Synopsis
During a shootout in a New York City restaurant, Mafia Boss Angelo Allieghieri (Quinn) is gunned down and his bodyguard Frankie Biggio (Stallone) survives. Narrowly escaping death, Frankie remembers he must uphold his oath to protect Angelo's only child, Jennifer (Stowe). Eventually, the two devise a dangerous plan to avenge Angelo’s murder.

Critique
Sylvester Stallone finds himself on the direct-to-video shelf once again in Avenging Angelo (previously in Eye See You, a horrible detective slasher drama), a film that happens to be the very last of the late and great Anthony Quinn. I don’t think I’ve seen a film that tries as hard to combine drama, action, and comedy. I guess the problem with the film is that it takes itself a little too serious in many instances. The script, written by Will Aldis and Steve Mackall, is not terrible, but lacks consistency and a definite genre. Dialogue between Frankie and Jennifer seems realistic enough, but their relationship fails to make it important.

Stallone deserves some credit here, because his performance is pretty good. I think the character works well for him. Granted, his career is going downhill (or has it already), but proves he can still perform. Stowe looks really good, but her performance feels forced. Her character is quite wacky, unable to cope with the recent cheating of her husband and death of her father. Despite the character’s insecurities, Stowe feels misplaced. She gets some scenes right, while others fall apart. Director Martyn Burke stages the action rather nicely and is able to create a likeable mood in some of the scenes with Stallone and Stowe.

Avenging Angelo is not a bad film per se. The main problem is it lacks focus. Secondly, it doesn’t have much to offer. And lastly, I didn’t really care for it. If Stallone can find the same kind of character as Frankie for his next project, but one whose script is stronger, he should be okay.
4 out of 10

Video
Avenging Angelo is presented in 2.35:1 widescreen format. The color palette is nicely spread out across the print. Color detail is adequate, but depth appears fishy. Dark tones have some problems and black levels don’t impress either. Therefore, dark scenes are not without discrepancies. I noticed spots of dirt on the print and occasional scratches as well. Avenging Angelo’s video presentation is simply adequate with some nice colors, lacking signs of quality.
7 out of 10

Audio
Avenging Angelo is equipped with English Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. The most outstanding thing about this track is Bill Conti’s fantastic score. While it tends to repeat itself more than often, Conti’s music reaches all channels, sometimes getting a reaction out of the rear speakers, but mostly concentrating on the front. There are plenty of different sound effects in Avenging Angelo, but not the ones you’d think make an impact on the presentation. They are subtle most of the time, but bring some life to the at-times difficult dialogue scenes. Initial surround usage is hinted at, but overall it lacks determination. Avenging Angelo is also available in Spanish and French language tracks.
7 out of 10

Extras
Commentary by Director Martyn Burke – He goes into detail about set-ups, the action, story, etc. The track varies between running dry and conversational. Burke shares behind-the-scenes trivia and all that, but in the end you’ll realize the commentary is not very interesting, much like the film itself.

Featurette – Get ready for 22 minutes of behind-the-scenes footage, although it should have been edited for time and structure. Footage includes Stallone preparing for a fight scene and at another point he hangs out with the cast on the Sicily set. If you liked the film, you’ll enjoy this featurette, but other than that it’s nothing to get excited about.

Writer’s Interview – The two screenwriters Will Aldis and Steve Mackall discuss elements of the script. Running about ten minutes, both show enthusiasm in their discussion. You won’t find much here, really.

The Producer’s Trailer is different from your average Theatrical Trailer in a few ways. Stallone’s presence feels somewhat minimized, even neglected. He appears more than several times, but not in effective ways. Anthony Quinn’s minimal, pivotal involvement in the film is referenced more than Stallone. Also, one advertises an action film, the other a comedy. You can select to view the film with optional English subtitles. The DVD’s menus are animated, but not by much. The 98-minute feature is organized into twenty-four chapters.
4 out of 10

Overall
Avenging Angelo can’t decide whether it wants to be a drama, action, or comedy. Despite the lack of focus, which brings down the film, Stallone’s performance is noteworthy. Hardcore Stallone fans should check this one out, but anyone else is best of to skip it. The DVD release sees some nice special features, but it is too bad the film doesn’t allow them to make an impact.

Overall DVD Rating: 4 out of 10 (not an average)

Dennis Landmann
www.moviefreak.com