Nemesis is certainly not a very well made movie. The action is frenetic at best, performances on the over-the-top scale, though it did have some adorably bad visual effects.
Nemesis
– MVD Rewind Collection –
(1992)
Genre(s): Science Fiction, Action
MVD Visual | NR – 96 min. – $39.95 January 8, 2019
Date Published: 01/03/2019 | Author: The Movieman
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MVD Visual provided me with a free copy of the Blu-ray I reviewed in this Blog Post.
The opinions I share are my own.
THE MOVIE — 2.25/5 |
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Plot Synopsis: Los Angeles, 2027. Troubled cyborg cop Alex (OLIVIER GRUNER) is ordered by police commissioner Farmsworth (TIM THOMERSON) to apprehend his former partner and lover Jared (MARJORIE MONAGHAN), accused of smuggling data to information terrorists plotting to kill government officials. Systems cowboys, bio enhanced gangsters and cyborg outlaws all play a part in this battle of man vs. machine. Quick Hit Review: There’s something to admire when you come across a movie like Nemesis, a sci-fi action flick from 1992. Yes, it’s poorly written, terribly edited and the acting is at best questionable. And still, there was some entertainment value to how bad this movie was, with its incompetent direction, from Albert Pyun who previously directed Cyborg starring Jean-Claude Van Damm and a couple Kickboxer movies as well as the THREE Nemesis direct-to-video sequels and a personal favorite of mine, Brainsmasher… A Love Story. The acting here was pretty atrocious for the most part. Clearly the powers that be probably felt Olivier Gruner was propped up to be an action hero in the form of Arnold Schwarzenegger and the aforementioned Jean-Claude Van Damm, however he lacked the charisma to pull the role off, but to be fair, he literally had nothing to work with. I will say Deborah Shelton in her smaller role wasn’t too bad and it’s kind of funny seeing Thomas Jane (known then as Tom Janes) in one of his early feature films. |
SPECIAL FEATURES – 3.5/5 |
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This release comes with a slip cover with great retro artwork. Disc 1 (BD): Interview with Erik Karson (32:41) is with the producer of the film where he discusses the origins of the project. Nemesis 2.0 Director’s Cut (1:32:29) is an alternate version of the film and includes a non-optional commentary track with Pyun. Presented in standard definition. Disc 2 (DVD): Japanese Extended Cut (1:35:49) is yet another version but is presented in 1.33 full frame and has burnt-in Japanese subtitles which can be distracting. Probably only for rabid fans as the picture quality is lacking. Introduction by Albert Pyun (2:19) – This is a short intro by the director made for the German release. Introduction by Olivier Gruner (3:13) – The actor and star of Nemesis gives his intro and brief thoughts on the movie. Afterword by Albert Pyun (0:58) is more comments from the director. Interview with Olivier Gruner (2:18) is a featurette from back in 1991/92. Also included are a few production featurettes: Making of Nemesis (7:12), Stunts & Effects (2:43) and Visual Effects (1:41). There’s also a Kill Count (2:25) showing the variety of grisly kills in the movie, Behind the Scenes Photo Gallery (3:02), Key Art Photo Gallery (2:20) and some TV Spots (4:43). |
VIDEO – 3.75/5 |
| Nemesis arrives onto Blu-ray as part of MVD’s “Rewind Collection” and the 1080p high-definition transfer, presented with the choice of either 2.35 or 1.78 aspect ratios, looks alright especially considering what was likely a cheap production. Not entirely sure if much of a restoration was done or if this is the same transfer from another region, but the picture looks okay with some decent colors though much of it is tapped down in keeping with the post-apocalyptic setting. |
AUDIO – 3.5/5 |
| The disc comes equipped with a PCM 2.0 track (default) and a Dolby Digital 5.1 track, either one is perfectly serviceable. This being a now 26 year old movie, and again low budget, dialogue did come through with decent clarity and the sound effects during the shoot-outs didn’t sound horrible. This isn’t anything amazing nor will it give your surround system a great workout or anything, but still functional enough. |
OVERALL – 2.75/5 |
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Overall, Nemesis is certainly not a very well made movie. The action is frenetic at best, performances on the over-the-top scale, though it did have some adorably bad visual effects. For all that’s wrong, I do have some admiration for what the filmmakers accomplished after on what was likely a shoestring budget. This Blu-ray release through MVD’s “Rewind Collection” has above average video, acceptable audio and a good selection of bonus material. |
Check out some more 1080p screen caps by going to page 2. Please note, these do contain spoilers.