OUT OF REACH review!(Contain Spoilers)

[Tiggy]

It was released in the UK yesterday, and I battled storm and floods to collect my copy. Then had the agonising wait, until my very elderly mother (visiting at the moment)went to bed and son to work, before I could finally watch it. I must admit, that it was with heavy heart that I set the DVD going, Forigner, Glimmer man, OFK and Belly of the Beast, having been so awful, dreadful, and almost embarrassing to watch. Well, what a surprise, I loved it!! The best he has done for a long time, there are many downsides to this movie, but over all I enjoyed it, he looked good, and I will happily keep watching it.
For me, the best part of SS is his voice, and sadly that was missing for most of the film, I can only wonder, as the sound was so awful throughout the film, if there had been some mishap and the sound tracks had been ruined and therefore had to be dubbed in post production, long after SS had left. The story was OK for me, but I can't imagine his fight fans enjoying it. The hair style (traditional Japanese fighters style?) didn't bother me, but it did seem to bother him, and at times he seemed to be moving as though he was afraid it would all collapse (shoulders hunched and stiff necked). The child was odd, no beauty and big thick ankles - was she a child or rather an adult made to look like a child? Steven was good throughout, but the verrrry cheap production, and clearly shooting in Poland is a money saving option, with a largly Polish crew was a big mistake. We used to tour India and such places, and loved to catch films shown by a traveling cinama group in the local village halls. The actors were good, the films entertaining, but, they were almost home video quality, cheaply made for the village hall market. OOR reminded me of those films. It could have been really good if only the sound, camera, and post production had been properly financed and completed professionally. Steven did well but was let down by all around him. I long to hear that he is making a film in the US and that it is largely studio based, it's the only way he is going to ge the quality he needs.

 

[Administrator]

Nice review Lee, i agree with you the dubbing wasted the movie in my opinion.

I still thought it was better than Half Past Dead.

Craig

 

[lee nicholson]

Steve
I too, noticed that on the BBFC website, they haven't listed it yet.
Maybe they have a back-log of titles to list?
What did you think of the movie?
Is there a trailer on the REGION ONE dvd, if so, i'm still going to have to get it (i collect most SEAGAL on all formats)
peace

 

[Clement3000]

Excellent Review Lee!
Thank you very much for posting it!
I must agree the dubbing is definatly the worst part, and I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't even know it happend either!

 

[steve]

Out of Reach

Hi Lee glad the film wasn't too painful for you. I think Schultz actually DID dub Seagal's voice in a lot of scenes, or so I read somewhere. The dubbing was by far the worst thing about the movie as just about everyone will agree. I didn't mind the fights but if you do look close most are still littered with doubles, the scene just before the sword-fight where Faisal grabs and beats him especially. Though I did enjoy the film, especially since it had a bit more personality and charm in Seagal aswell as some one-liners, I wasn't too enamoured by the fights to be honest, they're not a patch on those in Belly of the Beast. Most were also lit very darkly and filmed too up-close to the characters which brought back nasty memories of Ticker. To answer your question though no the R1 disc doesn't have the trailer so probably isn't much different to the UK one.

Not sure why it isn't listed on the BBFC website, most of his films sail by at '15' these days as I'm sure you know. Years ago they would all be cut for '18'. In fact, his first nine films were all cut before their UK video release, chopping out many of his best and most savage moments (Nico, Hard to Kill, Marked for Death, Out for Justice, Under Siege, On Deadly Ground, Under Siege 2, Glimmer Man and Executive Decision).

As you say though light years ahead of Oblowitz but not quite as good as Half Past Dead or Belly of the Beast. Half Past Dead would have been such a good film if they hadn't toned down the violence and swearing so much.

 

[lee nicholson]

Yeah, and just before he throws the guy out of the hotel window (just before the throw, it's slightly doubled) and yes, just as MATT SCHULZE jumps on SEAGAL, and put's him in a headlock, it's clearly a double.
Especially the roly-poly in the brothel as well (nice women though!) i'll bet SEAGAL had fun filming that scene?

The dubbing has upset me that much, that from now on, i'll watch it in the french audio, with english subtitles. It may add an 'art-house' quality to the film.

peace

 

[steve]

Dubbing

Lol, that may do the trick, at least you won't have to put up with it anymore. The dive is definitely the most obvious double. I think there are only a couple of shots in that fist-fight with Faisal that actually are Seagal. And yes the women in that brothel were superb!

 

[sankyoaikido]

y did segals voice sound different in some scenes in the movie???

 

[Amos Stevens]

We don't know why they're dubbing his voice in his movies lately

 

[lee nicholson]

Sankyoaikido.

Are you unaware of the bad dubbing in SEAGAL's last 2 or 3 movies.
Check out OUT OF REACH, and you'll soon notice this

peace

 

[ORANGATUANG]

Ok.. i will give my oppinion on this movie when i see it in September until then i will keep an open mind ..Thanks for your reveiw any way Lee..But other then that it was ok then?....(the dubbing)...

 

[steve]

Dubbing

I think the dubbing goes bak as far as The Patriot. The final line "What have we got here? What have we got here?" I always thought sounded like a totally different voice. Since then The Foreigner, Out For a Kill, Belly of the Beast and Out of Reach have all had an increasing amount of dubbing.

 

[lee nicholson]

It funny though, that WARNER BROS didn't put up with any of that sh*t, on EXIT WOUNDS.
I think some directors are scared of SEAGAL?

peace

 

[ORANGATUANG]

Them scared of Seagal ..Nah he is just an big pussy cat really...

 

[TDWoj]

I think it's pretty clear he's just putting the minimal effort necessary into making these low budget films. If post-production re-recording is necessary, he's not bothered about it. "Let someone else do it" clearly seems to be the rule of the day.

But really: how much of this nonsense does he expect his fans to swallow?

Them scared of Seagal ..Nah he is just an big pussy cat really...

Heather - yeah, a big pussycat - the "See? Aren't I adorable? Come over here so I can rip your legs off" kind

 

[steve]

It funny though, that WARNER BROS didn't put up with any of that sh*t, on EXIT WOUNDS.
I think some directors are scared of SEAGAL?

peace

You're probably right mate. Warner Bros never would put up with it, the fact of the matter is Franchise et al don't have as much juice as them and with them being small companies Seagal has been bigger than them in the films he's starred in. If Into the Sun is indeed a Warner product (as is still debated) then we will at least be able to look forward to Steven's real voice throughout.

 

[Serena]

Not being facetious here, just a question. Do you guys figure that money has a direct correlation with how much time Steven is required to devote to returning to the studio or sticking around to use his own voice for certain scenes? I mean, obviously Exit Wounds had the bigger budget and maybe part of his salary included having to be available afterwards to fill in his voice where needed? With these other, much smaller films, I'm guessing he's paid almost like an hourly worker, maybe? Paid for his time in the film, but not enough in the budget to pay the time-and-half salary he'd be entitled to for returning afterwards? Of course, his hourly rate would probably be like my yearly salary, eh?

 

[steve]

Dubbing

Not being facetious here, just a question. Do you guys figure that money has a direct correlation with how much time Steven is required to devote to returning to the studio or sticking around to use his own voice for certain scenes? I mean, obviously Exit Wounds had the bigger budget and maybe part of his salary included having to be available afterwards to fill in his voice where needed? With these other, much smaller films, I'm guessing he's paid almost like an hourly worker, maybe? Paid for his time in the film, but not enough in the budget to pay the time-and-half salary he'd be entitled to for returning afterwards? Of course, his hourly rate would probably be like my yearly salary, eh?

That's probably not far from the truth Serena. It's probably in all Warner contracts that stars must remain for all post-production dubs. Little companies probably just don't think ahead and cover all their bases as much as the 'big boys' do. That said, there won't be as much money in a film like Out of Reach as there is in Exit Wounds and as with most people I wouldn't be quite as motivated to hang around in Poland for a few months if there wasn't as much money involved.

I think the locations have a lot to do with it. Because Sensei is flying around from country to country filming these cross-continental movies it will be making it a lot more difficult to complete post-prod with him around. Exit Wounds was in America/Canada, Half Past Dead was in Germany, The Foreigner was in Poland, not sure where Out For a Kill was, Belly of the Beast was in the far east and Out of Reach was back in Poland. Making as many movies as he does lately he'll be long gone before they come to do the dubbing. If they could think fast and get it done with him quick though I still don't see a good enough reason why we should have dubbing as horrific as was evident in Out of Reach.

 

[Serena]

Thanks for the great response, Steve! I guess you basically answered what I was trying to get it, but I didn't word it very well.

Bottom line, then, if I have this correct, is it's ultimately the studio's final responsibility for the voice dubbing and not the star's, right? For instance, Tom Cruise or Brad Pitt are not responsible for post-production anything once their filming is over, except for what they've been contracted for? So then it should be up to the producers (via the budget) and the studio to make sure this return to the studio for voice dubbing is allotted for in the original contracts?

 

[steve]

Producers

Thanks for the great response, Steve! I guess you basically answered what I was trying to get it, but I didn't word it very well.

Bottom line, then, if I have this correct, is it's ultimately the studio's final responsibility for the voice dubbing and not the star's, right? For instance, Tom Cruise or Brad Pitt are not responsible for post-production anything once their filming is over, except for what they've been contracted for? So then it should be up to the producers (via the budget) and the studio to make sure this return to the studio for voice dubbing is allotted for in the original contracts?

Indeed it is Serena, if it actually is written in any kind of contract. The star will get his or her pay cheque regardless. In the end it's down to the producers and the company to make sure everything is tied up nicely to make a good and profitable film. They're the ones who are going to make the profit so being laxidaisal about the dubbing in the end is only shooting themselves in the foot.

 

[Serena]

Indeed it is Serena, if it actually is written in any kind of contract. The star will get his or her pay cheque regardless. In the end it's down to the producers and the company to make sure everything is tied up nicely to make a good and profitable film. They're the ones who are going to make the profit so being laxidaisal about the dubbing in the end is only shooting themselves in the foot.

Thanks a lot, Steve. I really appreciate the time you took explaining this. It's like a lightbulb just went off over my head! So the star (Steven, in this case) is merely the paid employee, who has no final responsibility or say-so over anything (unless they're also one of the producers, I suppose.)

Thanks again!