Synopsis
Danny Glover is a Sergeant in a cavalry regiment of African-American soldiers. He and his men are tasked with tracking down Apache leader Victorio, who has proven himself to be a brilliant and dangerous fighter. This mission would be difficult enough, but there is also the deep prejudice of the white commanding officers to deal with.
Racial politics are up front and centre from the moment the credits end, with Glover arresting Texas Rangers in the midst of hanging Apache children. …hen there’s the fact that the enemies have more respect for each other than do the purported allies. All of this could become heavy handed, but the action is pretty solid and exciting. The cinematography is also frequently gorgeous.
Audio
Pretty big and majestic sound for a 2.0 track, especially for made-for-TV 2.0 track. The music is big, dramatic, and pounds away. Great bass here as well. The environmental effects are strong, too – we are surrounded by crowds, for instance, an not just by the music score. The only real drawback is the dialogue, which suffers from a fair bit of buzz and often sounds a bit muzzy and not as clear as it should.
Video
The aforementioned gorgeous cinematography is well served by the transfer (for the most part, anyway). There are some minor damage issues (guitar strings at one point), but overall the image is beautiful. The colours are very strong, very sumptuous. Contrasts, blacks, and flesh tones are also great, and there is no grain and no edge enhancement difficulties. The look is handsome enough for the theatrical screen (1.33:1 format notwithstanding).
Special Features
None. The main screen of the menu is scored.
Closing Thoughts
A good western with an intriguing hook, handsomely mounted. No extras, thought.
