Code Of Honor

Gorgeously packaged and beautifully produced, CODE OF HONOR is the kind of adult entertainment which confirms Digital Playground's reputation for quality and resets the standard for epic porn movie-making. Like its predecessors, FLY GIRLS, TOP GUNS, NURSES 2 and so many others, CODE looks to be the studio's flagship title of the year. It eschews the soap opera storylines found in movies like HOME WRECKER and THE MASSEUSE and adapts the pulpier adventures derived from action and spy movies.

This three disc set includes a Blu-ray and a standard DVD for the feature film, as well as a second DVD full of supplements. I love the tastefully boxed set and mural-like photos of the simply impeccable Digital Playground starlets which plasters the fold-out case. If I weren't so skittish about revealing my porn habits, I would gladly display this title alongside all the rest of my most prized mainstream Blu-ray discs.

As for the movie itself, those of us who grew up on those memorable Andy Sidaris films (which usually starred busty, leggy and lusty Playboy Playmates involved in espionage and intrigue which took place in exotically sunny locales) from the eighties, will appreciate the tongue-in-cheek drama which adapts and parodies Hollywood productions. Of course, there is only so much grand-scale action one can reasonably present with a limited budget, yet the results here are exceptional for adult movie-making. Since I'm not a real fan of the kind of genre which produces films like The Expendables or Delta , most of the references found in Code Of Honor were probably lost on me. Yet I was entertained by this flick moreso than any recent efforts from Stallone or Schwarzenegger.

When it comes to the hardcore action, viewers who are faithful fans and followers of Robby D.'s work won't
find too much out of the ordinary here. With the exception of the orgy-action finale (in which lucky sunuvabich Manuel Ferrara gets assaulted by Riley Steele, Selena Rose, Kayden Kross, Stoya and Jesse Jane) as well as the two girl, one guy threesome which opens the movie (Ferrara with Brooklyn Lee and Tasha Reign), the remaining five sex scenes featuring Jesse, Riley, Kayden and Stoya and Selena are rather plain vanilla boy-girl. If there is one complaint I have with Robby D's movie is that we don't get enough threesome and girl-girl scenes. That's not to say that the moments here are anything less than visually compelling (and when girls like Stoya and Selena are onscreen, the fast-forward button on my remote is never touched), but the familiarity gives it a mere above-average excitement.

Those who do not collect Digital Playground titles with the same religious avidity that I do will certainly be less jaded. To see Kayden's cover girl face close-up as she's giving head; to view Riley's perfect legs as she spreads wide open; to witness Selena's awesome ass in perfect form when she bends over for doggy style, are all part of the pleasure only to be found with this studio. There's really not much more I can praise when it comes to Code Of Honor which won't already be repeated when it comes time to vote for the various industry awards. Suffice to say, it's the kind of title which one holds up proudly when boasting about how great modern adult films can be.

Dr. Chauntelle does not use a rating system. Five stars is a default setting only.

FYI: this is going to be a review in layers, starting from most general and moving on to spoiler-riddled detail.

* * *

ugh.

the end.

Digital Playground's Code of Honor (2012) looks promising. The packaging is impressive, there's a DVD and a Blu-ray, and you get a third disc of nothing but extras - guns, "guns," helicopters, military-seeming stuff, and boobs!! And the film itself even starts out promising - sexy fancy pool party and a three-way with Tasha Reign, Brooklyn Lee, and Manuel Ferrara.

But the subsequent nosedives this film then careens through render it almost unwatchable.

When I was a kid, I remember TNT being ludicrously cheesy and silly... I know it's since changed, but Code of Honor really would've fit right in with my memory of TNT- that with a little Sci-Fi - excuse me: Syfy - channel sprinkled on top. And no "guns."

Selena Rose and BiBi Jones - painful throughout. Distractingly bad performances. I know Bibi's no actress... so why put her in a non-sex role?

Jesse Jane does cutesy really well and Keiran Lee was actually pretty funny as her dim fiancé, but her hard-ass leader segments were especially poor here. Surprising because she's been able to pull off this sort of performance before.

Riley is always cute, though not as charming as usual in Code of Honor. And Kayden was fine (though "Hollywood filmmaker" - really?), as was Stoya - all three were working with what they were given, I imagine. Stoya's sequence with James Deen was the highlight of the film - quite titillating and naughty and fairly hott, too. It's a shame it was literally buried in the middle of this lazy lazy film.

Finally, a full three-quarters of the way through the film, do we get anything even remotely resembling military-seeming... and boy is it silly. The best part was Kayden and Jesse plastered low down to the front of some water-craft, guns drawn... while the "friendly" captaining the boat is sitting upright in plain sight. Just shoot her, already!!

And in the end, all the DP girls (except Bibi) engage in the pièce de résistance tried, true, and expected orgy... with Manuel.

Can we bring back Fighters-caliber work please, DP? Fighters (2011) was amazing. And I understand that not everything has to be a masterpiece, but this was just zzzzmsjyshgnleig...

Here's the synopsis:

Time to bring out the big guns.

Digital Playground presents the explosive epic adult film of the year; Code of Honor. Award winning director Robby D. invites you on an adventure of a lifetime that features the world's sexiest women. When their former teammate is taken hostage, a super squad of bad ass beauties reunite for one last mission; to infiltrate the criminal cartel and rescue their fallen friend.

Digital Playground Contract Stars Jesse Jane, Kayden Kross, Riley Steele and Stoya are the hardcore honeys that come together to save Selena Rose, the law enforcement agent that gets caught while undercover. With 7 energetically erotic sex scenes, that also include Tasha Reign and Best New Starlet Brooklyn Lee, Code of Honor infuses intensity with passion... [etc]

Recommended for: whenever your TNT-in-my-memory is not working..?

BTS and Extras: an entire DVD's worth all the regular bells and whistles... yaaawn.