Programmed to Kill aka Retaliator is a science fiction action thriller directed by Allan Holzman that stars Robert Ginty and Sandahl Bergman with the latter that becomes a lethal cyborg with the desire to kill. Yes, it’s another movie that borrows some elements of The Terminator.
In this movie, ex-CIA agent Eric Mathews (Robert Ginty, The Exterminator, Warrior of the Lost World), captures a Middle Eastern hit-woman Samira (Sandhal Bergman, Conan the Barbarian, Red Sonja) while in Greece and is shipped to the United States where she has brain surgery done to her and become a cyborg where she will be a killing machine for the USA! She returns to the Middle East, and unmercifully kills all her former comrades but then something malfunctions inside of her head, which reactivates Samira’s memories before she had brain surgery. Now knowing what has happened to her, Samira goes after those in the CIA that turned her into a cyborg that slaughtered her former comrades.
Programmed to Kill is your basic eighties low-budget style all-out action film without much substance and is clearly a Terminator rip-off. There are some good action scenes but outside of that, it left me feeling empty. Robert Ginty looks right at home with this movie as he has done plenty of low-budget sci-fi thrillers in his career. Sandhal Bergman’s performance was also fine, but nothing all that spectacular.
Programmed to Kill, which was a straight to VHS movie, arrives on Blu-ray, advertised by Kino as having a “Brand New HD Master – From a 2K Scan of the 35mm Interpositive” and the results are astounding, as the picture quality looks really impressive with bold, rich colors, and excellent details to the scenery throughout and strong black levels that boast excellent shadow detail. Flesh tones look fine throughout the picture.
The DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 channel sounds fine with easy to follow dialogue, gunshots, explosions, and other action noises coming in clear and balanced without any hissing, drop-offs, or other issues. The lossless track is not overwhelming with the action noises not really coming in dynamically but is serviceable. English subtitles are available for this release.
Kino’s Blu-ray has a few extras including a commentary track by director Allan Holzman that is moderated by filmmaker Douglas Hosdale. Director Holzman reflects on his movie career and the making of Programmed to Kill. This Blu-ray also offers a new Interview with screenwriter Robert Short, an alternate opening title credit scene, a theatrical trailer for Programmed to Kill along with trailers for She, Stryker, Black Moon Rising, Ghost Warrior and The Time Guardian. The initial release also has a slipcover.
This is a great release from Kino Lorber with gorgeous picture quality that Programmed to Kill now has because of the 2K master it was given. The audio, while not too terribly impressive, is still perfectly clear, and the extras for this release make this an easy recommendation for fans of this film!
Programmed to Kill
Director – Allan Holzman
Cast- Sandahl Bergman, Robert Ginty
Country of Origin- USA
Distributor – Kino Lorber
Number of Discs – 1
Reviewed by – David Steigman
Date –2/18/2023