Ultra HD: Worth a Look
3.5 Stars out of 5
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List Price 49.95
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Release Date: November 16th, 2021
Movie Release Year: 1993
MPAA Rating: Restricted
Release Country: United States
COLLAPSE INFO -

Maniac Cop 3: Badge of Silence - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray

Review Date December 14th, 2021 by
Overview -

Although the weakest and ultimately unsatisfying link in the trilogy, Maniac Cop 3: Badge Of Silence is nonetheless a mildly amusing horror-action entry thanks to a couple of comedic touches. The 4K Ultra HD arrives with a beautiful-looking Dolby Vision HDR video and an excellent Dolby Atmos track but the same small assortment of supplements, except for a new audio commentary. All in all, the overall UHD package is Worth a Look

OVERALL
Worth a Look
  • TECH SPECS & RELEASE DETAILS
    Technical Specs:
    Two-Disc Combo Pack
    UHD-66 Dual-Layer Disc
    BD-50 Dual-Layer Disc
    Region Free
    Video Resolution/Codec:
    2160p HEVC/H.265
    Dolby Vision HDR
    HDR10
    Length:85
    Release Country:United States
    Aspect Ratio(s):
    2.35:1
    Audio Formats:
    English Dolby Atmos
    English Dolby TrueHD 7.1
    English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
    English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
    Subtitles/Captions:
    English SDH
    Chinese
    French
    German
    Italian
    Japanese
    Korean
    Portuguese
    Russian
    Spanish
    Special Features:
    Audio Commentary
    Featurette
    Original Synopsis
    Deleted Scenes
    Still Gallery
    Trailer
    Blu-ray Copy
    Movie Studio: Blue Underground
    Release Date: November 16th, 2021

Story Review Storyline: Our Reviewer's Take

2 Stars out of 5

Going into the third entry of the Maniac Cop series, audiences are given a proper cause and reason for Matthew Cordell's resurrection. Or at least, as proper as could be offered with a Voodoo priest (Julius Harris) chanting his magic zombie spell. Unfortunately, as good an attempt to explain Cordell's return as that may be, it remains largely unsatisfying and opens a whole new can of plot holes, starting with the motive for reviving the maniac cop and unleashing his relentless vengeance upon New York City. And on top of that, why is a majority of the story set in a hospital where he fixates over critically-injured beat cop Katie Sullivan (Gretchen Becker)? From the start, Larry Cohen's script grows sillier as it progresses with little explanation, action for the sake of action and arguably interesting but vague social commentary about the media.

The central plot, however, sees Robert Davi and Robert Z'Dar reprising their roles as Det. McKinney and Matthew Cordell with the two once again going after the other although Cordell appears to show a bit more patience. In the mix of this zaniness, Davi reunites with Die Hard costars Grand L. Bush, who played Agent Johnson, and Paul Gleason, who played Deputy Chief Dwayne Robinson while throwing a wrench into the pace with an out-of-place, budding romance between McKinney and Dr. Fowler (Caitlin Dulany). But when it's all said and done, even these few mildly amusing touches do little to ultimately save Maniac Cop 3: Badge of Silence from itself. A bumbling and somewhat confusing first half gives way to a second that feels like a sudden jump in rhythm with more emphasis on pointless action sequences, making this second sequel a decent cult flick, at best, but ultimately, should have remained "silent . . . forever."

 

Vital Disc Stats: The Ultra HD Blu-ray
Blue Underground unleashes Maniac Cop 3: Badge Of Silence to Ultra HD as a two-disc combo pack. The duel-layered UHD66 disc sits comfortably opposite the panel holding a Region Free, BD50 copy of the movie, and both discs are housed inside the standard black keepcase with a glossy, lightly-embossed slipcover. At startup, viewers are taken straight to the main menu selection with full-motion clips in the top left corner and music playing in the background.

  • TECH SPECS & RELEASE DETAILS
    Technical Specs:
    Two-Disc Combo Pack
    UHD-66 Dual-Layer Disc
    BD-50 Dual-Layer Disc
    Region Free
    Video Resolution/Codec:
    2160p HEVC/H.265
    Dolby Vision HDR
    HDR10
    Length:85
    Release Country:United States
    Aspect Ratio(s):
    2.35:1
    Audio Formats:
    English Dolby Atmos
    English Dolby TrueHD 7.1
    English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
    English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
    Subtitles/Captions:
    English SDH
    Chinese
    French
    German
    Italian
    Japanese
    Korean
    Portuguese
    Russian
    Spanish
    Special Features:
    Audio Commentary
    Featurette
    Original Synopsis
    Deleted Scenes
    Still Gallery
    Trailer
    Blu-ray Copy
    Movie Studio: Blue Underground
    Release Date: November 16th, 2021

Video Review

4.5 Stars out of 5

Resurrected from the original 35mm camera negatives, the zombified beat cop walks the dangerous streets of Ultra HD armed with an impressive, beautiful-looking HEVC H.265 encode. Overall definition and clarity are immediately notable from the start, showing clean, distinct lines in the costumes, the various buildings and the make-up effects of Matthew Cordell, who looks particularly fleshier and slimier than in previous home video editions. Of course, the movie comes with its fair share of softer, poorly-resolved moments, which are to be expected, but all in all, the native 4K transfer is nicely detailed and sharper than its Blu-ray predecessor. 

The video also boasts a significant improvement in the contrast and brightness balance, flaunting vividly radiant whites while a majority of the picture is bathed in rich, velvety blacks. Visibility in the darkest, dingiest corners of the frame are outstanding, revealing every nook and cranny within the murkiest shadows, providing the 2.35:1 image with appreciable dimensionality and an attractive cinematic appeal. Specular highlights supply a surprisingly crisp, luminous glow to the various lights while maintaining extraordinary detailing within the brightest, hottest spots. In Dolby Vision HDR, the movie looks ironically spirited and full of life, showering much of the action in an energetic, electrifying assortment of blues and animated reds. Secondary hues are likewise full-bodied and lively, which really shows in the faces of the cast, looking healthier with a more realistic peach-red tone than its HD SDR counterpart. 

Awash in a thin layer of natural grain, the presentation looks amazing, and the second sequel has never looked better than in this UHD edition. (Dolby Vision HDR Video Rating: 88/100)

Audio Review

4.5 Stars out of 5

The third entry in the series arrives with a great and largely satisfying Dolby Atmos soundtrack with similar results as the first sequel while also showing many of the same issues as its DTS-HD predecessor. To start, the rear activity comes in at a slightly louder decibel than would be expected for a feature of this caliber. Thankfully, it's nothing too terrible or egregious, but it can occasionally distract with easy-to-localize effects bouncing around in the sides and the heights at a bit more audible level than the on-screen action. Aside from such minor distractions, however, directionality is really outstanding at generating a pleasantly immersive soundfield, as various light atmospherics employ the surrounds and overheads. Meanwhile, the front imaging feels wide and expansive with background activity convincingly moving across the screen and into the top heights, creating a broad and engaging soundstage while exhibiting a clean, detailed mid-range with strong clarity and distinction during the loudest segments. Vocals are precise and well-prioritized throughout so that fans never miss out on the silliness, and the low-end is surprisingly throaty and punchy, providing some appreciable weight to the action. (Dolby Atmos Audio Rating: 90/100)

Special Features

2 Stars out of 5

For this UHD edition, Blue Underground ports over the same set of supplements as before and are available on the accompanying Blu-ray disc, but they up the ante with a brand-new audio commentary by the director, which can be enjoyed on both the UHD and BD discs. 

  • NEW Audio Commentary with director Alan Smithee
  • "Wrong Arm of the Law" (HD, 25 min)
  • Original Synopsis (HD)
  • Still Gallery (HD)
  • Deleted Scenes (HD)
  • Trailer (HD)

Final Thoughts

The second sequel in the Maniac Cop trilogy is definitely the weakest of the bunch with a scatterbrained story about Cordell wanting a bride, McKinney finding romance and dark Voodoo magic. The horror action flick comes with a couple of mildly amusing touches of comedy and allusions, but it is ultimately unsatisfying and forgettable. The 4K Ultra HD, on the other hand, arrives with a beautiful-looking Dolby Vision HDR presentation and an excellent Dolby Atmos audio track, offering fans a welcomed upgrade over its Blu-ray predecessor. The same small assortment of supplements is joined by a brand-new audio commentary that still doesn't add much value, but the overall package makes a pleasing enough addition to one's UHD cult collection while for others, this is worth a look at best. 

All disc reviews at High-Def Digest are completed using the best consumer HD home theater products currently on the market. More about the gear used for this review.

  • TECH SPECS & RELEASE DETAILS
    Technical Specs:
    Two-Disc Combo Pack
    UHD-66 Dual-Layer Disc
    BD-50 Dual-Layer Disc
    Region Free
    Video Resolution/Codec:
    2160p HEVC/H.265
    Dolby Vision HDR
    HDR10
    Length:85
    Release Country:United States
    Aspect Ratio(s):
    2.35:1
    Audio Formats:
    English Dolby Atmos
    English Dolby TrueHD 7.1
    English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
    English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
    Subtitles/Captions:
    English SDH
    Chinese
    French
    German
    Italian
    Japanese
    Korean
    Portuguese
    Russian
    Spanish
    Special Features:
    Audio Commentary
    Featurette
    Original Synopsis
    Deleted Scenes
    Still Gallery
    Trailer
    Blu-ray Copy
    Movie Studio: Blue Underground
    Release Date: November 16th, 2021
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