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"Log On.  Hack In. Go Anywhere.  Steal Anything"

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This DVD is Anamorphic Widescreen
Release date 12th December 2001
Reviewer Matt Goldsmith
Audio Dolby Digital 5.1 - 384kbps
English
Dolby Digital 2.0
Commentary
Subtitle/s English
Region Code 4
Chapters 29
Disc Format DVD9 (Layer Change at 44:53)
Running Time 96 minutes
Classification MA15+ (Medium Level Violence)
Website Operation Swordfish
Distributor Roadshow

 blu_dot.gif (799 bytes)DVD EXTRAS

- Audio Commentary
- Featurette x 2
- Exclusive ROVE LIVE Interview
- Profiles
- Alternate Endings (w/o comm)
- Theatrical Trailer
- DVD ROM Stuff
- Dolby Digital TRAIN trailer

CAST & CREW Director Dominic Sena / Cast John Travolta, Hugh Jackman, Halle Berry, Don Cheadle / Music Christopher Young & Paul Oakenfold

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First and foremost, Swordfish is a film that belongs in the "lack of realism" camp.  You may be able to pull it to shreds with it's lack of logic, but damn is it a fun film.  And that is all it's suppose to be... 90 odd minutes of good 'ol fashioned over the top violence, car chases, gratuitous nudity and silly dialogue.

Ever since I can remember, movies have always been pure escapism to me.  At the end of the day I don't have much desire for anything overly realistic on the big screen..   It's meant to be larger than life.  I Mean who the hell wants to see people/places/things that are everyday occurrences for many? (isn't that what Webcams are for??? ) 

A few years back Stanley ( Hugh Jackman, an Aussie we CAN actually call our own :) was jailed for computer hacking.  in fact he was then touted as being THE best hacker in the USA.  He now lives a simple life, doing a simply job, and has been denied access to his daughter Holly (Camryn Grimes) by his ex wife, now part time porn star. 
One day, Stanley is approached by Ginger (Hale Berry.... Hugh's superhero partner from X--Men) to come and see her boss for a possible job offer.  She offers him $100,000 just to see Gabrielle (John Travolta), but doesn't actually tell him what it's all for, so of course he goes along for the ride..

Before you know it, Stanley is offered $10,000,000 to hack into a secret government bank account to steal $9,500,000,000 for Gabrielle.

With one of THE coolest opening sequences to any action flick I've seen, Swordfish is a blast from start to finish (and I mean that quite literally :) 

So how does this transfer hold up?
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VIDEO
Sporting an Anamorphic Widescreen Transfer, what's on offer here is very nice indeed.

Director Dominic Sena has gone for the same style of filmic look that he did with the Nicholas Cage vehicle (and remake) Gone in 60 Seconds.  As a result, the colour palette, overall contrast and brightness, etc,etc, stray from the norms of film look conventions, but still look absolutely stunning with some great use of filtering, and little processing tricks to give the film a unique look. 

Colours are very well saturated, and are never overdone, even though you have some slightly off kilter colours.  It all works very well within the film itself as it's so consistently utilised.

Black level is very deep but never to a point where any real detail is lost.   Sharpness is quite amazing and is pushed as far as it can go, (but is a smidgen over at times so you'll notice a few spots of Aliasing throughout).  Quite frankly you won't be disappointed even though this is the case as so much detail is revealed (peoples skin is frightening good and reveals everything :) 

All in all a fabulous looking picture is on offer here.  Helping this along is the fact the disc is in the RSDL format, and the movie, even though running a rather short (but actually well timed) 95 minutes.  So compression is not an issue what so ever.   The Layer Change takes place on a nature fade to black at around 44:53 at the start of ch 14.

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AUDIO
The Dolby Digital 5.1 track (384kbps encoded) is of very good quality, and only a fraction lacking in the WOW department.(and only a"fraction" )

It's clean, clear, smooth, highly detailed and never fatiguing.  Just what you want from a multi-channel sound mix..  I did fine Dialogue to be a tad low on occasions, in relation to the high octane mix on offer, though it's a minor quibble really as overall it's a very nice soundmix (I'm still a bit surprised it didn't get a 448 bitrate Dolby track though, hell I would DTS'd this puppy if it were up to me! :)

The front soundstage is used to the fullest extent offering a wonderfully wide and deep presence.  The surrounds aren't used 100% off the time, but kick in at just the right times and compliment the whole mix beautifully. 
The Bass attack is also excellent with more than enough bang to make you experience what you need.

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EXTRAS

  • Audio Commentary – Director Dominic Sena offers a technically thorough comm track here.  quite worth a listen (so long as you like yammering of this nature :)
  • The Making of Swordfish - Your usual sort of 15 minute featurette.  It's really not too bad but only skims the surface due to the overall lack of running time :(
  • The Effects in Focus -  shows behind the scenes in making the "bus sequence".. kinda neat
  • Rove Live Interview - This is an EXCLUSIVE feature and so is only available on the Aussie version of Swordfish (oh my gawd!!!)
    Rove interviewed both Hugh and John for half his show (which runs here for 23 minutes, minus ads :) It's a scream and a VERY welcome addition to the DVD. (well done Roadshow for nabbing this one, just for us Aussies :)  OH AND it's Anamorphic Widescreen!
  • Deleted Scenes - you can play these deleted scenes with or without running commentary by Dominic Sena.  They actually consist of two alternate endings to the film.  most interesting
  • Profiles Cast & crew Bios
  • Theatrical Trailer
  • DVD ROM .  links to the Warner website and you can play around.  

Mindless entertainment really doesn't get any better than this.  The Cast is willing, the action full throttle and the Transfer is sweet.  What more could you ask for?  Halle Berry flashing her Million Dollar assets?  Yes well you get that to!   OH and YES PLEASE on the TVS!!! I gotta get me one a those!  :) 

DVD Ratings

PICTURE_QUALITY

9/10 a great looking picture..very clean _

SOUND_Quality

9/10 very nice level of detail

_

5.1_WOW_Factor

8/10 some serious stuff here

_
EXTRAS 8/10 enough to keep you happy :)

REVIEW_DATE  17th December 2001

Review Equipment

Monitor Pioneer SD-T50W1 (16:9 RPTV) Speakers   Mains: Quadral Gold Amun
Amplifier Denon AVC-A1SE THX Ultra(EX/ES) _ Centre: B&W CDMC-SE
DVD_Player Pioneer DV717  (using RGB outputs) _ Surrounds Side: M&K SS500
Interconnects QED SQART & QED Optical _ Surrounds Back : Polk RT/fx
_ _ _ Subby: M&K V125 
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