Plot: What’s it about?
After a failed mission to neutralize a terrorist threat, Israeli secret service agent Tony Eckhardt (Christopher Lambert) has been the brunt of the agency’s frustrations. He and his team dropped on the ball on this important assignment, so they were pushed down in rank and now stand as the agency’s sore thumb. Eckhardt and his team were supposed to track & then kill a terrorist named Amar (Vincent Regan), who posed a real & immediate threat. As we know, the mission didn’t unfold as planned and things went out of control, but Eckhardt believes it was not the fault of his squad. Instead, he thinks the whole operation was part of a trap laid by Amar, in an effort to strike out and put the focus elsewhere, like on Eckhardt’s unit. But no one seems to take Eckhardt’s side and as if all this wasn’t enough, his team members soon turn up dead, in a rash of revenge murders. Now Eckhardt must take Amar himself, but will he able to redeem himself and his team?
As a fan of Christopher Lambert, I had decent hopes for The Point Men, especially with director John Glen (The Living Daylights) at the helm. But like so many of Lambert’s recent films, The Point Men lacks the budget it needs to succeed, which is bad news indeed. You need slick camerawork, large scale stunts, and intense chases & fights in a movie like this, but here we have the low budget versions, which don’t always cut the mustard. I still think some scenes work well and the movie is good as a rental, but I wish more resources were available, to enhance the visuals and add to the action movie texture. Although the budget was low, the action looks good for what it is and as expected, Lambert gives a solid overall effort. I don’t think you should expect more than a low budget action/thriller however, or you might be disappointed. I am glad I took the time to watch The Point Men and if you’re a Lambert fan, it is well worth a rental.
He’s never been able to burst into the elite action leagues, but Christopher Lambert has been in some very cool movies, without a doubt. I’ve been a fan of Lambert’s for some time and while he’s stuck in direct to video land of late, he still manages to deliver in some cases. I think he has the skills to be in larger scale pictures, but the masses don’t seem to support him, so he ends up in low budget or straight to video projects. I think this is a shame, as Lambert is a gifted performer and while not the best action star, he has his moments. In The Point Men, Lambert does what he can to keep the flick alive and in the end, gives a credible overall turn. Other films with Lambert include Mean Guns, Mortal Kombat, The Hunted, Highlander, and Beowulf. The cast also includes Kerry Fox (Shallow Grave, The Wisdom of Crocodiles), Vincent Regan (The Black Knight, B. Monkey), and Donald Sumpter (Hardcore, The Lost Continent).
Video: How does it look?
The Point Men is presented in a 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer, with a full frame edition also included on this dual layered disc. As expected, this presentation is sharp and shows no serious flaws. I did note some minor issues here & there, but nothing worth mentioning, as the image is quite solid otherwise. The print looks clean and sharp at all times, while colors are bold and flesh tones remain natural. No problems with contrast either, as black levels are rich and well defined, which means detail is high and as intended. I figured this would look terrific and it does, thanks to another great looking transfer from Columbia.
Audio: How does it sound?
You’ll find a Dolby Digital 5.1 mix here, but due to the budget involved, it isn’t as robust as some action driven soundtracks. The surround presence is decent, but on the whole, the mix sounds a little thin, though more than acceptable. The sound effects have been well placed and don’t sound too gimmicky, while dialogue is clear & consistent as well. This disc also includes a 2.0 surround option, as well as subtitles in English, French, Spanish, Chinese, Korean, and Thai.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc contains some talent files, but no other bonus materials have been included.
