The Blu-ray opens with a series of trailers for upcoming Universal releases before arriving at a static image main menu with traditional navigation options.Īn issue worth noting: supposedly this release has two cuts of the film, an R-rated and Unrated one, however, both cuts come in at 1:29:06 and unless I missed something, there is nothing to distinguish one from the other other than some slightly bloodier violence. A voucher for an Ultraviolet/iTunes digital copy is also included. The Blu-ray and DVD are housed in a standard 2-disc Blu-ray case with identical slipcover artwork. 'Jarhead 3: The Siege' arrives in a 2-disc Blu-ray, DVD, Digital HD set from Universal Home Video. As a standalone cheap, B-movie action flick, 'Jarhead 3: The Siege' isn't half bad and is surprisingly watchable. Compared to its progenitor, 'Jarhead 3: The Siege' is a travesty. Perhaps the worst thing going for it is that it carries the namesake of 'Jarhead.' With that anchor around its neck, it carries a lot of weight of expectation and comparison. There certainly those thin characters making up a number of the bullet-fodder characters, and the film doesn't exactly embolden itself towards skewing common ethnic stereotypes, but it isn't entirely a cheap flick that insults your intelligence either. Even the side characters are given little moments like this to show their stars and stripes without being macho cliches.
He gives a made up history he tells people so he can be proud of who he is, he's even given a true history so that everyone knows he's full of it, and he's given more than one opportunity to prove himself the true hero. Charlie Weber's Albright is given several opportunities to unravel the layers that make up the onion. What gives 'Jarhead 3: The Siege' an edge over run-of-the-mill direct-to-video fare like 'War Pigs' is that it actually makes an earnest attempt at character development.
This is simply a stupid action movie that tries to do a lot with very little.
However, if you're going to do that you're going to overthink the film in a big way. To that effect one may be inclined to question the tact of the film or its level of taste as it plays to a base audience. It's content to be a low-budget macho action movie that lets Scott Adkins act the badass with big guns while unceremoniously pulling elements from the tragic 2012 Benghazi attack. More ' Full Metal Jacket' and less ' Saving Private Ryan.' 'Jarhead 3: The Siege' is related to the first film in name only. It wasn't about battles or bullets, it was about the psychological effects of war set against the backdrop of Desert Storm. ' Jarhead' was a thoughtful, pondering war film that easily could be described as an anti-war film. Even with help only an hour away, it may come too late to be of any use. When the ambassador reveals that sensitive information is at risk and needs to be retrieved, Albright and his fellow marines will put their lives on the line to keep the Ambassador and the civilian staff safe while they retrieve the sensitive information. Once everyone is in the safe room, it should have been an open and shut situation - wait for backup and hold your position.
Things change for the worse when Albright is proved right and a terrorist believed to be dead attacks the under-protected embassy. All this effort to impress earns Albright a bad rep and tough details as a result. Gunny Raines (Scott Adkins) feel the new guy is just acting "cowboy." He even goes so far as to go over the heads of his superiors when he suspects a terrorist has targeted Ambassador Cahill (Stephen Hogan). The problem is, Albright's efforts are quickly seen by his peers Hansen (Tom Ainsley), Lopez (Erik Valdez), and even his C.O. His father was a marine, his grandfather was a marine, so he has a name to live up to. To be fair it's hardly a great movie, but you can see and appreciate the effort.įor new marine on the scene Evan Albright (Charlie Weber), being a marine isn't a job or a duty, it's a family tradition. When I fired up 'Jarhead 3: The Siege' I expected little to nothing more than a macho cliche action movie, but I was surprised to find a flick that genuinely tries to be good. When you're handed the second direct-to-video sequel to a film that never even should have even had one sequel in the first place, it's easy to become cynical. Sometimes it's good to go into a movie with very low expectations.