(Credit: DVDtown.com)
Directed by
James Dodson
Cast:
Nicholas Gonzalez …. Lieutenant Robert James
Kenneth Choi …. Ambassador Li
Peter Coyote …. US President
Matt Bushell …. Master Chief Neil “Spaz” Calahan
Keith David …. Scott Boytano
April Grace …. Ellie Brilliard
Dennis James Lee …. Col. Lip
James Kyson Lee …. Private J.J. (voice)
Sang Ho Lee …. ROK HUnter #5
Bruce McGill …. General
Hee Sung Moon …. ROK Hunter #4
Glenn Morshower …. Admiral Wheeler
Hee Sung Mun …. ROK Hunter #4
Eyal Podell …. Ensign David Barnes
In a way, it seems as if the DVD market has taken the place of the Drive-in when it comes to distributing B-movies. Studios are no longer releasing “double features” with a low budget picture as the under-card to the headlining blockbuster. Instead, the studios have embraced DVD; sending sequels to moderately successful films and other low budget features straight to home video market. In a way, the strategy is brilliant as fans of the original film will see a flashy cover and perhaps decide to pick up the film sight unseen. This is probably what Fox is counting on with Behind Enemy Lines II: Axis of Evil.
Unfortunately for the fans of the original Behind Enemy Lines who decide to purchase this, Axis of Evil has nothing to do with the first film other than its premise. Once again, one of our own is trapped within a hostile country with no way to extract him. Owen Wilson and Gene Hackman’s characters are no where to be seen, nor do we even get a mention of them.
What we do get is Lt. Bobby James (Nicholas Gonzalez), the leader of a Navy Seal squadron sent into North Korea to take out a missile silo where a nuclear warhead may be being prepped to attack the U.S. Problems arise when the mission is recalled at the last minute, but after James and three of his troops have already parachuted into North Korea. On their own and being hunted by communist troops, James decides to complete his mission, even as North Korea and the United States may be prepping for war.
The most surprising experience while sitting through this movie was finding out just how watchable it is. The film takes a basic Action movie premise and goes with it, and on that level it’s fairly successful. Add to that the film even has a decent cast, which is rarity for this type of film. We’re treated to many flashbacks of Lt. James’ training, where They Live’s Keith David shows up playing his gruff commanding officer. The cast also includes Peter Coyote as the President, as well as 24 veterans Denis Arndt and Glenn Morshower.
Then again, the film also has its lion’s share of problems. Cinematographer Lorenzo Senatore seems to fall too much in love with “shaky cam” during the film’s shootouts, trying to instill a more chaotic nature to the film’s action. While on occasion this technique does work, too often the screen image is simply unintelligible. We don’t know who is firing at who, completely taking the audience out of any excitement that might have built during film’s action.
Worst of all may be the lapses in the film’s logic. Early in the film, Lt. James and his comrades are captured by North Korean forces. While being questioned, a large spike is driven through the Lt.’s hand, and then drawn out as part his torture. Surely, this would have done some major damage to his hand, but later on in the film, it seems as though they have forgotten this altogether, as James is seen firing guns and using his hand as if nothing had happened.
The movie’s most bizarre instance occurs when a soldier is dying from a gunshot wound and begins to recite an ancient Korean chant. This, in and of itself would be ok, only the mortally wounded man begins to see a shaman standing next to a tiger as he finally dies. The moment, which Writer-Director-Producer James Dodson surely wanted to be a poignant moment of death for the character, ends up being one of the silliest things ever put into an Action film.
It’s questionable that there was really a lot of call for a second Behind Enemy Lines film, but honestly the film could have ended a lot worse. Where the movie could have ended up a terrible experience, it instead ranks around a bad episode of 24 or The Unit. Too bad that just a little more work couldn’t have been put into this project to make it respectable.
Score:4.5
The Video
This is actually a really pristine print on this disc. Most of the film looks to have been shot on digital, making the picture crisp and clean. The film is presented in Anamorphic Widescreen with an aspect ratio of 1.78:1 as well as Fullscreen 1.33:1.
The Audio
The DVD’s Dolby Digital 5.1 sound is actually really nice
SPECIAL FEATURES: Audio Commentary, Featurettes, Trailers.
Audio Commentary by Director James Dodson – Though Dodson is kind of dry, this is actually a pretty decent commentary. Considering that he seemed to be involved in EVERY facet of this production, it’s no wonder that he’s so knowledgeable about the film, and he’s virtually non-stop in the area of tidbits. My favorite
Exploring Enemy Lines: Decision and Perception – This Featurette involves many of the ideas that went into making this film. Director James Dodson especially likes to speak on the incident on Sep 12, 2004, where a mushroom cloud appeared over North Korea. He hypothesizes that the event could have been a clandestine operation which caused the occurrence and that this film may have been how that day played out. So yes; Behind Enemy Lines II: Axis of Evil could be partially based on a real event!
Communicating Behind Enemy Lines: A Look on the Set – This is a more standard type of promotional material, with actors and film makers promoting the movie.
Theatrical Trailers – Lastly, you get trailers for Behind Enemy Lines and Behind Enemy Lines II: Axis of Evil.
Score:5.5
The Inside Pulse
Behind Enemy Lines II: Axis of Evil is a surpirsingly watchable film, but not exactly a good one. You can tell where the potential for a good movie lies, unfortunately the movies falls far short. What is perhaps even more surpirsing is that this movie is given a half decent grouping of extras, beating out several major releases that should have better discs.
