DVD Corner

Relentless Blu-ray Review

“Relentless” is a by the numbers thriller.

Penned by Jack T.D. Robinson, 1989’s “Relentless” is an L.A. set thriller about a serial killer (Buck) at large. Buck (whose late father was formerly a cop) is a police reject who chooses his victims at random via a phone book. He then proceeds to break into their home and kill them (usually with the victim’s own hands). Investigating Buck’s string of murders are an overly eager rookie cop/family man from New York (Sam) and a grizzled veteran know it all (Bill). As the murder start to pile up, Sam gets frustrated about trying to catch the killer and begins to clash with Bill and his boss. Can the two catch the killer? Will they endanger their own lives in the process?

Director William Lustig is best known for horror films like “Maniac” and “Maniac Cop.” “Relentless” isn’t quite a horror film, but it is horror adjacent given that it is about a serial killer. It’s just not a slasher. Anyway, despite being competently directed by Lustig, this film is about as cliched and predictable as it gets. You can see every story beat coming a mile away. There are no surprises to be found here in this story about the seedy underbelly of sunny L.A. You’ve got the rookie cop, the grumpy partner, the hardass Police Chief, a creepy unhinged killer, and an inevitable climactic showdown between the good guy and the bad guy. Somehow this movie was followed by 3 straight to video sequels in which Leo Rossi reprises his role as Sam.

Speaking of Leo Rossi, he might be the lead here, but he’s the least interesting cast member. The late Robert Loggia as Bill does most of the heavy lifting when it comes to the police element of the story. Villain wise, Judd Nelson gets to shed the teen movie genre roles he was known for in the 80’s and is able to explore a different type of role as the insane serial killer Buck. He does a fine job unsettling viewers and elevates an otherwise pedestrian thriller. 

Video/Audio:

Presentation: 1.78:1 1080p. How does it look? This is a respectable hi-def upgrade for a catalogue title.

Audio Track: 2.0 DTS-HD MA. How does it sound? The 2.0 track may not wow anyone, but it does the job.

The only extra is a VHS inspired slipcover.

July 8, 2026 - Posted by nicklyons1 | Blu-Ray review | 80's Movie, Judd Nelson, Leo Rossi, Relentless Blu-ray Review, Robert Loggia, Serial Killer Movie