Search - Direct Contact on DVD

K. K. (GAMER)
Reviewed on 2/15/2023...

Plotline had some substance. A must for Dolph Lundgren fans!

Chris W. (kungfudalek)
Reviewed on 3/3/2013...

I really liked this one!

1 of 2 member(s) found this review helpful.

Hopefully Command Performance will be better . . .

trebe | 10/18/2009

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Although the action scenes are decent, the stunts executed fairly well, and the story fairly plausible, Direct Contact (2009) suffers from `lazy filmmaking'. There is a lack of attention to detail, a lack of effort in the writing of dialog, and a basic disregard for logic and reality, that detracts from what is otherwise a serviceable comic book action adventure. Since Danny Lenner both wrote and directed the film, the source of the problems appears clear.

Dolph Lungren is Mike Riggins, a former US marine doing time in a Balkan prison, for dealing in contraband. Riggins is offered money and his freedom, in return for freeing a kidnapped woman named Ana Gale, (Gina Marie May) who is being held captive in a guarded military compound. Clive Connelly (Michael Pare), supposedly associated with the US embassy, brokers the deal and arranges for Riggins release.

Riggins speaks to Vlado Karadjov (Vladimir Vladimirov), the man holding the woman hostage. After Vlado refuses to free her, Riggins raids the encampment, takes Ana by force, and leaves the place in flames. Things get confusing, as Ana says she has not been kidnapped, and after showing up at a meeting with Connelly without Ana, Riggins is fleeing across the city on a motorcycle, dodging bullets. He catches up with Ana at a train station, and from there the pair is continuously on the run, as she is actually the heir to a huge fortune. At 35, Gina May is in excellent physical condition.

Dolph Lundgren has been doing pretty well directing his own films, and probably would have done a better job directing this one than Danny Lenner. With numerous explosions, several vehicle chases, plenty of hand to hand combat, several flying cars, and a slew of gunfights, Direct Contact solidly delivers gratuitous violence and destruction. Unfortunately, very little effort was made to produce a polished or credible film. Command Performance (2009), which was directed by Lundgren, and is scheduled for release soon, is getting good reviews, and hopefully will be an improvement.

Direct Contact is presented in widescreen, and is closed captioned. The DVD contains no bonus features. The film is recommended to Lundgren fans, and lightly recommended to those with minimal standards for action movies."

Cheesy, Yes, but Fun!

Benjamin J Burgraff | Las Vegas | 12/15/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Watching Dolph Lundgren portraying an American in Danny Lerner's "Direct Contact" reminded me of the Swedish actor's early films, when he could barely speak English! At 52, he has mastered the language, has aged and weathered into a tough, believable action hero, and makes the implausibilities of this multi-national production much easier to ignore! This isn't great cinema, but it is fun, with beautiful Bulgarian locations, the underrated Michael Paré ("Streets of Fire") a quite servicable villain, and very youthful-looking Gina May, at 35, making up for a lack of acting skill with beauty and a surprising physical prowess as the female lead.

Lundgren, with his height and presence, reminds me of John Wayne, in his films of the 1950s. Neither actor is particularly graceful, but whenever action is required, both brawl with unbelievable power. Lundgren disposes of the private army of villainous General Drago (Bashar Rahal) as efficiently as Arnold Schwarzenegger did, in "Commando", taking two bullet wounds stoically as the body count rises. While you know he and May will fall for each other, their love scene is short and surprisingly well-played, with Lundgren's huge grin erasing his years, and making the moment less far-fetched than you'd initially think.

If you aren't hung up on reality, like your fights more 'real' than CGI-created, and are a fan of the action genre, you could do a LOT worse than "Direct Contact"...I liked it!
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Mr. Congeniality

Julian Kennedy | St Pete Florida | 07/30/2009

(3 out of 5 stars)

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Direct Contact: 6 out of 10: This is one of the most action packed movies I have ever seen. Now keep in mind the action is not always good and the script does write checks that the budget cannot cash. In addition, Dolph Lundgren gives the best performance in the film...

However, one cannot deny that compare to those bloated (in more than one-way mind you) Segal films such as Driven to Kill; this is a fit, fast and fun ride.

Dolph starts the film in an eastern European prison but is let out to rescue an American girl from a concentration camp located just to the east of a World War 2 film. (Direct Contact takes place in modern times but both the camp commander, and the camp victims, would not be out of place in Schindler's List had that Academy Award winning treat been directed by Uwe Boll and produced by Full Moon Productions.) Bashar Rahal plays camp commandant General Drago with such a silly vigor, that when he shoots children in the head you just cannot help but laugh. Not to mention that any character with the name General Drago belongs in a film with either Lightsabers or Dragons, not Fiddler on the Roof extras being mowed down by machine guns.

Gina May plays the damsel in distress, whom is much easier on the eyes than she is the ears. Her acting could have been improved with more nudity and less dialogue: much less dialogue. The rest of the cast includes Michael Pare, random Bulgarians and James Chalke who gives the kind of horrible performance that makes one wonder if he financed the entire film.

Now back to the reason to watch the film, the action. Dolph is in good shape and makes a surprisingly agile action star. Moreover, even though Bulgaria has no native word for continuity, it is a country that for a couple of bucks you can drive tanks through buildings in its scenic downtown like some sort of Goldeneye road show.

Overall, I enjoyed the film more than I should have. Lord knows it could have been better. However, as the good lord above also knows, it could have been a lot worse. Direct Contact may commit countless cinematic sins but it is never less than entertaining.




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