Plot: What’s it about?
The process of travel has become very advanced, to the degree where thousands of miles can be crossed in mere seconds. But those kinds of ventures don’t require a car or even a plane, just a complex machine that performs a most impressive task. In each location, the person wishing to travel simply hooks up to the machine, then the minds of the two travelers switch, which allows them to take care of their business in a mere instant. This seems like a terrific idea and once the trip has ended, the two just switch back and all is returned to normal. This also opens up the door for some dangerous situations, which is what happens to one man the first time he tries an “xchange.” The man makes it through the switch well enough, but finds himself within the body of a ruthless terrorist, which means the terrorist is inside his body, not a good chain of events. Now he is given a clone body to use and he (Stephen Baldwin) has just three days to track his old body, or else end up lost forever.
If you just look at the case for Xchange, you’d think it was a rip-off of The Matrix, but that simply isn’t the case. The graphics look like those for The Matrix, but aside from the sci/fi elements, these movies have little in common. I wasn’t expecting much from this release, but given the obvious low budget involved, I’d say the results are more than solid. This is a cut above the usual direct to video action movie, but of course, still falls short of the blockbuster level pictures. But this is better than expected and even has some terrific moments, including some solid performances. Stephen Baldwin, Kyle MacLachlan, Kim Coates, and Pascale Bussieres all seem in fine form, which adds a lot to how effective the film is, in the end. As with all sci/fi flicks, there are some cool gadgets and futuristic visuals, thanks to a very solid production design effort. Often these direct to video flicks have a rushed look to them, but it seems as though the cash was well spent here, as the production design is on the money. Although Trimark has done little to enhance this release, but even so, Xchange is more than worth a rental.
I don’t often associate his name with good performances, but I was surprised with how solid Stephen Baldwin is in this picture. His performance is not dynamic in the grand scheme, but he does well given the circumstances, proving to be a wise choice for the lead here. Baldwin handles the action scenes well enough and of course, adds some terrific humorous moments, as he often does in films. His humor is more reserved here however, not as slapstick as usual and in this case, this was a wise choice indeed. I didn’t expect much from him here, but Baldwin proves he can take on a lead role, even in a non comedic picture. You can also see Baldwin in such films as The Sex Monster, The Usual Suspects, The Beast, Bio-Dome, 8 Seconds, Absence of the Good, Cutaway, and Threesome. The cast also includes Kyle MacLachlan (Showgirls, The Flintstones), Pascale Bussieres (The Five Senses, The Whole of the Moon), Judah Katz (Crash, The Long Kiss Goodnight), and Kim Coates (Pearl Harbor, The Client).
Video: How does it look?
Xchange is presented in a 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. The film’s resources (or lack thereof) are evident here, as you can see grain often, but enough to lessen the experience much. The colors have a normal scope and look good, very bright hues and as far as flesh tones, they look natural throughout. Just as solid is contrast, which reflects bold shadow depth and accurate detail levels, just as it all should be. The image is better than expected, but still lacks the refinement we’ve come to expect from this glorious format.
Audio: How does it sound?
I would have liked to have had a full surround sound mix here, but the included stereo option is decent enough. I liken this to watching the movie on television, as the sound is good, but lacks the punch and depth we’ve gotten so used to. The basic elements come across in solid form, with no serious complaints to make, though a handful of scenes seem a little limited. The music is well presented and sound effects come through ok, but again, don’t expect the level of a normal surround option here. The dialogue is clean and sharp also, no volume issues to contend with either. This disc also includes subtitles in English, Spanish, and French.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes the film’s trailer, which also uses a Matrix-like theme, but don’t judge the flick by this promo piece.
