Plot: What’s it about?
Nettles (Tom Sizemore) is a narcotics officer on the police force, but he used to be homicide, until his life was shattered. His wife and young son were killed in a car bombing, which left him mentally bruised and unable to move on, at least not in some respects. He is already on the edge, so when his partner is killed by some terrorists, he is pushed even closer to the brink, with just one more step to go over. He manages to capture a woman that with the terrorists, who was wearing a bracelet made of bomb fuses, so he soon teams up with the department’s bomb squad. The leader of the squad is Glass (Steven Seagal), who seems to be quite strong and fearless, as well as a good guy and of course, he tries to guide Nettles back toward normalcy. As a renegade bomber (Dennis Hopper) begins to plant bombs across the city, the police are in a tight spot and unless they release the girl, the bomber has no plans to cease his attacks. Can Nettles overcome his inner demons and track down the bomber, or will he finally go over the edge?
This movie has some well known names involved, but it skipped right to home video and after some horrific reviews, I had minimal hopes for Ticker. I actually imported a disc prior to this official American release, as I am a fan of Steven Seagal (no comments from the peanut gallery) and since I have a soft spot for bad movies, I figured it was worth a shot. I guess it was my lower expectations, but I found Ticker to be a very cool movie and while it has flaws, I think action fans will more pleased than not. It has a predictable storyline, but has some stylish visuals, nice explosions, and while director Albert Pyun had a small budget, Ticker looks much more expensive, thanks to some nice work behind the scenes. Seagal has an unusual role here, but he is fun to watch and Tom Sizemore is on the mark, but man, Dennis Hopper’s accent has to be the worst ever, right up there with Kevin Costner in Thirteen Days. Ticker might not have the sheer scope to compete with the upper level action movies, but it is much better than expected, without a doubt. If you’re an action film fan, then Ticker is easily worth a rental and in some cases, even a purchase.
As this movie features Steven Seagal before his work in Exit Wounds, it serves as his final picture with ponytail intact. In addition to that little piece of cinema history, Seagal’s work here is also significant because it is not his typical role. We’re used to seeing Seagal brandishing a gun, sword, maybe even other weapons, but in most situations, he is using his fists, feet, and perhaps a chair or pool stick. But in Ticker, Seagal rarely raises his hands in anger and while he does have a gun in tow on occasion, he is not his usual ass kickin’ self. Even so, it is cool to him in action again and while his turn isn’t award level, it does work out better than you might think. Of course, he uses his verbal moments to pass along Zen-like information, but for his first dialogue driven role, I think Seagal is more than decent. Other films with Seagal include Above the Law, Out for Justice, Marked for Death, Under Siege, and Hard to Kill. The cast also includes Tom Sizemore (Natural Born Killers, Red Planet), Jamie Pressley (Poor White Trash, Joe Dirt), Peter Greene (Pulp Fiction, The Mask), and Dennis Hopper (Easy Rider, Speed).
Video: How does it look?
Ticker is presented in a 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. The image here is sharp and looks terrific, especially for an action movie shot on a lower budget. A few of the darker exterior scenes have some grain evident, but most of the movie looks great and as such, I see no reason to complain too much. The before mentioned exterior shots aside, the print looks to be in excellent shape, with no grain or blemishes to speak of at all. The colors have a bright, bold presence and show no errors, while flesh tones seem natural throughout. I found the contrast to be as impressive, with accurate detail presence and well balanced black levels. In other words, this is a nice visual transfer and I doubt anyone will be let down in the least.
Audio: How does it sound?
This is a movie about a mad bomber after all, so of course, the included Dolby Digital 5.1 track has some punch. The sound design isn’t as complex as the big budget action flicks, but this track has some power, to be sure. The explosions shake the speakers the most of course, but the action driven scenes have an overall solid presence, much more active than expected. The bass is deep at times and the surrounds get plenty of information, a terrific overall audio option. The dialogue is never lost in all this either, so all the vocals come through loud & clear also. This disc also includes a 2.0 surround track, as well as optional Spanish subtitles.
Supplements: What are the extras?
The main extra here is an audio commentary track with director Albert Pyun, who is joined by producer Paul Rosenblum. The two provide a candid, honest session and seem to realize this isn’t a masterpiece, but just a fun flick. Pyun reveals secrets about cutting corners, including using stock footage from other movies, so this was a much more insightful track than expected. There’s a little more silence than I would like, but this is still a solid overall session. This disc also contains some talent files, production notes, and the film’s trailer.
