These two titles have a few things in common. Though I’m sure each has its share of admirers who’ll appreciate the 4K SteelBook treatment, neither film would ever be mistaken for a classic. But more significantly, the narratives of both are dragged down by similar subplots that ultimately keep them from being great.
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| Val Kilmer...Ninja Turtle. |
The Saint plays like a film with franchise aspirations, perhaps hoping to establish something akin to the James Bond series. As such, it’s not half bad. The action is fun and the primary story is fairly intriguing, while Kilmer certainly exudes the devil-may-care “cool” required make Templar engaging. However, the romantic subplot between Templar and Russell is godawful, with cringeworthy dialogue and love scenes that bring the momentum to a screeching halt...more than once
EXTRA KIBBLES:
4K, BLU-RAY & DIGITAL COPIES
AUDIO COMMENTARY - By director Phillip Noyce.
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| "Hi-diddle-dee-dee...a sniper's life for me." |
Based on a book about the Battle of Stalingrad during World War II, Enemy at the Gates (2001/131 min) begins like gangbusters with a Russian & German conflict that’s more of a slaughter than a battle. Afterwards, one surviving Russian soldier, Vasily Zaitsev (Jude Law), emerges as a national hero with his sniper skills, his exploits championed by political officer/friend Commissar Danilov (Joseph Fiennes) in the press. The Germans try to stop Vasily by bringing in a legendary sniper of their own, Major Konig (Ed Harris), to take him out.
When focusing on the duel between Vasily and Konig, the film is exciting, with tension filled cat-&-mouse action sequences, immersive production design and convincing performances. Even though he’s a willing participant, we sympathize with Vasily because he’s obviously being exploited for propaganda purposes. While that’s all the story a movie like this needs, someone decided it also needed a love triangle involving Vasily, Danilov and Dania (Rachel Weisz). It isn’t as intrusive or embarrassing as the one The Saint serves up, but does tend to suck the viewer out of an otherwise compelling film.
EXTRA KIBBLES:
4K, BLU-RAY & DIGITAL COPIES
FEATURETTES - Through the Crosshairs and Inside Enemy at the Gates both feature numerous cast & crew interviews.
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Both films are being released on 4K for the first time, with overall video quality that’s a bit of an improvement over their Blu-ray editions, while the 5.1 Dolby True HD audio track is the same. Each also includes a smattering of vintage bonus features. The SteelBook packaging is nice for those who are into that sort of thing, though the artwork is largely the same.
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