Plot: What’s it about?
A vicious crew of mercenaries have been causing chaos in Hong Kong, on a spree of crime and violence that has shocked both citizens and the authorities. The gang has even just pulled off a massive heist in broad daylight, making off with millions, but some complications arose for those involved. After the heist, the gang remained in the shadows, but now members who were in the heist are being murdered. As the gang’s leader tries to piece together the truth about how the heist was sabotaged, an unlikely trio of police officers are drawn together. A rookie beat cop, a skilled inspector, and a grizzled detective all have a stake in the situation, so they forge a union to get things done. But as the two sides careen toward a violent conflict, what about the mysterious force that has helped pit the sides against each other?
Invisible Target was created to help launch the next generation of Hong Kong action stars, but would it be a big bang or just a slight fizzle? I’ve seen a lot of complaints about Invisible Target’s plot holes and writing concerns, but I can’t imagine anyone who watches this looking for emotional depth. You can tell from previews this is all about the flash, so yes those complaints are valid, but the writing issues don’t impact the experience that much. As much as I love action epics with incredible depth, I also love action for the sake of action. Invisible Target has some nice action scenes, including a lot of Nicholas Tse stand out moments. But I suppose I just expected more. The action is good, but I bought into the hype and counted on a knock-down, drag out action blockbuster, which isn’t the case. I did love the little throwback tributes to older HK action however. I still liked Invisible Target, but I don’t think it is an instant HK action classic.
Video: How does it look?
Invisible Target is presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen. This is a superb visual effort, with excellent detail and an overall slick texture. The image shows a lot of improvement over the DVD edition, with more fine detail visible and a more refined overall look. I think colors here look great, with no errors to speak of, while contrast is on the money as well. The movie has a flashy visual design and this transfer really makes it all shine. Simply a terrific visual presentation.
Audio: How does it sound?
The original Cantonese is preserved via a DTS HD 5.1 option, which provides an active, powerful audio experience. While not quite on the same level as Hollywood’s high end action blockbusters, the soundtrack here is still more than potent. The surrounds are active, especially during the frequent action scenes, so there is some nice power on showcase. The quieter scenes drop off in terms of audio of course, but still sound fine. Overall, a nice hard hitting track that covers all the bases. This disc also includes a Dolby Digital 5.1 option, an English language track, and subtitles in English and Spanish.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This is one packed disc, with over five hours of supplements on deck. Over half a dozen featurettes are here, all rock solid in terms of information. Some focus on specific star interviews, while others are more typical behind the scenes material. Combined they offer quite an in depth look at how Invisible Target was created. But even taken as single featurettes, they’re a step above the usual promotional fluff, to be sure. There is also an informative audio commentary session with several stars and film critic Bey Logan, as well as some deleted & extended scenes.
