Blu Tuesday is a weekly column where we review the newest Blu-ray and 4K releases, along with a brief rundown of the included bonus material, to determine whether they’re worth buying, renting or skipping.
Pick of the Week: “Police Story III: Supercop”
Before breaking into the U.S. market with 1995’s “Rumble in the Bronx,” Jackie Chan teamed up with director Stanley Tong (the first of many collaborations) to produce this third installment in the popular “Police Story” franchise, which was eventually released in the U.S. under the title “Supercop.” Though there’s nothing particularly special about the story — it’s your typical 1990s action movie about cops taking down drug dealers — Chan and co-star Michelle Yeoh more than make up for the film’s narrative shortcomings with some wonderful chemistry that takes full advantage of their martial arts and comedic talents. The action sequences are everything that you’d expect from a Jackie Chan project, including a high-octane ending that features some pretty nifty stunt work, but “Police Story III” succeeds largely because of how well Chan and Yeoh work together, which makes it both surprising and a shame that they never teamed up again.
Extras include an audio commentary by film historian Frank Djeng, as well as a behind-the-scenes featurette, a 2004 interview with Tong, outtakes and more. FINAL VERDICT: BUY
Also Out This Week:
“Triangle of Sadness” — Swedish filmmaker Ruben Östlund is one of the most unique voices in world cinema today, and his latest feature is certainly proof of that. A companion piece of sorts to Bong Joon-ho’s “Parasite” in its satirical exploration of class hierarchy, “Triangle of Sadness” may not quite reach the incredible heights of that Oscar-winning film, but it’s a largely effective black comedy that isn’t afraid to take some pretty big swings. Though the first two acts feel a bit overlong for what little they accomplish — even if there’s good stuff to be found in each of them — the final act is executed so masterfully, thanks in part to an excellent supporting turn from Dolly De Leon, that it’s easy to look past the movie’s faults and enjoy “Triangle of Sadness” for the strange but singular experience that it is. Extras include an interview with Östlund and actor Johan Jonason, as well as two behind-the-scenes featurettes, some deleted scenes and an essay by film critic A.S. Hamrah. FINAL VERDICT: RENT
“Primal: The Complete Second Season” — Genndy Tartakovsky’s prehistoric fantasy series is one of the best animated TV shows in recent memory, and it has the awards to prove it. But while the show’s Emmy-winning first season was certainly good, the second season of “Primal” takes things to a whole other level. The episodes feel more purposeful in the way that they drive the narrative forward, while the action sequences are a thing of beauty thanks to some incredible fight choreography and stunning visuals. Though Season Two isn’t without its issues — the midseason bottle episode, “The Primal Theory,” plays more like a backdoor pilot than a necessary addition to the overarching story — they’re all pretty minor compared to the sheer excellence on display. Extras include a behind-the-scenes look at making the second season. FINAL VERDICT: BUY
Disclosure: Bullz-Eye was provided a copy of the above titles for review purposes.
