Ballistic: Ecks VS. Sever on DVD

Perhaps “directed by Kaos” sums up this viewing experience. This is a movie that’s suitable only for those who want to shut off their brains and watch as much ordnance detonated as possible.

Well, it also has some nice shots of Vancouver, which it actually calls Vancouver instead of pretending it's some other city – but other than that, this movie really, really sucks.

Too bad; as a DVD it offers an excellent picture and terrific sound, but as much as we love a good demo disc, we can’t bring ourselves to put this one back in the DVD player.

Even the title is bad, since Ecks and Severs are really working on the same side.

The plot, incoherent as it is, sees FBI agent Ecks (Antonio Banderas) and Defense Intelligence agent Sever (Lucy Liu) on a mission to, well, we aren’t exactly sure. Ecks is apparently trying to find his ex-wife (Talisa Soto) and young son, while Sever’s after a traitor (Gregg Henry) who ripped off some piece of nasty high technology.

Banderas and Liu are fine, though what they’re doing here is beyond us. Between them and the bad people they’re up against, they appear to lay waste to a goodly part of Vancouver (though not the parts we’d chose if it were up to us), but other than the laying waste there’s nothing here.

As mentioned, the DVD is very good. Presented in anamorphic widescreen, 16x9 TV compatible, the picture quality is very good and offers a nice sharp image with great color and good saturation. Audio is Dolby Digital 5.1 surround and, as one might expect, it does an excellent job of giving us the explosions and gunshots that are all this movie has to offer.

There are some extras, though, including an HBO First Look at the making of the film. There’s also a “know your enemy” challenge (well…), cast/crew film highlights and the trailer.

This is a bad, bad movie. Even if you just want to show off your home theater, there are so many better choices than this waste of time. Fortunately, it’s short.

Ballistic: Ecks VS. Sever, from Warner Home Video
91min. anamorphic widescreen (2.35:1), 16x9 TV compatible, Dolby Digital 5.1 surrounde
Starring Antonio Banderas, Lucy Liu, Greg Henry, Ray Park, Talisa Soto
Produced by Elie Samaha, Chris Lee, Kaos
“Written” by Alan McElroy, Directed by Kaos

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