Plot: What’s it about?
A band of dark angels sentenced to eternity on Earth, the Shadowmen have stalked this world since the dawn of time. As there is no escape as long as the world still turns, the Shadowmen have spent their time preying on mankind. This violent sport has kept them interested for a long while, but now the world has become too much of a prison. But they have no choice but to remain, unless the world is brought to an end. The small attempts have failed, so the Shadowmen now have their sights set on a mythical tablet. If this tablet is found and remains intact in the hands of the Shadowmen, the world will be put through a series of tribulations and in the end, it will demolished and in the process, the Shadowmen will be freed. The end of world seems like a large price to pay, but to the Shadowmen, this world is worthless and they have no hesitation when it comes to destroying it, so long as they’re set loose from its bonds. But when Os (Billy Zane), is shown the light and leaves the Shadowmen, their plan is put in serious jeopardy. The tablet was found, but Os managed to get half, while Shadowmen leader Slate (David Field) holds the other half. Os soon begins to train a small group of hyper-humans, who are mankind’s last hope for survival. But can they fend off the Shadowmen and save the world?
This movie has it all, bad acting, bad special effects, bad action scenes, and bad direction, plus numerous other instances of bad filmmaking. In the wake of The Matrix, action movies have leaned on outrageous visual tricks too much, which has resulted in a wave of lame projects that overdose on the special effects. I know these kind of movies need special effects, but in Invincible, we have an emphasis on quantity, not quality. I have seen a ton of bad special effects and in old B movies, I even like them, but poor computer generated visuals are a real downer. Invincible is packed with low end visual effects of all kinds, including some used to enhance the fight sequences, which wind up making the fights laughable. If you want to make stuff as seen in The Matrix or Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, then you need to have some good resources, either a fat stack of cash or an in with a talented special effects house. In this movie, the budget is stretched too thin on the special effects, as none look good and some look miserable. Even so, they’re the high spot of Invincible, as the other elements are even less impressive. Billy Zane looks embarrassed to be involved, while the rest of the cast is totally forgettable. I can’t recommend Invincible in good faith to anyone, but if you must see it, a rental is the way to go.
The cast found here is less than impressive, but I have to assume this was intended to be the start of a television series. As such, the producers didn’t want a lot of name talent, since they’d want to bring back the main characters for the series. So we have mostly unknowns and a few faces you’ll recognize, such as Billy Zane. As I mentioned before, Zane seems to be ashamed to be in this project and his performance is lackluster as a result. He plays the role with a kind of sarcasm, as if he is mocking the material as he performs. I know that sounds like it could be fun in this case, but it doesn’t do much and falls flat, just like the rest of the picture. Zane has some solid skills to be sure, but he is not only wasted here, he is given some wafer thin material and asked to play it with total seriousness, which doesn’t work at all. He does well in the practical action scenes, but whenever the cheese laden visual effects come in, it is like he’s the worst action movie star in the history of cinema, its that bad. Other films with Zane include The Believer, Susan’s Plan, The Phantom, Demon Knight, and Tombstone. The cast also includes Byron Mann (Crying Freeman, Red Corner), Dominic Purcell (Mission: Impossible 2, Tv’s John Doe), Tory Kittles (Phone Booth, Malibu’s Most Wanted), and David Field (Mr. Accident, Chopper).
Video: How does it look?
Invincible is presented in 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen. The movie might be bad, but it looks terrific in this presentation. I saw some slight errors in a few scenes, but nothing serious and this remains a superb visual effort. The print is clean and allows for a sharp, impressive visual presence throughout. The colors are intense here, as some bold hues are on display and they look awesome, with no signs of trouble in the least. I love the colorful visuals seen in this movie, though the special effects are miserable, without question. The contrast is in fine form also, thanks to refined black levels that provide ample detail. In the end, this is a dynamic and top notch visual presentation, great work all around.
Audio: How does it sound?
A Dolby Digital 5.1 option is the main course and it sounds good, but don’t expect a high octane experience. The surrounds have a lot to do here and this is an action movie, so the audio is amped up in those action driven sequences. But this soundtrack lacks the kind of overall presence it needs, as if the budget or production has held it back. Or perhaps the sound design simply wasn’t given much attention, who knows. In any event, the track is solid and offers some power at times, so it is by no means a tame presentation. I just wanted more out of some scenes, which this soundtrack couldn’t provide. The music pulses and sounds excellent here however, while dialogue is crystal clear and never misses a beat. This disc also includes a Spanish language track, as well as English subtitles, just in case.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes no bonus materials.
