Plot: What’s it about?
Kane (Geoffrey Moore) has just smuggled a nuclear trigger out of China, which means he holds a weapon of immense power. He has no intention of using the device himself however, instead he plans to sell it to the highest bidder. As has often happened in Kane’s arms dealing deals, the high bidder turns out to be a bad person. But Kane has no interest in the consequences of his actions, just the payments and as such, he gladly sells the trigger to a violent leader from the Middle East. Of course, this sale catches the interest of the United States government, who seeks to intercept the device before the sale is finalized. A secret agent is sent in to steal the trigger and return it to safe hands, but she winds up murdered instead. That means a team of elite agents must be dispatched, one so skilled and gifted, nothing can stop them from ruining Kane’s plans. The agents chosen are Donna Hamilton (Dona Spier), Nicole Justin (Robert Vasquez), and Edy Stark (Cynthia Brimhall), all beautiful and lethal operatives. Kane’s high end weapons and numerous assassins stand in the way, but if anyone could crack this mission, its this trio of agents. The dangers never cease as the vixens close in, but even with their level of skill, it won’t be easy. Can they regain control over the device, or has Kane won this time around?
As if the usual Andy Sidaris movies don’t have enough bombs, babes, and bullets, Hard Hunted ups the ante a shade. I happen to like almost all of Sidaris’ trademark productions, but some work better than others and without a doubt, Hard Hunted is one of those. All the usual elements are in place and in ample doses, plus the sheer hilarity of Roger Moore’s son Geoffrey replacing Pat Morita (The Karate Kid) as the villain Kane. Yes, this is a sequel to Sidaris’ Do or Die, in which Morita played Asian crook Kane, but now we have Moore in that role, which has to be one of the strangest replacements of all time. But Moore would be back once more as Kane in Fit to Kill, so he must have liked the role or what not. The focus is on the babes anyway, so let’s move into a discussion about them and their wonderful assets, shall we? A nice assortment as usual, with Dona Spier, Roberta Vasquez, Cynthia Brimhall, and Carolyn Liu, as well as several other hardbodies with tops that won’t seem to remain in place. A massive dose of gunplay is found here also, even more than usual for Sidaris, while bombs are found in numerous scenes as well. In other words, the holy trinity of Sidaris is covered, so fans can enter without hesitation. If you’re into Sidaris’ cinema, then Hard Hunted is highly recommended, as one of his best efforts.
Video: How does it look?
Hard Hunted is presented in full frame, as intended. As with the other releases in the Andy Sidaris Collection, this one looks very good and much better than previous video editions, so fans should be very pleased. The image is super clean, with minimal grain, marks, and other debris, which allows for a more refined, brighter picture. The colors come across in solid, bold form and of course, flesh tones look natural from start to finish. That last part is important, since Hard Hunted is loaded with so much flesh. I had no problems on the contrast side of the coin either, thanks to well balanced black levels throughout. I can’t see how this movie could look much better on DVD, another terrific transfer from the Andy Sidaris Collection.
Audio: How does it sound?
The trademark Sidaris elements are well presented here, as all the bullets, bombs, and even babes sound terrific. The action scenes have more punch of course, but all the sequences sound solid and as well as you could expect. I mean, this isn’t a brand new DTS ES remix, but its about as good as the material is going to sound, so I see no reason to complain. The shootouts, espionage, and explosions all come through well, while the musical soundtrack is clean and never gives cause for concern. No troubles with dialogue either, as vocals remain crisp and free from volumes errors at all times.
Supplements: What are the extras?
The extras kick off with an audio commentary track, as Andy Sidaris and his wife Arlene discuss the production. The two provide their usual brand of comments, as the girls are talked about, the various stunts involved, technical information, and of course, some humorous behind the scenes stories. So another solid session from Sidaris, who seems to never run out of information about his productions. Sidaris returns to introduce the movie with Julie Strain, who as always, has trouble keeping her clothes on. A total of three featurettes are up next, the first is Part II on the Hard Hunted locations, then we have a piece on Julie K. Smith, and the final one is the Andy Sidaris film school featurette. A selection of interviews is also included, as well as some still photos and trailers for Hard Hunted and other Sidaris pictures.
