THE FILM:

There is nothing quite like a thick slice of '80s cheese. Director Rowdy Herrington is intimately familiar with such delicacies, having helmed tacky classic Road House in 1989. His directorial debut, Jack's Back, is more serious, and stars a young James Spader in dual roles. He plays twins John and Rick Wesford, who become entangled with a copycat killer targeting streetwalkers a century after Jack the Ripper's reign. The non-traditional structure of this thriller absolves the tired, repeat-Ripper plotline, and Spader is strong in both roles. Herrington's late-game reveals feel unearned, but the lead-up entertains.

John Wesford rankles the brass at his clinic as a doctor-in-training. He wants to help the impoverished, and speaks out against atrocities across Los Angeles. John encounters his for-hire prom date shortly before she is murdered. Police then find John hanging from a noose, and suspect that he is the killer. This changes when a few alibi witnesses come forward, and John's rebellious twin brother, Rick, becomes the LAPD's prime suspect. Rick has visions of the killer and begins his own investigation, with help from John's co-worker, Chris (Cynthia Gibb).

Long before his work on "Blacklist," Spader proved a promising young talent in B-movies like Less Than Zero and The New Kids. He embodies both roles here with ease, though he keeps the audience guessing about each character's true intentions. John is the nice guy, rule follower and more successful of the pair. Rick admits to Chris that he was and he wasn't close to John. Whatever their relationship, fraternal loyalty brings Rick back to Los Angeles to find his brother's killer. The film provides some canned information about identical twins sensing each other's emotions and pain, and Rick's visions become clearer as the plot progresses. Jack's Back throws in a number of obvious red herrings about the killer's identity, and one scene in particular kind of ruins the subsequent reveal.

Herrington's direction is unflashy but effective, and the film moves at a decent clip. The extended climax comes after an abrupt faux-ending, and Rick's manhunt is more interesting than anything the LAPD does to find the killer. The trio of Rick, John and Chris is surprisingly fleshed out for a pedestrian thriller, which elevates the movie. No, this isn't an overlooked Se7en, but it's a decent time-waster. If nothing else, it is always good to see the young Spader at work.

THE BLU-RAY:

PICTURE:

Scream Factory provides a new high-definition transfer struck from the original negative, and the results are quite good. The 1.78:1/1080p/AVC-encoded image is clear of dirt and debris, and offers a natural, film-like presentation. The '80s film stock results in grain and some nighttime noise, but fine-object detail and texture are good. There are some softer shots, but this is likely inherent to the source. Black levels are good, shadow detail is adequate, and I noticed no edge enhancement or digital scrubbing.

SOUND:

The 1.0 DTS-HD Master Audio mono soundtrack gets the job done. All elements mesh well, and I noticed no distortion, crowding, feedback or hiss. There is some decent depth to the track, and it's certainly an adequate presentation. The disc includes English subtitles.

PACKAGING AND EXTRAS:

This two-disc set includes the Blu-ray and a DVD copy. The discs are packed in a standard case, with two-sided artwork. Extras include a newly recorded Commentary by Director Rowdy Herrington; Interviews with Herrington, Producer Tim Moore, Actress Cynthia Gibb and Director of Photography Shelly Johnson (23:51/HD); and the Theatrical Trailer (0:57/SD).

FINAL THOUGHTS:

Scream Factory resurrects this early James Spader film and provides a nice Blu-ray package for fans. This thriller, about a copycat Jack the Ripper killer, will not win any awards for originality, but provides decent entertainment and good work from Spader. Recommended.

William lives in Burlington, North Carolina, and looks forward to a Friday-afternoon matinee.