Plot: What’s it about?
Tony Scott directed this movie in 1990, shortly after his hit with Top Gun. The story starts off similar to Top Gun in that the main character is a fighter pilot, Jay Cochran, played by Kevin Costner. That, however is where the similarities end.
The movie starts with Cochran’s last flight and farewell party. Cochran then leaves for Mexico on an extended vacation where he reunites with an old friend, Tiburon Mendez (portrayed with a strong performance by Anthony Quinn), who is a powerful kingpin in the region. The days go by just fine until Mendez’s wife, Miryea (Madeleine Stowe), comes into the picture. Then things get carried away between Cochran and Miryea, thus the title of the movie, “Revenge”. I do not wish to say anything further about the storyline for fear of ruining it for the viewer. Suffice to say that is has it ups and downs, but the viewer is never disinterested. Overall, it is a very entertaining and a very strong movie.
As for the audio and video, this is one of those rare situations where the video is better than the audio. I was very disappointed that the movie was not remastered in Dolby 5.1. I just assumed, (and yes, I know where that gets me, I just have to be reminded now and then) that almost all of the movies out on DVD would have 5.1 audio tracks. (“Blade Runner” is another one that does not have Dolby 5.1 and it boggles my mind, but that is another issue.) “Revenge” only comes with Dolby 2.0, which is to say nothing any better than the VHS version. This is a shame since I had such high hopes for the opening flight scene.
The video is fine, nothing to brag about but then nothing to scoff at. It was clear and crisp. Other than the theatrical trailer, there were no extras on this movie to speak of either.
In summary, if you are looking for a good DVD to show off your system, I would look to another disc. Do not get me wrong, it is a great story, but it falls short of really putting a home theater system through a workout. However, if you have never scene the movie before, it is easily worth the price of a rental. If you do not already own a copy on VHS, the DVD is worth it if you want the widescreen format.
Video: How does it look?
Good. The colors were bright, sharp and clear.
Audio: How does it sound?
Adequate. Dolby 2.0 does not do much for me. I must admit that I am spoiled on Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS sound.
Supplements: What are the extras?
Other than coming in Pan & Scan (which I don’t really consider a feature) and other languages, there is not a lot here.
