Plot: What’s it about?
John Kross (Mario Van Peebles) is a Marine on a mission to “paint” a target for destruction, but the site is part of an archaeological expedition, complete with American workers. Kross attempts to call off the strike after he learns of this, but it is too late to do so, which means some real destruction is mere hours away. As the expedition pushes forward, one of the workers uncovers a lost tomb, which bears a stern warning against anyone who might open it. As always, the men ignore the warning and continue ahead, but also as usual, this means serious trouble in their future. As the night passes, a strange supernatural force seems to be unleashed from within the tomb, one that even Kross and his men are unable to contain and control. A young child is born as the madness unfolds and as the target explodes & lives are shattered, we find ourselves moved twelve years into the future. Kross is battling his own demons now, but works as a special agent and tries to prevent crime when he can. As a wave of violence erupts within the city, Kross begins to see a link between the current events and those he witnessed some twelve years ago…
This seemed to have a better premise than most direct to video drek, but I still had some reservations about Guardian. It turns out most of those reservations were well founded, as the movie’s low budget cripples the action sequences, while the storyline never seems to pan out, even though the premise had some solid potential. It has some moments here and there, but never takes off and maintains a good level, which prevents Guardian from being an even good movie. I wanted to like this one too, as it looked decent enough and I was primed about the whole mythology angle, but that’s never explore much here, which is a let down. Mario Van Peebles is decent enough, but he seems better suited for small roles, as opposed to being the main lead. The less than impressive supporting cast includes James Remar, Ice-T, and Karina Lombard, all of whom seem to be simply passing through, on the way to their paychecks. If you’re an action junkie with no other options, then give Guardian a rental, but keep your expectations on the low side. Studio has done little with this release also, which makes even a decent recommendation hard to make.
As far as direct to video schlock is concerned, Guardian has some solid technical merits, such as editing and direction. I found the edits to be well timed and when needed, the approach switches to a quicker pace, which compliments the visuals. I don’t mean the edit work by Daniel Duncan should be praised too much, but it is better than most of these flicks, so I wanted to mention it for a few moments. The director here is John Terlesky (Chain of Command, Supreme Sanction) and he has worked on other direct to video action pictures, so he was well prepared for Guardian. He keeps the pace quick via either visuals or overall pace, which is important in this case. I think Terlesky delivers on most counts and while he falters at times, you have to account for the low budget and obviously rushed schedule involved. The cast here includes Mario Van Peebles (Solo, Blowback), James Remar (What Lies Beneath, The Phantom), Karina Lombard (The Doors, Last Man Standing), and Ice-T (Mean Guns, Surviving the Game).
Video: How does it look?
Guardian is presented in a 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. The case just says “letter-box,” but this is a smooth, very sharp anamorphic treatment, which should please those who decide to check it out. The image looks clean and quite impressive, with minimal wear signs and a sharp overall appearance. The colors are bold and remain stable throughout, while flesh tones look natural also. No issues with the contrast levels surface either, as blacks are razor sharp and detail is consistent, no overly dark moments to discuss. I didn’t think this would be an impressive visual presentation, but Guardian looks great here and I doubt anyone will be let down.
Audio: How does it sound?
This movie has some good audio potential, but the included Dolby stereo option fails to take advantage of that potential. The action driven scenes sound passable, but don’t have that extra punch, which would have been most welcome. The sound effects don’t seem overly limited, but I do think refined surround presence could boost the film’s atmosphere. The same holds true for the music also, as it sounds good, but lacks the immersive presence I would have liked. I found dialogue to be crisp and always at a proper volume, with no problems at all to report. This disc also contains subtitles in English, Spanish, and French.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes the film’s trailer, but no other supplemental materials.
