Do not fear, Max Cloud is here!
Side-scrolling gamers and Scott Adkins (Ip Man 4: The Finale, Doctor Strange, Accident Man, and The Expendables 2) fans might be interested in checking out The Intergalactic Adventures of Max Cloud, but EVERYONE should be warned that this cheesy re-telling of the 1990s will not be for the masses.
And, unfortunately, I do mean that. Director Martin Owen knows this low budget film has its limitations, but that doesn’t stop him from taking this pebble and turning it into a B-movie nugget of promise. Co-written by Sally Collett, Max Cloud welcomes viewers back to the world of 16-bit boss battles, complete with wonky effects.
Max Cloud is a throwback to the era of Jean-Claude Van Damme and, honestly, if you aren’t down with tight-fitting uniforms, high flying kicks, and a super silly tone that will constantly leave your head spinning in response to awful lines of dialogue and Schwarzenegger quotes, then this bombastic sci-fi comedy is definitely not for you.
However, Adkins as Max Cloud, is having a ball as he kicks a whole lot of ass in a neon-soaked video game world where being over-the-top is the norm in a 16-bit world of boss battles and dangerous planets. Cloud, a hero with Kirk-like charm and swagger, is up to his neck in dealing with Revengor (John Hannah) when super-fan Sarah (Isabelle Allen) gets sucked into the game she’s playing by a SPACE WITCH. 
That’s right, Sarah gets transported into her favorite game and finds herself in an intergalactic prison, home to the most dangerous villains in the galaxy. She assumes the identity of Jake the chef (Elliot James Langridge) and finds herself having to tolerate the sometimes idiotic banter in this video game as the glory of side-scrolling video games is revisited thanks to the highs and lows of this comedy.
The only way to escape the game is to complete it.
So, by teaming up with space hero Max Cloud, Sarah battles the beasties on the terrifying planet while her best friend, Cowboy (Franz Drameh), controls the game from her bedroom in Brooklyn. He has to help her or she remains trapped alongside Cloud, bounty hunter Brock (Tommy Flanagan), fighting off minion Shee (Lashana Lynch) and trying to protect the power core.
Like Street Fighter before it, this film is fun and obnoxious and meant for a very select audience who will laugh at the parody of 16-bit video games and heroism. Max Cloud is now available on blu-ray thanks to Well Go USA.
Home Video Distributor: Well Go USA
Available on Blu-ray - January 19, 2021
Screen Formats: 2.39:1
Subtitles: English SDH
Audio: English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1English: Dolby Digital 2.0
Discs: Blu-ray Disc; single disc
Region Encoding: Locked to Region A
When teen gamer Sarah finds an “easter egg” and accidentally opens a portal into her favorite side-scroller, she becomes trapped in a notorious intergalactic prison, home to the galaxy’s most dangerous villains. To escape, she must finish the game with a little help from her not-so-savvy friend on the outside…or remain a 16-bit character forever.
Video:
Max Cloud is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Well Go USA with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 2.39:1. Maybe the contrast is a bit too baked (by only a notch or two), but still Max Cloud is a nice-looking 1080p transfer. The digital camerawork is excellently captured by the digital encode and, of course, the neon pinks, blues, and greens are all splashy in an excellent way. Black levels are solid and retain their shape even in total darkness. Fine detail is extreme and brings a new level of clarity to the action. Lines are clean and flesh tones are warm. Throughout its many atmospheres, this low budget film maintains its cool with a solid transfer that fine tunes itself scene by scene.
Audio:
The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track might be handled better than some of the special effects, but that’s to be expected. There is a lot of oomph here and it mixes well with the experience of watching the movie on a home theater system.
Supplements:
Commentary:
- None
Special Features:
A trailer!
- Trailer
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MPAA Rating: PG-13 on appeal for crude sexual content and language.
Runtime: 88 mins
Director: Martin Owen
Writer: Sally Collett, Martin Owen
Cast: Scott Adkins, John Hannah, Lashana Lynch
Genre: Comedy | Sc-fi
Tagline: Scott Adkins is
Memorable Movie Quote:
Distributor: Well Go USA Entertainment
Official Site:
Release Date: December 18, 2020
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date: January 19, 2021.
Synopsis: When teen gamer Sarah finds an easter egg and accidentally opens a portal into her favorite side-scroller, she becomes trapped in a notorious intergalactic prison, home to the galaxy s most dangerous villains. To escape, she must finish the game with a little help from her not-so-savvy friend on the outside...or remain a 16-bit character forever.
