Mark Dacascos stars in the surprising 90s Action Thriller Sabotage. New to Blu-ray from MVD Entertainment.
The Film
MVD’s Rewind Collection for any fan of genre films has become quite the gold mine of underseen and underappreciated B-Movies. Case in point, the Mark Dacascos actioner Sabotage. This is the kind of elevated B-Movie that cares about making a good movie rather than collecting a payout for the DTV market. The result is something craftier and less obvious than the glut of action films that to begin to clutter the market during the era.
Sabotage is that kind of spy-action-thriller where a job goes terribly wrong in the first five minutes. That job gone awry, usually ripped from the headlines of the time, here it’s in Serbia. The job setting the stage for an even bigger face-off between two equally matched opponents (Dacascos and Tony Todd) years later. There are many scenes of important people in low-lit rooms with computers and monitors. There are action scenes set in and around cities until the finale where the emotional and physical stakes come to a head.
Yes, this all sounds like perfunctory stuff starring ____ (insert B-grade action star, more than likely a Wrestler) but Sabotage is slightly different. What is that difference? The cast and crew actually cared about the film they were making. Yes, it’s in the lower budget spectrum of the era but that doesn’t result in a film of lesser quality. The film at any given moment is smarter than your average DTV action film. From the action scenes to the dialog and plot scenes director Tibor Takács and screenwriters Rick Filon and Michael Stokes always find a clever in or aspect to focus on. Adding the element of chess though not original is something that elevates the proceedings.
As does the entire cast of the film. The B-Movie legends Dacascos and Todd excel in this film but rarely do either skate by in their performances. Both stars always feel like they’re elevating any picture their in (even the A-List ones) because of their attention to detail and passion for their work. Here is no difference both give engaging performances. It’s the supporting cast here and their showing up that truly matters. Carrie-Anne Moss (pre-Matrix), Graham Green, and John Neville all give great performances. Green is hilarious as a cigar-chomping General. Moss gives more than the script gives her (essentially playing the same part she did in Suspect Zero). It’s Neville here as Dacascos’ wheelchair-bound mentor who steals the show.
One will be surprised at the skill and craft that Sabotage is put together with. Equally surprising will be the enjoyment one will get out of this 90s spy action thriller.
The Transfer
There aren’t details on if this is a new scan/remaster, but the transfer is a solid sharp image throughout. There are a few minor issues but that seems like from the print itself rather than anything to do with MVD’s work to bring it to Blu-ray. Thankfully the print they’ve used only has minor imperfections but nothing terrible like scratches or dirt or any sort of print damage. Similar to the work done on Mean Guns the image which feels like a very loved and preserved 35mm print gives off the that seeing a midnight movie at the New Beverly vibe that adds to the charm of the entire experience.
The Extras
They include the following;
NEW! Interview with actor Mark Dacascos
NEW! Interview with Actor Tony Todd
Mark Dacascos trailer reel
Sabotage: a conversation with Mark Dacascos (32:11) – in this all-new interview with the always open and charming Mark Dacascos opens with where he was in his career when he got the lead of Sabotage while on the set of the wild The Island of Dr. Moreau starring Marlon Brando. Dacascos admits that the role was originally cast with another actor, but his enthusiasm for the chance even now almost thirty years later is palpable. Some of the other details include his impressions of working with director Tibor Takács before Sabotage and after including Redline; his cure for frustrations after he comes back from sets; how he worked on the fly because it was a last-minute casting and tight scheduling; the “spy-craft” or as Dacascos puts it “the MacGuyver aspect of the character” and how that was all put together on set; working with Carrie-Anne Moss, Graham Green, Tony Todd, and John Neville; and much more.
Sabotage: a conversation with Tony Todd (13:24) – in this all-new interview with the always wonderful actor starts with his top three Canadian cities (it’s applicable because of the filming of Sabotage was in Canada). Todd discusses how he chooses his roles and develops them. Some of the other details include where he was in the 90s and some great financial advice for actors who become working actors like he did; how he developed this particular character; the production itself and how it was a “top tier b-movie production”; working with Dacascos; his work and friendship with director Tibor Takács; his viewing habits including watching his own films and if he watches dailies; and much more.
Mark Dacascos trailer reel – do some pre-show entertainment before you watch Sabotage with this trailer reel that includes the trailers for the following films Drive (1:38); Double Dragon (1:51); Angel Town (2:06); Boogie Boy (2:22); Instinct To Kill (1:11)
The Final Thought
MVD’s Rewind Collection continues to shine a light on the very best undiscovered and underseen genre gems. Sabotage is a great example of the work they are doing. Recommended!!!!
Mark Dacascos stars in the surprising 90s Action Thriller Sabotage. New to Blu-ray from MVD Entertainment.
The Film
MVD’s Rewind Collection for any fan of genre films has become quite the gold mine of underseen and underappreciated B-Movies. Case in point, the Mark Dacascos actioner Sabotage. This is the kind of elevated B-Movie that cares about making a good movie rather than collecting a payout for the DTV market. The result is something craftier and less obvious than the glut of action films that to begin to clutter the market during the era.
Sabotage is that kind of spy-action-thriller where a job goes terribly wrong in the first five minutes. That job gone awry, usually ripped from the headlines of the time, here it’s in Serbia. The job setting the stage for an even bigger face-off between two equally matched opponents (Dacascos and Tony Todd) years later. There are many scenes of important people in low-lit rooms with computers and monitors. There are action scenes set in and around cities until the finale where the emotional and physical stakes come to a head.
Yes, this all sounds like perfunctory stuff starring ____ (insert B-grade action star, more than likely a Wrestler) but Sabotage is slightly different. What is that difference? The cast and crew actually cared about the film they were making. Yes, it’s in the lower budget spectrum of the era but that doesn’t result in a film of lesser quality. The film at any given moment is smarter than your average DTV action film. From the action scenes to the dialog and plot scenes director Tibor Takács and screenwriters Rick Filon and Michael Stokes always find a clever in or aspect to focus on. Adding the element of chess though not original is something that elevates the proceedings.
As does the entire cast of the film. The B-Movie legends Dacascos and Todd excel in this film but rarely do either skate by in their performances. Both stars always feel like they’re elevating any picture their in (even the A-List ones) because of their attention to detail and passion for their work. Here is no difference both give engaging performances. It’s the supporting cast here and their showing up that truly matters. Carrie-Anne Moss (pre-Matrix), Graham Green, and John Neville all give great performances. Green is hilarious as a cigar-chomping General. Moss gives more than the script gives her (essentially playing the same part she did in Suspect Zero). It’s Neville here as Dacascos’ wheelchair-bound mentor who steals the show.
One will be surprised at the skill and craft that Sabotage is put together with. Equally surprising will be the enjoyment one will get out of this 90s spy action thriller.
The Transfer
There aren’t details on if this is a new scan/remaster, but the transfer is a solid sharp image throughout. There are a few minor issues but that seems like from the print itself rather than anything to do with MVD’s work to bring it to Blu-ray. Thankfully the print they’ve used only has minor imperfections but nothing terrible like scratches or dirt or any sort of print damage. Similar to the work done on Mean Guns the image which feels like a very loved and preserved 35mm print gives off the that seeing a midnight movie at the New Beverly vibe that adds to the charm of the entire experience.
The Extras
They include the following;
Sabotage: a conversation with Mark Dacascos (32:11) – in this all-new interview with the always open and charming Mark Dacascos opens with where he was in his career when he got the lead of Sabotage while on the set of the wild The Island of Dr. Moreau starring Marlon Brando. Dacascos admits that the role was originally cast with another actor, but his enthusiasm for the chance even now almost thirty years later is palpable. Some of the other details include his impressions of working with director Tibor Takács before Sabotage and after including Redline; his cure for frustrations after he comes back from sets; how he worked on the fly because it was a last-minute casting and tight scheduling; the “spy-craft” or as Dacascos puts it “the MacGuyver aspect of the character” and how that was all put together on set; working with Carrie-Anne Moss, Graham Green, Tony Todd, and John Neville; and much more.
Sabotage: a conversation with Tony Todd (13:24) – in this all-new interview with the always wonderful actor starts with his top three Canadian cities (it’s applicable because of the filming of Sabotage was in Canada). Todd discusses how he chooses his roles and develops them. Some of the other details include where he was in the 90s and some great financial advice for actors who become working actors like he did; how he developed this particular character; the production itself and how it was a “top tier b-movie production”; working with Dacascos; his work and friendship with director Tibor Takács; his viewing habits including watching his own films and if he watches dailies; and much more.
Mark Dacascos trailer reel – do some pre-show entertainment before you watch Sabotage with this trailer reel that includes the trailers for the following films Drive (1:38); Double Dragon (1:51); Angel Town (2:06); Boogie Boy (2:22); Instinct To Kill (1:11)
The Final Thought
MVD’s Rewind Collection continues to shine a light on the very best undiscovered and underseen genre gems. Sabotage is a great example of the work they are doing. Recommended!!!!
MVD Entertainment Blu-Ray edition of Sabotage is out May 7th
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