The Octagon - DVD - CHUCK NORRIS ** NEW SEALED ** MINT. Called "spectacularly choreographed and executed" by the Hollywood Reporter, legendary martial arts star Chuck Norris takes on a deadly terrorist training camp known only as The Octagon in this deadly tale of revenge that pits brother against brother in a classic showdown battle of good vs. evil Amazon Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars A classic of American Cinema, and still a movie that remains watchable even now... Some folks apparently have a problem with Norris's lack of personality or capabilities as an action screen persona, but it's too ridiculous to overthink a film like "The Octagon"--it's one of the most exciting action/martial arts films ever made and, despite the fact that many don't care for films based around this specialty, "The Octagon" goes forward with telling a story, and makes the action more than stand up to the narrative thread. It's simple, sure, but the action is complex, inventive, and tough in the extreme. A TV favorite of the late 80s/early 90s, "The Octagon" is the kind of action movie that we simply won't see anymore--low in budget, simple in execution, and extreme in action and choreographed effects. In short, it's a real movie, and that goes a long way for me. I also want to add that Norris seems to work well with the electronic voice over effect here. His internal thoughts and concerns are better conveyed through this device rather than having him try to talk through the whole thing; like Eastwood, he is better at staring than speaking, but it works here better than it has elsewhere. A childhood favorite of mine (mainly for that climactic invasion of the fortress) and still a film that remains enjoyable. It's pure pulp--and won't appeal to those who think that "Titanic" and "Gone with the Wind" are perfect movies--but it works every time, and this DVD transfer is quite good for a print that is this old and underfunded to begin with. One of the best things about the DVD is the documentary footage about the creators of American Cinema. These folks were doing independent cinema before it was officially invented, making films that would really only appeal to special interest groups at the time of their release, but nonetheless managed to gather some mainstream appeal as time went on (and now, for us amateur and even professional archivists, become important cultural documents of note). The documentaries cover the aspects of most of this film, but also of others too. It was interesting to hear about the origins of one of my childhood favorites. "The Octagon" may remain a special appeal type of movie (there's not as much straight action as there is in most mainstream genre films, but the climactic battle is super exciting), but to those of us who get it (and appreciate the unusual movie marketing aesthetic from whence its kind stems) it will remain a terrific movie experience.