Actors: Nicolas Cage, John Cusack, Adrian Grenier, Johnathon Schaech, Lydia Hull
Directors: Steven C. Miller
Rated: R
Studio: LIONSGATE
Release Date: March 28, 2017
Run Time: 92 minutes
Film: 2.5 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2.5 out of 5 stars
“Arsenal” is a really bizarre film to come out…and without little notice at all. Director Steven C. Miller has been getting a ton of low budget grade B/C/D action thrillers recently and this just feels like another notch on the belt of blandness. But what makes it bizarre is that brings back Nicolas Cage’s character from the 1989 film “Deadfall”, also a film that no one saw, remembers or asked for a semi-sequel at all. Listen when it comes down to it, I am a sucker for anything Nic Cage but to see him play another weirdo character suits me fine but this is not a memorable movie and like “Deadfall”, many people will most likely know that it doesn’t even exist.
Official Premise: The Lindel brothers, Mikey and JP, only had each other to rely on growing up. As adults, JP finds success as the owner of a construction company, and Mikey becomes a small-time mobster. When Mikey is kidnapped and held for a ransom by ruthless crime boss Eddie, JP turns to the brothers’ old pal Sal, who is a plain clothes detective, for help. JP must risk everything and unleash his vengeance against King’s relentless army of gangsters to rescue his brother.
“Arsenal” comes in a combo pack including a Blu-ray and Digital HD copy. The 1080p transfer looks ok enough, even though the film feels cheap. Same goes for the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track. With the special features, we are getting more than I honestly expected. There is an audio commentary with Director Steven C. Miller. There is a featurette going behind-the-scenes on the film in “Building an Arsenal”. Lastly there are some extended cast and crew interviews to check out. Like the film not great but not terrible either.
