Broken Arrow (1996)

A vast improvement over "Hard Target" (1993), director John Woo finds his Hollywood niche in this fast-paced thriller. Though it doesn't match the kinetic flair of Woo's Hong Kong epics, "Broken Arrow" (1996) delivers plenty of serial-style action while utilizing the Southern Utah landscape to striking effect. The film's raison d'être lies in the charismatic villainy of John Travolta who has a wonderful time playing a traitorous military pilot and nuclear blackmailer. Christian Slater's efficient heroics are a good match for Travolta's diabolical cool. "Broken Arrow" is cheerfully preposterous and endlessly entertaining. Classic dialogue: "Would you mind not shooting at the thermonuclear weapons?"

If you love action and adventure, this is a definite must-see! Christian Slater and John Travolta make a perfect good guy vs. villian mix, and while the plot may be a bit far out, you will never notice. The action will draw you in and keep you spellbound until the last scene. Mathis's role as the park ranger helping Slater save the day is a bit strained at times, but the effort is valiant, and by the end she's an old pro. Travolta's one-liners definitely make the movie. If you're going to be the bad guy, you've gotta have a stack of suave comebacks and wisecracks, and boy, has he got it! ...."Please try NOT to shoot at the thermonuclear weapons" from behind clenched teeth gets me every time. It's clear that though this is an action movie, it's also a mind game. Travolta's comments let the viewer inside his head, to feel like you are really there.

..."You're out of your mind!"...

..."Yeah, ain't it COOL?"....

You bet it is -and the stunts will leave you gasping in wonder. From Mathis's near disembowelment by a thwocking chopper blade to Travolta's frantic attempts to catch his getaway pilot's attention, it's all fantastic. Howie Long is also fantastic as Kelly, one of Travolta's goons.

All in all, quite spetacular. I recommend it to everyone, but get your snacks before it starts because you won't want to miss a minute!

Buy Broken Arrow (1996) Now

A great action film with excellent performances. I have the Standard DVD and just bought and watched the Blu Ray version. While I did not put one on and then the other for a relative side by side comparison, the video transfer is pretty good, not great. In some scenes there appears to be a smoothness to faces which is demonstrative of over compression. However, this really occurs only intermittently. Overall, a pretty decent transfer with little if any noticeable grain, no artifacting or aliasing.

The audio transfer is DTSHD 5.1 and is very well done with full use of your surround system, including sub. The score sometimes overshadows the foley fx and directionality of the discreet audio channels, but, overall, a very fine transfer.

I bought the BluRay on sale at Walmart for $7 so it was more than worth it. Other than BD LIve, which I think is a waste of a feature found on many Blu Rays, there were no extras, no deleted scenes or any thing other than the hated trailers for other films.

All my movie reviews are of this nature and focus only on the quality of the transfer to BluRay so check them and see if they are of help as well.

Hopefully, this review has been of some help to you in determining your purchase, hope I am on the correct path with a review of the transfer quality as opposed to providing plot summaries.

Thanks

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Great movie. The action scenes are intense and perfect. John Travolta as Deakins is magnificent because of his mimic and fantastic acting. The special effect are very good. And last but not least the explosions are great, big and a great sound. If you have not seen it rent it on DVD because of the sound,and picture quality. Have fun!

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Catching a line from this movie the suspense in this movie is "cool". John Travolta and Christian Slater are at odds in this 1996 movie on the theft of two nuclear warheads in rugged terrain of Utah. At times it has you on the edge of your seat. It certainly is a far cry from Travolta's roles in Grease and Saturday Night Fever but one of his best!!

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