DVD Corner

Red Dawn Blu-ray Review

“Red Dawn” is a needless remake filled with exciting action.

In this remake of the 1984 cult classic “Red Dawn,” the U.S. is invaded by North Korea (with the help of Russia). As you may recall from the original film, the story revolves around an armed U.S. resistance group (known as the Wolverines) that fights back against the invaders. That’s pretty much the plot of both films in a nutshell.

Having sat on the shelf for 2 years due to MGM’s financial issues, the “Red Dawn” remake finally hit theaters in November of 2012 to less than stellar reviews. It’s not hard to see why as this fantastical, pointless remake lacks characterization and is somehow more absurd and lame brained than the original. You’d think that an opportunity to modernize the original would open up some interesting avenues from a political and storytelling standpoint, but those opportunities are wasted in a rushed, vague, patchwork script that feels like large portions are missing (or cut out).

Equally wasted here is the cast. When this film was shot, Chris Hemsworth and Josh Hutcherson were but rising stars. Now, after “Thor” and “The Hunger Games,” they are both superstars. I don’t think there’s any denying that the two deserved better than this as they are given very little to do. The only actor who has any real character (or personality) here is Jeffrey Dean Morgan who steals every scene he is in as a Sergeant.

On the subject of the cast, I have to wonder why (and how) Josh Peck was cast here. The actor, who is best known for starring in the “Drake and Josh” show and doing voice work on kid’s films like the “Ice Age” series, is woefully miscast as one of the lead characters. He’s out of his depth here in an leading man action role and it’s clear he’s trying to bring his career to another level in order to become a versatile Shia LaBeouf type of actor. But, let’s face it, he’s no LaBeouf.

As clunky as the film is, however, there’s one thing the movie excels at- action. For all it’s faults, ‘Dawn’ still delivers entertaining action sequences filled with explosions, bombs, car stunts, tanks, and shootouts on city streets. More importantly, the movie does all of this with impressively staged practical f/x and very few CGI F/X. It may seem like faint praise, but seeing REAL explosions and REAL vehicle stunts gave the action more weight. Personally, I found it refreshing since there’s so much bland and lifeless CGI action in films these days.

Video/Audio:

Film Presentation: 2.40:1 1080p. Verdict= sharp.

Audio Presentation: 5.1 DTS-HD MA. Verdict: Expect lots of shaker speaking explosions. Play it LOUD.

Extras:
* DVD copy, digital copy and Ultraviolet digital copy.
* Fox film trailers.

Summary: Action fans may want to give the “Red Dawn” remake a spin, but the movie doesn’t have enough positive elements to warrant a recommendation.

March 15, 2013 - Posted by nicklyons1 | Blu-Ray review | Chris Hemsworth, Josh Hutcherson, Red Dawn 1984, Red Dawn 2012, Red Dawn Blu-ray Review, Red Dawn Remake