Resurrection (1999)

Director Russell Mulcahy and actor Christopher Lambert struck cult icon gold with their team-up on Highlander and Highlander II. A few years later, the dynamic duo jumped into the ever-popular serial killer realm with Resurrection following a deranged madman who leads the police on a citywide manhunt as he murders and severs his victim's limbs to create to perfect authentic life portrait of Jesus Christ. Now if that's not a Superstar story, then what is in life? Unfortunately, Resurrection is a paint-by-the-numbers thriller that was a carbon copy of films that already came before it. Despite some great performances, this film can come down off the cross, because the wood is needed.

In 1995, David Fincher, Brad Pitt, and Morgan Freeman released Se7en, one of the best serial killer movies ever made. Before that, Silence of the Lambs took the world by storm and won all the Oscars. Mulcahy and Lambert decided to roll the dice with their own version of those movies, and even though Mulcahy denies that Se7en and Silence of the Lambs were inspirations, Resurrection is indeed an exact replica of those films, right down to its urban cityscape in constant rain storms.

Resurrection isn't a bad movie, but it doesn't have an original bone in its body as it follows a police detective named Prudhomme (Lambert) who has just moved from Cajun country after a tragedy to the big city and partnered with a solar opposite. Soon enough, a body is found with a severed limb, and thus begins the serial killer game, similar to Se7en. When more bodies show up with different appendages missing and messages carved into their bodies, it's clear that someone in the city is wanting to make their own version of Jesus's resurrection. Taking their clues from literature and the Bible, Prudhomme and his partner Hollingsworth (Leland Orser from Se7en) navigate this complicated web of murder and mayhem in trying to solve the case before anyone else falls victim.

Mulcahy frames his film pretty well, but when his music video background jumps into play with fast zooms and quick cut beats, the film turns from horrifying to cheesy very quickly. Cinematographer Johnathan Freeman (Game of Thrones and Boardwalk Empire) captures the noir tone in the decaying city well. Lambert and Orser turn in great performances with what they're given as well as they struggle with their own demons to take down this killer. And a fantastic cameo from body horror legend David Cronenberg is not to be missed.

Resurrection is a solid film, however, its blatant rip-off of Se7en along with its cheesy camera style hold this one back from truly being great and more importantly - original. At one point, this film had an NC-17 rating for its ultra-violence and gore but settled on an R-rated cut. Allegedly that NC-17 option is lost, but maybe one day, it will resurrect itself for fun. For now, Resurrection is worth a watch.

Vital Disc Stats: The Blu-ray
Resurrection nails its way to Blu-ray via Vinegar Syndrome. The sole disc is housed inside a hard, clear plastic case. The artwork features a great illustrated version of the crucifixion of Jesus with gore and all. The reversible artwork features just the two main characters of the film. There is no insert.

Resurrection comes with a 1080p HD transfer and is from a 2K scan of the original 35mm interpositive via Vinegar Syndrome. The film's visual style is all about decay and states a moody tone. The color palette is rather cool with a lot of colder colors of grays, blacks, and blues that all seem a little murky. That's not a transfer issue though, but rather its unique style. City signs and neon lights on the streets offer those bright pops of primary colors in otherwise a seedy underbelly metropolis of scum and villainy.

Interiors can be a little warmer in color. The red blood and gore are always satisfying. Black levels are inky enough but have a tiny amount of bleeding. Skin tones are natural. The detail is sharp revealing good facial features and textures in costumes. The entrails, bone, and muscle look great with their rubbery appearance. The film grain is intact and keeps with that noir, filmic style. There are only some minor issues with noise and banding.

This release comes with a DTS-HD MA 5.1 audio mix that is on the lighter side of the fence. Sound effects are softer here and don't pack the big low end of bass all the time. Only in a few instances does the bass kick in, but it's never a large rumble. This is a quieter affair than the usual serial killer crescendos. Ambient noises rarely come through the surround speakers as well. Mostly, this is a front-heavy audio track where the dialogue is clean, clear, and easy to follow. The score always adds to the suspense of the scene and the bass has only a mild rumble to it. It's not the loudest audio option, but it gets the job done.

There are 71 minutes of onus materials here, all of which are interviews with the cast and crew.

• A Cathartic Experience (HD, 28 Mins.) - An interview with Director Russell Mulcahy who recalls his time spent on Resurrection. Mulcahy talks about casting the film, the Cronenberg cameo, the tone, editing, and more. Oddly, Mulcahy avoids getting candid about any subject and is all surface material.
• On The Same Page (HD, 14 Mins.) - Actor Jonathan Potts provides a fun interview on working with the director and other actors. Also, he discusses the reshoots of the movie.
• Over The Top (HD, 14 Mins.) - Composer Jim McGrath talks about the music he created for the film which included a big orchestra and choir.
• Terrifying or Hilarious (HD, 15 Mins.) - Actor Robert Joy dives into his time on the film, working with everyone, his career, and a tough day of shooting.

Resurrection is a carbon copy of Se7en, but with a different serial killing motivation. It's not original and its cheesy camera angles bring out the silliness in an otherwise terrifying movie. Vinegar Syndrome provides good audio and video presentations, along with some great interviews. Worth A Look.