For the longest time, I was like a lot of people when it came to direct to video movies: “If it goes direct to video, it must be avoided at all costs. Theatrical released films are the only way to go.” That may have been true 20 years ago, but things have changed considerably since then, especially towards the beginning of the new millennium. With the advent of social media, digital and streaming platforms such as YouTube, Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon, it’s actually a lot more cost-effective to skip the theatrical experience entirely, both for the film-makers as well as the audience. That’s not to say that movie theaters are going away anytime soon, they’re not, but they’re not as relevant as they used to be. Some film-makers like Christopher Nolan are lamenting the fact that people actually have options when it comes to watching movies. You really can’t beat the convenience of clicking on Netflix and starting a movie. Easy as pie, right? There is something to be said for the theatrical experience that Netflix can’t provide, especially for movies that were designed for the big screen like Star Wars. I think there is a place for both the theatrical experience as well as the home experience when it comes to movies. A lot of indie film-makers tend to skip the theatrical option for a number of reasons which includes the cost of having to deal with the MPAA. Also, Netflix and YouTube provide an outlet for indie film-makers to make their films a lot more accessible to general audiences. Marketing is also not as prohibitive with Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and other social media platforms. The idea of the direct-to-video is not the deal-breaker that it once was. In fact, it’s often the better option for many film-makers, because it allows them to avoid certain pitfalls that come with dealing with major studios and ratings boards. For this list, I’m going to go over some of my favorite films that went straight-to-video. I’m going to go over the films that went straight to DVD for this list. Netflix is going to be another one entirely, so stay tuned for that one as well.
The Debt Collector
Scott Adkins is going to be a name that comes up a lot, especially for fans of DTV action movies. He’s made a name for himself in a lot of fantastic action movies, but films like Accident Man and The Debt Collector are giving the man a lot more to chew on than kicking people’s asses. He still does that here, but he’s given quite a bit more to do here. Director Jesse V. Johnson takes a different approach here by infusing the action with humor as well as heart, which surprised the hell out of me when I first saw this. Adkins also works better when he’s teamed with other actors that can also bring it like Louis Mandylor. The chemistry between these two is what drives the film and is easily one of the strongest elements of the picture. The action is down, dirty and violent, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. There’s also a pervasive sense of humor throughout the film. A lot of that is brought by Scott himself, and he’s got some pretty good comedic timing. Overall, The Debt Collector is a film that would easily recommend to anyone.
Mandy
If there is a film equivalent to an acid trip, Mandy would be it. This movie is insane. Everybody knows that Nicolas Cage is known for being to able to got bat-shit crazy at a moment’s notice in his movies, but his performance here is something really unique. The film does take a bit to get going, but when it does, it’s one of the most surreal and otherworldly experiences you will ever have. It’s definitely violent, but it’s also darkly beautiful. The story is basically your typical revenge plot-line but with Nicolas Cage. But Mandy isn’t about the story. It’s about the experience….and boy what an experience this film is. There’s a lot of shit here that doesn’t make a whole lot of sense, but it wasn’t meant to. It’s an absolutely mind-blowing film that isn’t for everyone. Some people are going to be turned off by the film’s content, but I really dug the film and the direction it took. Nicolas Cage continues to prove that despite some of his choices in movies, he’s still one of the best performers in the business.
Revenge
Speaking of revenge thrillers: Revenge. Rape-revenge thrillers are generally unsettling and uncomfortable by their very nature, but when done right, they can be some of the most compelling films that you will ever see. Revenge tells the story of a rich white dude and his bubbly girlfriend as they head to a house out in the middle of nowhere, when the girl is assaulted and left for dead. Now, while most films in this genre tend to go straight to the revenge part right after the assault, we get to see the girl survive being impaled on a tree and work her way up to becoming a serious bad-ass. This is a brutal film, make no mistake about it. If you have a weak stomach, avoid it, but if you can stomach the violence, this is an incredible film that is worth checking out.
Fist 2 Fist 2: Weapon of Choice
This particular film is special to me because it introduced me to hapkido master Jino Kang, who I got to finally meet in person when I was in London. Weapon of Choice is the movie that made me a huge fan of Master Kang’s. This guy is the real deal. While the film certainly isn’t perfect, considerable effort was made in to not making this one another run-of-the-mill action flick. There’s actually a serious amount of thought and philosophical ideas that went into the story and it makes for a more fulfilling experience. The fight choreography is fantastic and the last 20 minutes of the film is a non-stop bad-ass thrill-ride.
Final Score
After Die Hard’s release in 1988, there have been a lot of movies that have tried to replicate the film’s success, most of which failed miserably. Final Score is former WWE wrestler Dave Bautista’s latest action flick. The film follows Bautista’s character, Knox, as he takes his niece to a soccer game in London, when the arena comes under attack from a renegade Eastern European general. The film borrows heavily from films like Die Hard and Sudden Death, but it takes the best parts of those movies and crafts something that’s really good. Dave Bautista not only shows that he can do action as well as anybody else, he also gives a very strong performance. Yeah, the film’s predictable, but I’ll be damned if it ain’t awesome. The quality of the stunts and action and how the film looks, I’m surprised this didn’t get a wide theatrical release. It’s that good.
The Day After
This one’s a little different, because it’s a TV movie from 1983. It didn’t hit theaters, so it still counts as DTV. This is a film about nuclear war and it deals with the ramifications of a full-blown nuclear conflict between Russia and the United States. While we don’t see anything on the Russian side, we see what happens on American soil. Even 35 years after the film’s release, The Day After is still one of the most haunting and powerful movies released in the early 80s. It’s definitely worth checking out, especially if you’re interested in how realistic a nuclear attack on the United States could be.
Buybust
You don’t see a lot of movies coming out of the Philippines, especially ones that take place during the country’s war on drugs. This is an absolutely brutal and visceral action flick that pulls no punches. It follows a group of police enforcers as they try to apprehend a notorious drug lord only to end up trapped between the gang and the pissed off civilians who are sick of both sides. It leads to some really intense shoot-outs and action sequences that are very violent. It’s not just an action film, but it is a film that sends a very direct message to the country’s administration. This one definitely comes highly recommended.
It’s amazing how many of these movies actually hit home video THIS year. We are seeing a very interesting change in how movies are distributed and viewed by audiences. Theaters, while they still have their place, are no longer the only option to see new movies. In fact, with Aquaman coming out next month, Amazon Prime subscribers can actually see the film one week before it hits theaters. This is the direction we are going now. Yeah, some film-makers aren’t particularly happy about, but to be honest, the film-going experience has deteriorated in certain respects. That being said, I think people shouldn’t be so quick to dismiss films that skip the theater entirely. DTV movies these days actually have more effort put into them than you would think. Sy-Fy Channel movies, though? It’s okay to skip those ones.