Review | Dark Nemesis (Blu-ray)

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Plot: What’s it about?Video: How does it look?Audio: How does it sound?Supplements: What are the extras?

Plot: What’s it about?

The world is in ruins, but the struggle for power never ends. The lands are ruled over by powerful warlords, who constantly engage in battles over territory, supplies, and leadership. This doesn’t provide much of a life for the common people, since those in power tend to be the only ones well taken care of. Tired of the poor living conditions and being trampled over by the warlords, a group of soldiers decides to take action. The plan is not to attack the warlords, instead to steal a sizable amount of treasure from one, then vanish. With enough resources at their disposal, the soldiers can venture into new lands and start new lives. But the plan doesn’t go perfectly, which forces them to improvise and travel into the Shadowlands. This is a place where few would dare to get close to, but now the soldiers have to endure whatever awaits within. With both the forces of the warlord and the Shadowland’s dangers, can the soldiers survive and be able to forge new, better lives?

Also known as Dark Knight (changed for obvious reasons), Dark Nemesis has lofty aspirations, but is tethered to the ground by a very limited budget. You can tell that director Drew Maxwell wanted to craft an epic, but simply didn’t have the resources to put his vision onto the screen. Maxwell leans on what he knows best, digital monsters and tries to make the most of the special effects. While not cutting edge level stuff, the monsters look cool and better than you’d expect. The excessive green screen work is also not going to dazzle anyone, but Maxwell simply does what he can with his limited resources. The story is solid and keeps you interested, while the performances are quite good, given the circumstances. Dark Nemesis is a movie that turns out better it ever should have, making me wonder what Maxwell could do with even a moderate budget. If you like creature movies or just appreciate the efforts of a dedicated filmmaker, Dark Nemesis is worth a look.

Video: How does it look?

Dark Nemesis is presented in 1.78:1 widescreen. This transfer looks quite good, given the film’s production limitations. The visuals show off a crisp level of detail and while that exposes the special effects somewhat, it isn’t a serious concern. I found colors to be natural and free from errors, while contrast is stark and consistent. All things considered, this is a more than capable presentation.

Audio: How does it sound?

This Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack is rock solid. The power isn’t going to rattle your windows, but it has enough kick to handle the film’s sound design needs. The action oriented scenes give the best presence, with good power to drive home the atmosphere. The vocals aren’t lost in the shuffle however, while the music sounds quite good as well. So all in all, a more than capable soundtrack. This disc also includes English subtitles.