One of the first things I’d like to mention about this movie is that Schwarzenegger looks great for his age and even though The Last Stand was a mere taste in the mouth- this movie shows me that Arnold is back and he does have potential to get back on the ladder as not only an actor but a credible action star despite his age. After seeing Sabotage I can envision potential for future terminator movies and possibly a Predator continuation featuring the return of Dutch.
Although this movie was classed as a box office failure I get the feeling that it will have more success on home release and when you get this combo pack it not only will make your Schwarzenegger collection complete but it will add to it in a positive fashion.
So we are a Terminator site and did it feed any of those Terminator vibes or did SABOTAGE pay any homages? It kind of does but not to the point where you want to gag… he says the word “Negative” a couple of times and it’s relevant to his role so that works but is slightly amusing as a Terminator fan, there are moments where he shoots people down and he goes all T-800 1984 facial expression on people as he blasts them down. He also wears some black sunglasses in the movie and we are not going to complain about it either as Arnold really did pull this off.
On the subject of Negatives… although Arnold visually pulled this off, some of his acting was a little rough around the edges. Arnold can act but the continuous need for Arnold Schwarzenegger to bring humor to roles which don’t require it doesn’t gel with us. The Terminator Fans like our Schwarzenegger movies dark and serious, an occasional joke is nice but that comedy doesn’t belong in movies like Terminator or Sabotage; action movies should use humor sparingly. Thankfully one of the things we hate most is not really present in this movie and that’s one liners and Arnold may deliver some dialogue in that comedic tone but it is to a minimum. So Sabotage isn’t ruined by comedy.
Sabotage is an R Rated movie and this is where Arnold is finally back home and we want him to stay right here. Sabotage was more proof that we want to see this level of gore and blood in a Terminator movie. Tactical shoot outs, blood spray, corpses nailed to ceilings… this film has that and nothing beats seeing Arnold smoking a fat cigar in a darkened room drinking whiskey while his demons torment him. I respect all higher powers involved with the movie for it being R Rated… if Sabotage had not been R Rated it would be void of all the things that made it good. Sabotage gets extra kudos and respect from us by not selling out to the younger audience and we believe time will reward the studios for that decision.
The movie is interesting, it does have something to offer fans and people generally seeking a suspenseful action thriller that has so many twists and turns it will screw your brain like the first season of Lost. Some scenes play out in the characters point of view and their perceptions of the facts which can make you question even more what is taking place and what the viewer thinks they know.
We won’t ruin the movie for you but it was enjoyable because of the way the movie progresses; Sabotage has wire-taught pacing and the twists and turns keep the interest all the way to the credits.
The violence showcased in this movie is graphic but realistic; when a character is shot it is shown with a brutal realism which removes any misplaced sense of glamor or morbid titillation. You are very much aware that these people are human- something which lends the characters a kind of ugly magnetism and keeps the viewer transfixed.
The ensemble cast is strong and fearless with performances which seem to range all the way from joyful fatalism to flawed, dark and fragile as the crew of adrenaline junkies spiral through a horrific maze of paranoia and lies to a thoroughly bloody end.
The movie itself was originally going to be called Ten, then Breacher and finally settled on Sabotage. The original name Ten was because this movie was based on an Agatha Christie Novel which has been turned into a movie before called Ten Little Indians, obviously Sabotage is founded on this original murder mystery story.
The obvious issue on our minds is if the new Terminator movie can’t even offer up the level of gore and suspense that Sabotage did; can we ever take it seriously or give it the kudos we can give this movie?
Arnold however is not the only Terminator to star in this movie, Sam Worthington did a credible performance and his accent didn’t fluctuate as much as it did in Terminator Salvation. Avatar slightly disconnected me from Worthington but in this movie it shows you it is simply down to the roles and he just needs the right roles much like Schwarzenegger does. Marcus Wright was an unnecessary character in the Terminator mythos but that just isn’t Sam’s fault it was the writers.
After seeing Sabotage I would definitely be open to seeing Schwarzenegger and Worthington team up on another movie… An 80s style cop movie might be a good move.
Blu-Ray as always looks fantastic in comparison to previous formats. Although the DVD copy included in this package offers everything the Blu-Ray does in terms of features except the Blu-Ray has Alternative endings that the DVD copy does not feature. Much like the deleted scenes (featured on both Blu-Ray and DVD) they show the scope of what Sabotage was doing, each scene either adds to or makes the story more complex than the original final theatrical cut. We won’t ruin them for you but the most shocking deleted scene we saw was Arnold’s sperm inside a condom being dropped into a toilet, if that wasn’t shock enough it then shows his naked form spread across a bed on his stomach with his ass in the air. How can it get any more shocking than that… all that was left to do was laugh.
A nice behind the scenes making of documentary features which is also interesting to watch.
The Ultra Violet download isn’t available yet but when it is it will be downloadable to devices of your choice, even your TV- if you have the set-up for it. So when it’s ready we will do another separate review and maybe some scene grabs of that edition for you so stay tuned for more Sabotage action on TheTerminatorFans.com
Arnold is back!
Sabotage is released on Blu-Ray and DVD on July 22nd 2014.
Find retailers to order your copy HERE
To celebrate the release of the movie and Schwarzenegger’s birthday this month enter for your chance to win Sabotage and 2 other Arnold classics on Blu-Ray by clicking here
SABOTAGE Blu-ray™ Combo Pack includes a Blu-ray™, DVD and Digital HD with UltraViolet™.
• Blu-ray™ unleashes the power of your HDTV and is the best way to watch movies at home, featuring 6X the picture resolution of DVD, exclusive extras and theater-quality surround sound.
• DVD offers the flexibility and convenience of playing movies in more places, both at home and away.
• DIGITAL HD with Ultraviolet™ lets fans watch movies anywhere on their favorite devices. Users can instantly stream or download movies to watch on iPad®, iPhone®, Android™, smart TVs, connected Blu-ray™ players, game consoles, and more.
SABOTAGE BONUS FEATURES (BLU-RAY™ and DVD):
• Making Sabotage – a behind-the-scenes look at the production.
• Alternate Endings
• Deleted Scenes