peter Hyams: Insightful commentary on location shooting, actors’ safety, and character development.
• Trailers: Assorted promotional trailers.
• Digital HD: Access to UltraViolet Digital HD copy.

"Enemies Closer" marks a collaborative reunion between Jean-Claude Van Damme and director Peter Hyams, who previously worked together on "Timecop" and "Sudden Death". This action-packed thriller surprises with Van Damme taking on the role of Xander, a nature-loving, gun-averse villain who stands out with humorous quirks and a memorable, over-the-top performance. With excellent direction and well-paced scriptwriting by Eric and James Bromberg, the film delivers an engaging survival narrative.

The story follows Henry (Tom Everett Scott), a park ranger and former Navy SEAL. Set on an isolated island where a plane crash hides a shipment of valuable drugs, Henry initially appears as an impeccably good guy. His routine interactions with tourists are interrupted when he discovers Clay (Orlando Jones), a mysterious figure stalking him for personal revenge. When Xander and his henchmen descend upon the island, Henry and Clay are forced to collaborate in an action-filled endeavor to stay alive, blending dynamic fight sequences and suspenseful conflicts. The supporting cast, including Linzey Cocker and Kris Van Damme, deliver solid performances that add depth to an otherwise straightforward plot.

The film excels in its action scenes, maintaining a brisk pace and throwing in unexpected turns to keep audiences hooked. Despite some logical lapses and genre clichés, "Enemies Closer" offers refreshing joie de vivre. Van Damme's portrayal as a vegan environmentalist villain spices up the traditional action narrative with dark humor. Fans of classic action flicks will relish seeing Van Damme in a villainous role that pays homage to iconic characters like Javier Bardem's in "Skyfall". Overall, while it doesn’t reinvent the genre, "Enemies Closer" is an entertaining film bolstered by sharp direction and Van Damme’s charismatic performance.

“Enemies Closer” is an exhilarating action-packed film featuring an outrageously entertaining performance from Jean-Claude Van Damme. Directed by Peter Hyams, the film delivers a fast-paced narrative involving drugs and revenge, seamlessly combining thrilling fight sequences with moments of genuine tension. Van Damme's hyperbolic role as the antagonist is both hilarious and captivating, making this a must-see for fans of his previous collaborations with Hyams.

The Blu-ray release by Lionsgate ensures an impeccable audio and video presentation, enhancing every punch, kick, and explosion to exceptional clarity. The transfer showcases vibrant visuals, allowing the intense action scenes to burst with color and dynamism. The sound design is equally impressive, placing the viewer right in the midst of the chaos with a precisely balanced soundtrack. Though there are only a couple of extras, they add value and depth to the viewing experience, making this collection worthwhile.

In conclusion, "Enemies Closer" is an immensely enjoyable film that successfully combines over-the-top action with brisk pacing and engaging performances. Despite some lapses in logic, it maintains an entertaining tone throughout. If you’re a fan of Van Damme or action films in general, this Blu-ray release is highly recommended. Pick up your copy and prepare for a fun-filled ride!