Plot: What’s it about?
Karl Thomasson (Treat Williams) has once again been asked to go undercover, but this time, he faces his toughest assignment yet. Thomasson has fought in all sorts of black ops and special missions, but this time he is sent back to the classroom, to go undercover as a substitute history teacher. An old friend asked him to undertake the mission, due to a lack of contact from his son, who just joined a special unit at the school. This is no normal school however, as it is a strict military academy run by Brack (Patrick Kilpatrick), who runs it with an iron fist. So now Thomasson must enter the school and uncover the truth about Brack and his Werewolf unit, which disappears for days at a time, on secret missions of some kind. Once he arrives, Karl makes contact with a fellow agent already in place and meets Brack, who quickly shows himself to be a racist and a violent one at that. This brand of hatred is revealed in his elite Werewolf unit also, so Thomasson begins to think these secret missions could have a dark truth behind them. Add in some angry students, a strange caretaker, and a beautiful woman (Angie Everhart), and Thomasson has his work more than cut out for himself.
This marks the fourth installment in The Substitute series and while some folks dislike these flicks, I think they’re fun and good picks for action fans. The series has turned to the direct to video realm now, but I still think there’s a lot to like with these efforts. Here we see the return of director Robert Radler, who helmed the third film and Treat Williams, who has taken the lead since the second entry in the series. Radler has some experience in terms of low budget action, so this movie comes off better than expected, when you consider the resources involved. Williams is solid in the lead here, while Angie Everhart, Simon Rhee, Bill Nunn, and Patrick Kilpatrick provide a decent enough supporting cast. As far as direct to video action flicks go, this is a more than solid flick and much better than most titles you’ll see on the shelf. Of course, this can’t compete with blockbusters in terms of set pieces and special effects, but I found this to be a fun, worthwhile release in the end. I know this series takes a lot of scuff, but I have liked all four films and if you have to, then this newest installment is another must see. In addition, Artisan has issued a terrific overall disc here, so I give this release a very high recommendation.
In his third turn as Karl Thomasson, veteran performer Treat Williams gives another solid effort, especially when you consider the nature of this feature. Williams is not often given much credit for his work, but I have liked his three performances in this series, as well as much of his other work. In this series, he has taken on a role in a low budget action series, but he does very well here and seems to improve with each appearance. I know his turns here don’t deserve awards or anything, but given the nature of the movies, I think Williams performs very, very well. He has become very used to this role by now, so he seems more natural and relaxed, which of course enhances his performance by leaps and bounds. You can also see Williams in such films as The Devil’s Own, Mulholland Falls, Deep Rising, The Phantom, and of course, The Substitute 2 & 3. The rest of the cast here includes Angie Everhart (Bordello of Blood, Last Action Hero), Bill Nunn (Money Train, The Tic Code), Patrick Kilpatrick (The Replacement Killers, Death Warrant), Simon Rhee (Best of the Best, Universal Soldier), and Scott Miles (Remember The Titans, October Sky).
Video: How does it look?
The Substitute: Failure Is Not An Option is presented in a 1.77:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. The low budget origins of this movie are evident, but given the circumstances, I think this is an above average overall visual presentation. The main issue comes in the form of grain, but I was never distracted by it, at least not most of the time. The contrast seems even here, as black levels are solid and I saw no visible detail loss at all. The colors are presented in a more natural fashion, but still look good here, as do the normal, warm flesh tones. This might not measure up to some of the high end transfers we’ve seen, but when you consider the source materials, I think this presentation is more than acceptable.
Audio: How does it sound?
Again, the limits of this film’s resources are seen here, or rather heard. The included Dolby Digital 5.1 track offers a terrific experience, but it lacks the extra depth and punch a larger budget project could allow. Even so, this mix sounds more than solid, with the surrounds used often and to effective ends. The fight and gun driven sequences have the most presence, but even the more conservative scenes have an immersive atmosphere, much more than expected. The dialogue is clean and easy to understand also, I couldn’t find much to complain about with this mix. This disc also includes a Spanish language track, in case that better suits your needs.
Supplements: What are the extras?
On this release you can find some production notes, talent files, a selection of still photos, and two deleted scenes. The main bonus here is an audio commentary track with director Robert Radler, who has some informative comments to deliver. I wish Treat Williams could have been involved in the track, but even so, this is an interesting commentary and one fans of the series won’t want to miss out on.
