Blu-ray Movie Reviews

Universal Movie •••½ HD DVD Picture/Sound ••• Original Extras ••½ New Extras None

Up to now, every HD DVD I've played has had better picture than sound, but with this serial-killer thriller, the reverse is true. Although the 2.35:1 images have rich colors - Angelina Jolie looks very fetching in her bright blue police uniform - they're rather flat, soft, and lacking in detail. The audio, although just a choice of Dolby Digital 5.1 or DTS 5.1, is crisp with a wide soundstage, with thunder rumbling nicely somewhere off to my right. The surrounds are generally active throughout. They immerse you in all the sounds of the city, from roadwork to car alarms, though not in an intrusive way. There are also some nice diagonal motor-vehicle pans from front to back. Director Phillip Noyce delivers a dry commentary focusing on the shoot, the use of blue-screen, and the ideas behind the characters and story, and there's a blah, 30-minute behind-the-scenes promotional featurette.

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