The Killing Zone on DVD

• Cat.no: 37115 00023
• Cert: 18
• Running time: 92 minutes
• Year: 1999
• Pressing: 1999
• Region(s): 2, PAL
• Chapters: 20 plus extras
• Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 (Dolby Surround)
• Languages: English
• Subtitles: None
• Widescreen: 2.00:1
• 16:9-Enhanced: No
• Macrovision: No
• Price: £19.99
• Extras : Scene index, Theatrical trailer, 30-minute making-of featurette

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Director:

Ian David Diaz

Producer:

Screenplay:

Music:

Cast:

Matthew Palmer: Padraig Casey
Lucas Finn: Oliver Young
Lance Nash: Mark Bowden
Parry Fenton: Richard Banks
Woman in Black: Melissa Simonetti
Mr “Mad Dog” McCann: Giles Ward
Kerry Wyman: Nicola Stapleton (Hansel and Gretel (1987), Snow White and the Seven Dwarves (1987), TV: Casualty, Eastenders, Young Person’s Guide To Becoming A Rock Star)

The Killing Zone stars Padraig Casey as Matthew Palmer, a cold, ruthless assassin, a definite Michael Caine fan and a member of The Syndicate, of which membership is for life, but Palmer wants out after he finishes one last job and to go back to his girlfriend Kerry (the gorgeous Nicola Stapleton in her underwear).

It sounds like a well-worn plot, but is one carried out well as there are many people out to kill him too, including a mysterious blonde only known as the Woman in Black (Melissa Simonetti). Also, his best friend friend Lance (Mark Bowden) has been hired to write his biography. And that’s about it.

That bit’s simple to explain but what’s worth mentioning is that there’s plenty of off-the-cuff humour to be found in this underestimated Brit-flick, plus a number of flashbacks, plot twists and conversational pieces that draw you into the world of secondary and tertiary characters which go some way to making this Britain’s answer to Reservoir Dogs.

Don’t mess with her.

The picture quality is very good no noticeable artifacts onscreen most of the time although a couple of scenes see some. It’s not anamorphic so also loses a point for that. I presume the theatrical ratio was 2.35:1 as the matte appears to have been opened up to around 2.00:1. The average bitrate is an impressive 8.5Mb/s.

The sound is in Dolby Surround. There’s no Dolby Digital logo on the box but, as far as I can determine, it is Dolby Digital 2.0. It comes across very well for Guy Michelmore‘s (didn’t he used to present Holiday) haunting 60’s spy-thriller-style score and the superb music piece over the opening credits which sounds very familiar.

Indeed.

Extras :

Chapters : There are 20 chapters spread throughout the 90-minute film which isn’t bad but it could use a few more. The original theatrical trailer is included.

Languages/Subtitles :

There’s just the one language on this disc – English – with no subtitles.

Featurette : Presented in 16:9, this is 30 minutes of chat from all the people involved with the Seventh Twelfth Collective who made the film, which started life as a short film called The Interrogation, including many of the behind-the-scenes staff, some of whom had brief roles in the film.

Menu :

The main menu is silent but animated, mirroring the front cover but with a target sight closing in, in keeping with the theme of the film.

As well as Michael Caine, he had a fetish for Dracula movies.

Overall, I found this a very entertaining film but it may be worth a rental first since it may not stand up too well to repeated viewings once you know how it plays out. An anamorphic transfer would’ve been a nice addition, but on the plus side, at least this is one DVD we’ve got before the Americans.

FILM : **** PICTURE QUALITY: ***½ SOUND QUALITY: **** EXTRAS: *½ ——————————- OVERALL: ***

Review copyright © Dominic Robinson, 1999.