‘Kamikaze’ (1986) Blu-Ray Review – Sci-Fi Thriller Takes Satire To Deadly Levels

From co-writer/producer Luc Besson (La Femme Nikita, Léon: The Professional, The Fifth Element) comes the sharp and sumptuous sci-fi/comedy/thriller Kamikaze. Michel Galabru (Subway) is Albert. He’s old, bored, batty and unemployed…but brilliant with computers. Albert embarks on a mission to get rid of the people he hates most—the televised kind—and invents a way to kill TV announcers, on air, from the comfort of his own home. Police are baffled, but Richard Bohringer (The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover) as Inspector Romain Pascot dedicates himself to the chase. Also starring Dominique Lavanant (Roberto Benigni’s The Monster), the cult ’80s classic Kamikaze bursts with slick widescreen visuals by cinematographer Jean-François Robin (L’Amour Braque) and pulsing musical soundscapes by composer Éric Serra (GoldenEye), complementing the explosive satire on couch-potato culture.

For thoughts on Kamikaze, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:

Video Quality

Kamikaze comes to Blu-Ray with a new digital AVC encoded 1080p transfer in its original 2.35:1 aspect ratio that is not advertised as being a fresh master, but there are signs this has been restored by Gaumont in recent years. The resulting transfer is very strong and allows the film to look the best it ever has. You will not spot much in the way of print damage, and clarity and detail is overall impressive. This is a film with specific production design, and it is a treat to see the various wires hooked up to Albert’s machine with such clarity thanks to this transfer. The clothing likewise shows off some pleasing texture.

The film largely takes place in interiors of different sorts, and each environment reveals something that is impressive to explore. Colors are well saturated in a visually splendid way with a natural color palette. Skin tones are consistent with subtle facial features and makeup easily noticeable in closeup. Black levels hold up mostly well with little in the way of crush. Digital noise does not present as a notable issue here. This new presentation brings this film to life as well as you might wish. 

Audio Quality

The Blu-Ray disc comes with a DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track in the original French with optional English subtitles. Environmental sounds are key to crafting the mood of the film with tension building in various creative ways with Albert planning his attacks. Every sound is rendered creatively and remains distinct from all of the competing sounds. The terrific score from Éric Serra sounds great throughout the duration of the film, as it settles you into the mysterious nature of the story. There are never any moments where it threatens to overshadow the dialogue, as the track maintains a good balance so that everything comes through clearly. There does not seem to be any majorly noticeable instances of age-related wear and tear. Kino Classics has given this film a mighty fine audio presentation. 

Special Features

• Audio Commentary: Film Historian Eddy Von Mueller provides a very informative commentary in which he discusses the attitudes toward corporate workplaces of the time, the themes on display, the shot composition, the voice of Luc Besson, character development, motivations, small elements of the production design, shooting locations and much more that makes for an enlightening time. 

• Au coeur du cinéma – Interview with Director Didier Grousset: A 26-minute interview with the director in which he discusses getting his start in filmmaking, his relationship with Luc Besson, his work with the performers, memories from the production, crafting the look of the film, the film’s legacy and more. 

• Objectif Kamikaze – Documentary: A 34-minute archival piece which delivers a mixture of on-set footage and interviews with the creative team which delivers some fine insights into the production. 

• Trailers: The minute-and-a-half trailer for Kamikaze is provided here. There are also trailers provided for The Ghost Warrior, Diva, L’Amour Braque, Baby Blood and Thirst. 

Final Thoughts

Kamikaze is a very effective thriller which shows early signs of the inventive mind of Luc Besson. The film is adept at skewering elements of society and business culture in a way that feels fresh and never rote. The performers are committed to this story, especially the unhinged Michel Galabru in the villainous role. The film weaves in elements of science fiction, but it also stays surprisingly grounded as you relate to some of the avenues it chooses to tackle. Kino Classics has provided a Blu-Ray with a really good A/V presentation and a nice array of supplemental features. If you are a fan of Luc Besson or cyber thrillers, you owe it to yourself to add this to your collection. Recommended 

Kamikaze is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Kino Classics has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.