Walter Hill knows how to create a film-noir environment. His "THE DRIVER" remains one of the best, least known film-noir films ever made! Taking the helm with "JOHNNY HANDSOME," Hill crafts a tale blending a heist, betrayal and the possibility of redemptive love. Mickey Rourke, initially under a lot of make-up, plays John Sedley, a horribly disfigured man, whose only skill for survival appears to be the ability to find great heist opportunities.  When long-time accomplice and friend, Mikey asks for his help with a robbery, Johnny agrees. Unfortunately, the two accomplices Mikey chooses for the job, Rafe and Sunny, are the lowest of criminals and they pull a last-minute betrayal, putting Johnny in prison. Unwilling to snitch on the duo for a lighter sentence, Johnny's future looks pretty bleak. However, when a young surgeon, Dr. Fisher, chooses to offer plastic surgery that will provide Johnny with an attractive face, he reluctantly(at first)agrees.  Upon release, things begin to look up for Johnny and it appears his new, normal face, really offers a new, normal life, as well! Johnny even finds romance. However, the anger and need for retribution against those who've wronged him still lie inside him, and the fate of Johnny's future will be determined by which emotions rule out.

LIONSGATE has provided the correct 1.85:1 aspect ratio for this AVC MPEG-4 1080p blu-ray.  Unfortunately, hues tend to veer towards extremes and fleshtones never feel close to natural. Worse, blacks are not even close to deep, making contrast appear no more impressive than it did on the flawed dvd. Worse still, detail is generally not better than the dvd version, making what could've at least been a visually striking film all the more disappointing.

LIONSGATE has provided a DTS-HD 2.0 mix.  The lossy stereo mix can't be blamed for the inherent limitations of a late '80s sound design. However, the remix made for the HD-DVD of Hill's older film, "STREETS OF FIRE" fared much better in terms of separation effects than what's offered here. Those few scenes wherein separation effects are well utilized, are extremely effective, making one wish there were only more like them.