Kiltro
(2005/Magnet DVD)
Picture:
B- Sound: C+ Extras: C Feature: C
Straining
to keep the Martial Arts cycle going, trying to launch the next star is always
a caveat to bring on more films. Forget
that most such films are formula, dumb and too often disposable, but making
that quick buck sale is the goal.
Ernesto Diaz Espinoza’s Kiltro
(2005) tries to launch Marko Zaror (The Latin Dragon, the box tells us) as a
tough street guy who becomes jealous after becoming close to a young lady he
saves from sexual assault.
To the
film’s credit, the humor is not stupid, formulaic or forced, with some
unintentionally funny moments mixed in with the intended humor, but the script
by the director (who also edits) is weak and maybe if it settled for being a
realistic teen film, this could have worked.
Instead, it wants to be that and an action romp of sorts and never
resolves itself or anything. Zaror is a
mixed presence on screen, with potential if in the hands of a filmmaker with
more skill and experience. Here, he just
becomes another on the endless list of those hoping to fill Bruce Lee’s
shows. It is still better than most
releases of its ilk.
The
anamorphically enhanced 1.78 X 1 image is a bit more colorful than usual and
Director of Photography Victor Jiminez Atkin does deliver a good looking
result, which makes this more watchable and pleasant. The Dolby Digital 5.1 mixes in English and
Spanish are a bit weak, though slightly better than their 2.0 Dolby versions. The English dub is a wreck, by the way, so go
for the original audio with captions.
Extras include storyboards, bloopers, deleted scenes, fight training and
a behind the scenes featurette.
- Nicholas Sheffo
