Wolf Pack Blu-ray Review

 

• Director ‏ : ‎ Michael Chiang
• Actors ‏ : ‎ Max Zhang, Aarif Lee, Jiang Luxia, Mark Luu, Liu Ye
• Studio ‏ : ‎ Well Go Usa
• MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ NR (Not Rated)
• Country of Origin ‏ : ‎ USA
• Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1
• Media Format ‏ : ‎ Subtitled, Widescreen
• Run time ‏ : ‎ 1 hour and 45 minutes
• Release date ‏ : ‎ January 23, 2024

         I have long encouraged anyone willing to listen to expand their film viewing experiences beyond national borders, despite the common misconception that foreign films are slow and boring. If each year’s Academy Awards nominees for Best Foreign Language Film are often misleadingly self-serious, but there is a world of trashy genre filmmaking in a language other than English. In other words, Hollywood is not the only industry aware of the value in pure spectacle and mindless entertainment, and Wolf Pack is a perfect example coming from China.

 

        Wolf Pack feels like China’s answer to The Expendables franchise, containing a plot about an international conspiracy and filled with macho energy and over-the-top action. The film begins with the kidnapping of a young doctor named Ke Tong (Aarif Lee) who is working in Indonesia while investigating the mysterious death of his father. He is taken by a mercenary group led by Lao Diao (Max Zhang), who initially appear cold-hearted in their determination to complete a mission with details not immediately revealed to either Tong or the audience.

 

        Although Diao and his team are capable of brutal violence, there is more to them than Tong initially realizes. They are on a mission to stop a conspiracy to target China’s energy lifeline, making them a group of unlikely heroes while simultaneously embedding the film with predictably nationalistic themes. As transparent as the intentions of the narrative may be, the non-stop spectacle of action makes for a painless viewing experience. There could have been more hand-to-hand combat, utilizing Zhang’s talents fully, but there are a few good chase scenes and decent gun action. It isn’t the best the genre (or the country) has to offer, but Wolf Pack is enough to satisfy die-hard action fans until something better comes along.

 

        The Blu-ray release for Wolf Pack doesn’t have any extras to speak of, though the high-definition presentation will likely help sell some of the shoddier digital effects.

 

Entertainment Value: 6.5/10

Quality of Filmmaking: 5/10

Historical Significance:  3/10

Special Features: 0/10