Plot: What’s it about?
Jack Grimaldi (Gary Oldman) is a veteran police officer, but that doesn’t make him a hero, as in truth, he is a corrupt, often despicable person. He cheats on his wife, he slacks off while on the clock, and to top it all off, he plays informant for the mafia. Instead of helping to protect witnesses who agree to testify against members of organized crime, Grimaldi leaks information in exchange for cash. So the witnesses end up dead, the mobsters continue to be free on the streets, and justice remains unserved. But as with most people who ride the wrong side of life, payback is due on Grimaldi and it is due very soon, as it turns out. He has been assigned to protect Mona Demarkov (Lena Olin), a beautiful Russian gangster who has stepped on some toes, resulting in a hit out on her worth a small fortune. Grimaldi has also been asked by his friends in the mafia to make sure she is killed, this time by his own hands. But as fate has it, Mona is more woman than Jack can handle, thanks to her beauty, brains, and skills learned as a hitwoman. Has Jack finally bitten off more than he can chew, or will he somehow manage to control this outlandish situation, while ensuring his interests on all sides are covered?
This is a title I’ve been waiting for since I bought my first player, so of course, I am thrilled to have Romeo is Bleeding on DVD. I admit, it is hard to summarize the film in normal terms, as it is such a unique and unusual picture, one that is almost impossible to encapsulate. A blend of cop thriller, modern film noir, and abstract cinema, Romeo is Bleeding is one wild ride and fans of darker cinema cannot afford to miss out. It does sometimes fall into the “style over substance” realm, but armed with a great cast, a superb script, and a solid director, this is no hollow, yet visually charged movie, not even close. Gary Oldman and Lena Olin are superb in highly memorable roles, while a gifted supporting cast backs them up quite well. This is not the kind of movie that’s for everyone, but it is well made, imaginative, and very memorable. As part of MGM’s Avant-Garde line, Romeo is Bleeding has a new anamorphic transfer and a reasonable price, but no real extras aside from the film’s theatrical trailer. Even so, fans of the film will want to add this disc to their collections, while newcomers might be satisfied with a rental.
If you’re like me and love to watch evil femmes fatales in action, then you cannot miss Lena Olin’s performance in Romeo is Bleeding. Olin is vicious, raw, and easily one of the scariest female characters in motion picture history, no common feat, mind you. In this film, she is called upon to say and do some very unusual, darker things and she does so with ease, to the point where it is often scary how well she handles herself. The scene in Jack’s car with the handcuffs is infamous and one of the movie’s finest sequences, but Olin supplies many of those moments here, some even better than that one. Other films with Olin include The Queen of the Damned, The Ninth Gate, Mr. Jones, Polish Wedding, Chocolat, and Mystery Men. The cast also includes Gary Oldman (The Fifth Element, The Contender), Juliette Lewis (Natural Born Killers, Strange Days), and Annabella Sciorra (What Dreams May Come, New Rose Hotel).
Video: How does it look?
Romeo is Bleeding is presented in a 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. I found this is to be a great catalog title transfer and while flaws are present, fans should be more than pleased with the results. The print used is very, very clean and in better condition than previous editions, though a couple of scenes show some minor wear signs. The film’s dark visuals come through well here, thanks to razor sharp black levels, which render all the needed detail, but never overexpose the shadows. The colors range from subdued to vivid, depending what the visuals demand and in this case, those demands change from scene to scene. All in all, a terrific looking transfer and one that MGM should commended for, to be sure.
Audio: How does it sound?
The included 2.0 surround option is better than expected, but with this kind of material, you can’t expect an explosive, powerhouse experience. The jazz fueled score sounds terrific, while all the sound effects have the needed impact and in some scenes, a little extra juice to enhance the atmosphere, which is good news. I heard no errors at all in terms of dialogue either, as all the vocals seemed clean, crisp, and always at a proper volume level. Not a blockbuster of an audio mix, but a more than solid one and since the material is well handled, I have no complaints. This disc also includes subtitles in English, Spanish, and French.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes the film’s theatrical trailer.
