Home Movie Reviews

The advertisements for this film that you see on other DVDs and videos are purposely and horribly misleading. You buy this video expecting a joyous musical romp with animals of the Serengeti for your children. Plain and simple this is a movie of death. The lead character dies a horrible death and there are fights to the death. This is not a children's movie. See the first "Editors" comments. Compared to NEMO, artistically the animation is simply not that great. The background scenes are repetitious. Disk 2 is basically an advertisement for the musical. My youngsters never get tired the the original Disney Jungle Book. We've seen it hundreds of times. We viewed this movie once and that was enough.

Disney's Lion King looks at first glance to be very similar to Bambi - the storyline is complimentary.

Look at the facts. Simba's father dies in Lion King. Bambi's mother dies in Bambi. Bambi and Simba try to run away from their problems. Finally, Bambi returns to take his father's place as ruler. Simba does the same thing.

But on second glance, there is much more here than Bambi in the Pridelands. Bambi only has one motivation to return - because of his girlfriend, Faline. Simba, however, has both Nala - and the revenge he eventually takes on Scar for killing his father. Thus Simba has a deeper, more well developed character than Bambi.

Simba starts as a youngster wanting to be king, then is forced out of his future role by Scar, then is placed back into it by Nala and Rafiki. This gives him a much more complex character than Bambi. Simba's travels add to the richness of his character and his eventual decision to return and face Scar (who has ruined the Pridelands in the interim) is much more meaningful. Simba's hilarious misadventures with Timon and Pumbaa had me laughing all the way to Simba's reunion with Nala.

The music is good and compliments the movie well. However, the new musical number, "Morning Report", does not seem to be well placed in the story, and, although it does make sense in the whole story, it almost distracts a person from the real reasons to watch. This movie has a great story that was partially responsible for the revival of Disney movies in the present era. Disney did us a favor by including both versions of the film - the newly "restored" original and the "Special Edition" which includes the new song, so you can watch both and decide for yourself which is better.

The moral of "wanting to escape from reality might be fun for a while, but your responsibilities eventually catch up with you" is well stated, but not shoved down your throat. Scar is a wonderful villain. Watching him set up the hyenas to goosestep in huge battalions in front of him was a little chilling. The eventual fate of Scar was even more chilling. I can actually see where some children might be remembering the death of Mufasa and/or Scar even more vividly than the death of Bambi's mother.

This Platinum edition DVD presents all of the extra material that DVD fans have come to want, and kids have come to love. This 2 disc collection is much richer than the original release. Many bonus features, including a cool "virtual safari" game you can play on your home DVD player without any extra controls make this edition a better value than the original DVD. The two extra music videos are fun, and the usual sing-along track had my daughter trying to sing along just as expected.

The Lion King will be one of the Kings of Disney DVD for a long time to come.

"The Lion King" is arguably one of Disney's most inspiring and most brilliant animated features that they have ever created. The people behind this project both the artists and the story writers deserve every bit of praise that they get. Even to this day, "The Lion King" remains one of the greatest animated Disney movies ever made even when placed shoulder to shoulder against classics like "Pinocchio", "Robin Hood", and "Aladdin". To me, this is one of the last great animated Disney movies.

The story tells of a king lion named Mufasa who has a son named Simba who will take his place when 'the sun sets' on Mufasa's time as king and the sun rises with Simba himself as the new king of Pride Rock. However Simba's evil uncle Scar lures Simba to a gorge and Mufasa to rescue him. Scar however, causes the rocks that Mufasa was trying to climb back up to safety to collapse, sending Mufasa to his death in a stampede. Simba, feeling guilty over his passing, runs away into exile while Scar ascends into becoming the evil and tyrannical new king of the lion pride. Simba on the other hand, while in exile, is saved by a meerkat named Timon and a warthog named Pumbaa and Simba grows from a cub to a fully grown lion with them but Pride Rock has become almost uninhabitable due to Scar's tyrannical rule and Simba now has to confront his past to defeat his evil and traitorous uncle to save the pride and inherit the throne from his late father Mufasa as the new and rightful king of Pride Rock.

"The Lion King" in a lot of ways succeeds in many ways that many other Disney movies seem to not quite do so. The landscapes of Africa in the movie are colorful and vibrant; it's more than likely the same with real life African landscapes. The storyline idea is very original in my opinion and very deep. Be warned though, this isn't one for those who are for like the "Little Mermaid" or "Great Mouse Detective" audiences although both are great too. While this may be a Disney movie, the movie is a bit violent especially by Disney standards but I've watched much more violent movies when this came out (Die Hard, Terminator movies are examples) so the violence here doesn't bother me that much. Even I got a bit scared by some of the scenes such as the hyenas but was more scared by the suspenseful tone of them. However, this is a very important film not only for Disney but also has such a strong message about the value of family, friendship and our place in the "Circle Of Life" on this earth. It doesn't matter whether it's a bug like a scary house centipede, a cat, a human, or a lion but all of them are part of the earth's circle of life. In some ways, the movie is a bit sad to watch because in real life, the lions, warthogs and countless other animal species have become increasingly rare in many areas of the world outside of protected areas and zoos because of human poaching and destruction of their habitat.

This new DVD Platinum Edition though is what makes this movie such a treat. While most of them are more geared towards children, even I as an adult have no hesitation with saying that the new features on here are just such a treat for the kid in me. The movie itself comes in two versions, one is the original theatrical edition and the other is the IMAX edition. Both of these are on disc one. There is a huge number of amazing new material found on both disc one and disc two. You can see a rejected scene called "Bug Football", Oh my God it's so funny! I was laughing when watching this extra scene draft and I am baffled at why they never put this into the movie itself. The main treat on the second disc is the Timon and Pumbaa's Virtual Safari Tour. This is also one of my favorite features on this Platinum DVD edition. You can go on "Virtual Safaris" by means of Boat or Jeep but may find yourself running into dangers but it's all played for fun. Oh man, is it entertaining or what! There are countless other new bonus features for parents to teach kids about the animals in real life (Lions, hyenas, warthogs, etc.) but also for entertainment for adults and older audiences as well. You can find some awesome commentary on the making of this film. It took four years of hard work in making this film but it all paid off. I don't want to give out more about what's on these two discs but I must say that if you are still stuck with the lousy VHS, you are missing out on such great features.

After the older VHS edition unfortunately got wrecked by my defective VCR, I had to wait for such a long time afterwards but thanks to Disney, the wait is long over and was totally worth it. There is a flaw or two on here such as "Morning Report" which isn't my cup of tea and so short that it could almost have been left off completely but other than that, this DVD is the closest to perfect that I've seen Disney come to so far and one of the greatest Disney movies is finally available again with even greater sound and picture quality plus the new features, games and quizzes. I am so proud to be able to own this new DVD set! If you have the older VHS edition which has nothing new on it, then trash it and get this new Platinum Edition of this fantastic movie as soon as possible! You will not be disappointed!

The advertisements for this film that you see on other DVDs and videos are purposely and horribly misleading. You buy this video expecting a joyous musical romp with animals of the Serengeti for your children. Plain and simple this is a movie of death. The lead character dies a horrible death and there are fights to the death. This is not a children's movie. See the first "Editors" comments. Compared to NEMO, artistically the animation is simply not that great. The background scenes are repetitious. Disk 2 is basically an advertisement for the musical. My youngsters never get tired the the original Disney Jungle Book. We've seen it hundreds of times. We viewed this movie once and that was enough.

Disney's Lion King looks at first glance to be very similar to Bambi - the storyline is complimentary.

Look at the facts. Simba's father dies in Lion King. Bambi's mother dies in Bambi. Bambi and Simba try to run away from their problems. Finally, Bambi returns to take his father's place as ruler. Simba does the same thing.

But on second glance, there is much more here than Bambi in the Pridelands. Bambi only has one motivation to return - because of his girlfriend, Faline. Simba, however, has both Nala - and the revenge he eventually takes on Scar for killing his father. Thus Simba has a deeper, more well developed character than Bambi.

Simba starts as a youngster wanting to be king, then is forced out of his future role by Scar, then is placed back into it by Nala and Rafiki. This gives him a much more complex character than Bambi. Simba's travels add to the richness of his character and his eventual decision to return and face Scar (who has ruined the Pridelands in the interim) is much more meaningful. Simba's hilarious misadventures with Timon and Pumbaa had me laughing all the way to Simba's reunion with Nala.

The music is good and compliments the movie well. However, the new musical number, "Morning Report", does not seem to be well placed in the story, and, although it does make sense in the whole story, it almost distracts a person from the real reasons to watch. This movie has a great story that was partially responsible for the revival of Disney movies in the present era. Disney did us a favor by including both versions of the film - the newly "restored" original and the "Special Edition" which includes the new song, so you can watch both and decide for yourself which is better.

The moral of "wanting to escape from reality might be fun for a while, but your responsibilities eventually catch up with you" is well stated, but not shoved down your throat. Scar is a wonderful villain. Watching him set up the hyenas to goosestep in huge battalions in front of him was a little chilling. The eventual fate of Scar was even more chilling. I can actually see where some children might be remembering the death of Mufasa and/or Scar even more vividly than the death of Bambi's mother.

This Platinum edition DVD presents all of the extra material that DVD fans have come to want, and kids have come to love. This 2 disc collection is much richer than the original release. Many bonus features, including a cool "virtual safari" game you can play on your home DVD player without any extra controls make this edition a better value than the original DVD. The two extra music videos are fun, and the usual sing-along track had my daughter trying to sing along just as expected.

The Lion King will be one of the Kings of Disney DVD for a long time to come.

"The Lion King" is arguably one of Disney's most inspiring and most brilliant animated features that they have ever created. The people behind this project both the artists and the story writers deserve every bit of praise that they get. Even to this day, "The Lion King" remains one of the greatest animated Disney movies ever made even when placed shoulder to shoulder against classics like "Pinocchio", "Robin Hood", and "Aladdin". To me, this is one of the last great animated Disney movies.

The story tells of a king lion named Mufasa who has a son named Simba who will take his place when 'the sun sets' on Mufasa's time as king and the sun rises with Simba himself as the new king of Pride Rock. However Simba's evil uncle Scar lures Simba to a gorge and Mufasa to rescue him. Scar however, causes the rocks that Mufasa was trying to climb back up to safety to collapse, sending Mufasa to his death in a stampede. Simba, feeling guilty over his passing, runs away into exile while Scar ascends into becoming the evil and tyrannical new king of the lion pride. Simba on the other hand, while in exile, is saved by a meerkat named Timon and a warthog named Pumbaa and Simba grows from a cub to a fully grown lion with them but Pride Rock has become almost uninhabitable due to Scar's tyrannical rule and Simba now has to confront his past to defeat his evil and traitorous uncle to save the pride and inherit the throne from his late father Mufasa as the new and rightful king of Pride Rock.

"The Lion King" in a lot of ways succeeds in many ways that many other Disney movies seem to not quite do so. The landscapes of Africa in the movie are colorful and vibrant; it's more than likely the same with real life African landscapes. The storyline idea is very original in my opinion and very deep. Be warned though, this isn't one for those who are for like the "Little Mermaid" or "Great Mouse Detective" audiences although both are great too. While this may be a Disney movie, the movie is a bit violent especially by Disney standards but I've watched much more violent movies when this came out (Die Hard, Terminator movies are examples) so the violence here doesn't bother me that much. Even I got a bit scared by some of the scenes such as the hyenas but was more scared by the suspenseful tone of them. However, this is a very important film not only for Disney but also has such a strong message about the value of family, friendship and our place in the "Circle Of Life" on this earth. It doesn't matter whether it's a bug like a scary house centipede, a cat, a human, or a lion but all of them are part of the earth's circle of life. In some ways, the movie is a bit sad to watch because in real life, the lions, warthogs and countless other animal species have become increasingly rare in many areas of the world outside of protected areas and zoos because of human poaching and destruction of their habitat.

This new DVD Platinum Edition though is what makes this movie such a treat. While most of them are more geared towards children, even I as an adult have no hesitation with saying that the new features on here are just such a treat for the kid in me. The movie itself comes in two versions, one is the original theatrical edition and the other is the IMAX edition. Both of these are on disc one. There is a huge number of amazing new material found on both disc one and disc two. You can see a rejected scene called "Bug Football", Oh my God it's so funny! I was laughing when watching this extra scene draft and I am baffled at why they never put this into the movie itself. The main treat on the second disc is the Timon and Pumbaa's Virtual Safari Tour. This is also one of my favorite features on this Platinum DVD edition. You can go on "Virtual Safaris" by means of Boat or Jeep but may find yourself running into dangers but it's all played for fun. Oh man, is it entertaining or what! There are countless other new bonus features for parents to teach kids about the animals in real life (Lions, hyenas, warthogs, etc.) but also for entertainment for adults and older audiences as well. You can find some awesome commentary on the making of this film. It took four years of hard work in making this film but it all paid off. I don't want to give out more about what's on these two discs but I must say that if you are still stuck with the lousy VHS, you are missing out on such great features.

After the older VHS edition unfortunately got wrecked by my defective VCR, I had to wait for such a long time afterwards but thanks to Disney, the wait is long over and was totally worth it. There is a flaw or two on here such as "Morning Report" which isn't my cup of tea and so short that it could almost have been left off completely but other than that, this DVD is the closest to perfect that I've seen Disney come to so far and one of the greatest Disney movies is finally available again with even greater sound and picture quality plus the new features, games and quizzes. I am so proud to be able to own this new DVD set! If you have the older VHS edition which has nothing new on it, then trash it and get this new Platinum Edition of this fantastic movie as soon as possible! You will not be disappointed!

(Instead of reviewing a film you probably already know, I stick to DVD special features)

Those Extras:

Commentary: Dang, they just missed. Donner and (uncredited) scriptwriter Mankiewicz fill us in for nearly two and half hours, but I still went away somewhat unsatisfied. Unfortunately Donner is a would-be jokester, and needs too much prompting from Mankiewicz on how a scene was done. Rarely does Donner offer how an effect was achieved, which this DVD would especially be made for. So many stunts with plenty to tell, but only half of the great shots are explained.

Behind the Scenes: WOW. Not one, not two, but three different half hour looks at how things were put to film. Hosted by Marc "Jimmy Olsen" McClure, everything you could want to know about the flying effects or whatever is answered. Though it would've been fun if they included the double-documentary produced in 1982 hosted by Reeve that TBS used to air (glad I taped it back then :)).

New Interviews: Awesome. Sure, Kidder, Donner, Mankiewicz, and an archived Brando are here, but even Reeve in his current unfortunate state, and Gene Hackman!

Deleted Scenes: Total fun. The original two and a half hour cut is pieced together here, but also included in a deleted scenes only section.

Screen Tests: Damn amazing. To see not only a long haired, skinnier Reeve, but all the actresses who didn't get the part of Lois!! Anne Archer, Leslie Ann Warren, among others. For those who care, Ursa, the female villian of part 2, is read for by various ladies as well.

Isolated Music Score: Well, for lovers of this score such as myself, this is a real treat. Out of print CDs are no longer needed to be hunted down, heh heh.

Overall: I feel so bad, only giving this four stars. So much care was put into it, but lack of bloopers---one of my favorite supplements---are not included. But that's a very small carp to a wonderful DVD offering.

Chrisopher Reeve stars as the Man of Steel as he tries to save California from a devastating earthquake caused by Lex Luthor. Discover the origin of Superman and see his first rescues

After a few months delay, the long awaited Superman The Movie Deluxe Collection Box Set, from Creative Design Arts, is finally here.

The Movie: I was 10 years old when I first saw Superman during its original theatrical run. I remember going to see it at a neighborhood second run, 2 screen theater, in late august 1979. The movie has stayed with me ever since. It was the first film, I saw that helped me to choose a career path, into adulthood. Directed by Richard Donner, the film, has it all. The origin of The Man Of Steel has been told many times over the years in print and on screen. But few have had the size and scope of this film. The planet Krypton is doomed. In order for his infant son to survive, scientist Jor-El (Marlon Brando) sends him to Earth in a small starship. Once on our world, he is found and raised by Jonathan (Glenn Ford) and Martha Kent (Phylis Thaxter). As a teenager, young Clark Kent (Jeff East), soon discovers that he has "powers beyond those of mortal men". Once the adult Clark (Christopher Reeve) moves to the city of Metropolis, he lands a job as a reporter at the Daily Planet, and Superman soon reveals himself to the world. This as the diabolical Lex Luthor (Gene Hackman) hatches a plot that means the death of millions. At its center, Reeve keeps things "real", and it's his performace as our hero that makes me "Believe A Man Can Fly, not the special effects. Donner takes nothing for granted in his direction. The film has some broadness to it, but it never gets out of hand, or gets too campy The movie has infuenced filmmakers. Most noteworthy, of course, is Spider-Man director Sam Raimi. Everything works and Superman The Movie still sets the standard for all other Super Hero films.

The Deluxe Box Set features the same DVD that's available separately, or as part of Superman movies DVD collection. The Director's cut includes a 2001 digital transfer of the film and 8 minutes of added footage (seen first on network TV). The film looks great. The sound mix was altered a bit but isn't as bad as some have suggested. The audio commentary by Donner and "Creative Consultant" (writer) Tom Mankiewicz is really very good. Get the real inside scoop on the making of the film with 3 documentaries and 1 featurette on casting. The commentary and documentaries give viewers a good idea what it must have been like to make the movie-including the story behind Donner being fired by the producers-while making Superman II. Other extras on this 2 sided disc also include a pair of deleted scenes, theatrical trailers, a vintage TV spot, an isolated music only track of composer John Williams' rousing score, along with a few alternate music cues, and some DVD-ROM only material.

The box set also offers a collectable Senitype, with its corresponding film frame, a reprint of the original 20 page press campaign booklet, and a set of eight lobby card prints. Topping off the set is a 27x40 reprint of the original theatrical poster. The set comes with a folded poster that quite frankly, is a pretty silly idea, if you ask me. If you feel the same way I do, for a small shipping and handling fee, you can have a rolled version of the same poster sent to you that looks "Super" in a frame.

Superman The Movie is a classic that't been with me for a long time. Despite being made before the advent of CGI-the film holds up, and stands the test of time. The Duluxe Box Set is a must if you like the film as much as I do

Rob Reiner's "This Is Spinal Tap" is a cult film that truly does contain many moments of manic inspiration. However, its premise outshines its execution. While its fictional documentary format is novel, the film itself is only partially successful. There are several sequences that make you smile but precious few sequences that produce any laugh-out-loud moments. In the end, "This is Spinal Tap" is a form over substance film.

Filmmaker Marty DiBergi (Rob Reiner) makes the band Spinal Tap the subject of a documentary. The band is on their first American tour in six years and counts among its members David St. Hubbins (Michael McKean), Derek Smalls (Harry Shearer), Nigel Tufnel (Christopher Guest), and Mick Shrimpton (R.J. Parnell). Nothing really goes as planned on the tour as fans don't turn up for an autograph session, their album "Smell the Glove" has trouble making it into stores, difficulties arise in the design of a stage prop, and a concert stop is scheduled for a military hanger. Yet with all this chaos erupting around them, the band members remain oblivious to their plight.

"This Is Spinal Tap" is a film that becomes more and more strained as it goes on. The fictional documentary joke starts to wear thin after the first initial chuckles. The acting is great and the cameos by Fran Drescher, Paul Shaffer, Anjelica Huston, and Fred Willard are amusing but there is little energy to help sustain the film for its 82-minute running time. "This Is Spinal Tap" is not funny enough to be a successful comedy and not clever enough to be a successful satire. The film is merely adequate and, unlike the band itself which is saved at the end by their Japanese fans, is never salvaged before it concludes.

This is the first movie that showed to me that Christopher Guest-- and all of his players-- are great. This movie could be watched a gazillion times and still be funny. It's one of only a few DVDs in my collection, and it's one of my most prized.

and also the funniest. plus they sound better than most of the coq-rock bands of the '80s.

*yawn* Okay, I admit it, I fell asleep during this plodding, boring film. I understand that this film fits in the classic-thriller genre, which is not to be confused with the modern-thriller genre. I am quite able to appreciate classic thrillers but, sorry to all those who seem to think this movie is awesome--it's not. It is boring and predictable and utterly forgettable.

If you are looking for classic-thriller material that will actually scare you or at the very least interest you, take a look at the works of the talented Alfred Hitchcock. If it is a psychological thriller you are after, try "Of Unknown Origin" with Peter Weller. There is nothing thrilling about this movie, and the "psychology" is basically dubbed voice-overs where the characters narrate their thoughts aloud.

People who felt that the 1999 version of "The Haunting" was inferior to this film in any way need to have their heads examined. Firstly, the 1999 version is a completely different genre (modern horror), and secondly, rated against others of its own genre the 1999 version of "The Haunting" holds up well.

Unless you are someone that believes that every film made before 1970 is good, I wouldn't bother with this movie.

fell asleep about an hour into the movie, waited for some classic or scary scenes but they just never came. this movie may have scared people back then, but its pretty much comedy now. stick to classic horror films like texas chainsaw, shining, exorcist, amityville, etc.

The Haunting is not quite the norm of the modern horror genre, but that's probably why it's so well-watched. There is little suspenseful music during the 'really scary' parts which I found to be unique & efficient. The acting is extremely well-done which is in stark contrast to today's box-office bashes.

The story follows an old estate, Hill House, which has a typical assortment of mysterious deaths in its history that have led to variously typical rumors regarding the place. A team of researchers, led by Dr. Marquay, let the house for studies in the supernatural. The good doctor has called in a psychic, a victim of a poltergeist, and the heir to the deserted estate. Eventually, Eleanor (Julie Harris) is driven mad by the forces inside the house. The unexpected ending makes for a slightly off-beat comsummation to an otherwise well-told story.

With everyone debating whether its a copy or good action film I'm really suprised nobody pointed out that they accidently put two scenes in the wrong order! I won't mention what they are, 'cause it destroys the purpose of the film.

The scene order aside, it is an excellent film. Made even more so by the quality produced on such a low budget. I highly recomend the viewing of this work.

Equlibrium is set in a futuristic society, where a strict regime has eiliminated war by suppresing emotion and destroying everything that causes it - books, art, music, animals, etc.. To keep everyone in line, the government administers a mind altering drug that hinders emotion called Prozium. A form of police called the Clerics, have been created to enfore the law, and anyone who breaks it by feeling or showing emotion is put to death. John Preston ( Christian Bale), is the highest ranking Cleric who is responsible for destroying anyone who breaks the rules. But John is soon effected by a prisoner ( Emily Watson), who claims that you cannot truly live life unless you are able to feel, and experience emotion. To test her theory, he skips his next dose of Prozium. Right away, John sees that the society that he helped create, has been wrong all along. John has been trained to enforce the laws of the new regime at all costs, but he is now the only person capable of overthrowing it. His partner (Taye Diggs)sets his eyes on John's position, and becomes determined to stop him...

I was literally blown away by this film. Director Kurt Wimmer did a great job creating the future society, with the outstanding visuals. While the story is similar to "Fahrenhiet 451" in some aspects, the story still manages to keep your interest and seem original for the most part. "Equilibrium", is also the best action film I have seen in recent memory. Even "The Matrix" pales in comparison. When I first saw this film at the theater, everyone in the audience was literally gasping and making comments about how original and amazing the action was. A totally original form of martial art was introduced in this film called " The Gun Kata". It mixes martial arts together with gun play to create a more effective shooting technique. Watching this new type of self defense unfold on the screen was mind blowing. The ending to this film is great and features one of the best sword fights I have ever seen.

Christian Bale puts in another good performance. He plays both sides of John Preston so well. The first is the Cleric who feels nothing, and kills anyone who breaks the law. He looks down right menacing! The second, is the man that comes to believe what he is doing is wrong. Watching him feel for the first time will amaze you, because he gave such an accurate portrayal of what it would really be like. Taye Diggs did an outstanding job as his partner. He is dispicable and a truly great villan. Emily Watson, Angus MacFadyen and Sean Bean were also fantastic in their roles.

"Equlibrium" raised the bar of action films to a whole new level. The gun play, martial arts action, and overall violence will blow your mind. It is fast paced, realistic, and extremely gory!! The visuals are stunning as well, and the performances are great. Once this film becomes more well known, it will have people talking for a long time to come!

Just say it yesterday. I would have to say that to those who have compared this to the Matrix, the two aren't even in the same league. It grabs your attention from beginning to end, and the storyline keeps you on edge. Definitely a must see....

This DVD was transfered in a "letterbox" format. In my opinion the result was a VHS LIKE picture quality which was very disapointing. This is the kind of classic special effect extravaganza that deserves way better quality picture and that is what you get when a dvd is transfered in a anamorphic process. This dvd wasn't done properly and the result is a far lower quality picture than I was hoping for. Also disapointing was the fact it doesn't state that it is a "letterbox" presentation. My mistake was buying it without looking here on amazon first toi find out. In my experience, 99.9% of dvds that are non-anamorphic result in a way lower quality of picture.However, this dvd does have alot of extras that will make the hardcore "Abyss" fan happy. The 5.1 audio transfer was very good however it would've been better in DTS.I loved this movie and hope that when or if it is re-released they do it in a anamorphic format to drastically improve the picture quality. On any standard tv the picture quality would be ok but I have a 65in. widescreen tv and even with a progressive dvd player the picture exhibits alot of elements and pixelzation resulting in color loss and a crisp clean presentation. For those that don't understand "anamorphic", when viewing on a standard tv it will be just the black bars at top and bottom, meaning "letterbox". On any projection tv, big screen tv, or especially a widescreen projection television, the letterbox non-anamorphic dvd makes it so the viewer has to "zoom" in to see it correctly, thus resulting in seeing more of the quality of transfer.When in an anamorphic process, the viewer with a large projection tv has the picture automatically set for normal viewing without having to adjust the picture to fit the screen. Thuhs resulting in a better picture transfer for the dvd itself and for the complete presentation. "Letterbox" versions in my opinion are as good (bad) as watching it on a VHS tape like quality picture.Anyways, although this dvd had great features and it is a great movie, the dvd in my opinion is not that great due to the picture quality. But, it is ok enough to watch and not as horrible as alot of other dvds I have seen transfered non-anamorphic. I guess it's worth buying if you can't wait and are a hardcore fan of the movie.If you can wait, I'd find the widescreen vhs tape instead for a cheaper price and get almost the same picture quality if you have a super-vhs player.

It has been an increasing obsession in Hollywood that visual effects are the most important part of a movie and that to draw customers, all you need is a colorful dog-and-pony show. The fact that so many of these efforts bomb - think of such recent duds as The Core or The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen - is an indication that you can't have a good movie unless you have decent writing. It's not necessary that it be GREAT writing (no one will confuse the Matrix with Shakespeare), but it needs to be at least decent. Otherwise, you have a movie that, despite all its flash and fury, will be little more than another forgettable effort in a ocean of such works. Which leads to The Abyss, a movie that looks good but is offset by poor writing. Only because it is directed by James Cameron - of Terminator and Titanic fame - makes this movie at all noteworthy. But if you disregard its well-known director, you find that this is little better than Wild Wild West or the Avengers (the movies, not the TV shows) were in their times.

The story involves a submarine that is involved in a fatal accident after an encounter with a mysterious object. A rescue crew is sent to retrieve any possible survivors and inspect the damage. The crew is beset with problems, most significantly getting marooned two thousand feet below the ocean surface. While Cold War tensions build above - along with a hurricane - the characters deal with their own problems as well as an alien presence that seems benevolent but has mysterious motives.

The movie looks good, but is riddled with story problems. Even dismissing the scientific inaccuracies (after all, we're not watching this to learn), there are still all sorts of flaws. The first hour is slow and the final portion is corny and preachy. There are implausibilities from the get-go: for example, wouldn't the sub crew have a better knowledge of ocean topography to avoid crashing into an underwater mountain even with the minor distraction of a mystery object and a brief power outage? When things are at the darkest for the characters, there is always a miraculous intervention to save them.

Somehow, despite the many problems, there is enough in this movie to make it exciting in places and if you're willing to not think at all and just go for the ride, you might be entertained. The problem is that you most likely will not be able to turn off your brain; as a result, like a cheap roller coaster ride, you may have had some fun, but when you look back at it later, you will find the experience to have been emptier than it first seemed.

I've always wondered what's "really" underneath all that ocean water that covers three-fourths of the earth's surface. Could there be more than just the critters that adorn my plate when I visit Red Lobster?

Well, I must confess, I just lied: I really don't think about things like that, but James Cameron's handsome film THE ABYSS certainly tweaks at my brain matter and introduces a most interesting story that we humans are not even alone on our own planet when it comes to intelligent life.

Yes, we have drama: a downed nuclear sub deep in the ocean, an underwater oil exploration platform hijacked by the feds to go on a rescue mission, and a Navy SEAL commander just itching to go bonkers. We also have a failed romance suddenly rekindled, even though it's beyond me why anyone would want to light a fire with grouchy engineer Lindsey Brigman (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio), but for whatever reason ex-husband Bud Brigman (Ed Harris) does. And then we are treated to magnificent underwater camera shots, high-tech gadgets and machines, and special effects as only James Cameron can paint on celluloid.

As viewers, we are asked to jettison our common sense to the high seas as we watch people swim thousands of feet underwater without protective gear, but that's okay: the assault on disbelief is only beginning. With escalating tensions between the U.S. and the old U.S.S.R. coming to a head, the pesky human race suddenly receives an eye-opening comeuppance by a superior form of intelligent life that comes up from the abyss to paternally warn us to knock it off. Lesson learned, planet saved. I'll have the shrimp scampi with extra sauce.
--D. Mikels

This DVD was transfered in a "letterbox" format. In my opinion the result was a VHS LIKE picture quality which was very disapointing. This is the kind of classic special effect extravaganza that deserves way better quality picture and that is what you get when a dvd is transfered in a anamorphic process. This dvd wasn't done properly and the result is a far lower quality picture than I was hoping for. Also disapointing was the fact it doesn't state that it is a "letterbox" presentation. My mistake was buying it without looking here on amazon first toi find out. In my experience, 99.9% of dvds that are non-anamorphic result in a way lower quality of picture.However, this dvd does have alot of extras that will make the hardcore "Abyss" fan happy. The 5.1 audio transfer was very good however it would've been better in DTS.I loved this movie and hope that when or if it is re-released they do it in a anamorphic format to drastically improve the picture quality. On any standard tv the picture quality would be ok but I have a 65in. widescreen tv and even with a progressive dvd player the picture exhibits alot of elements and pixelzation resulting in color loss and a crisp clean presentation. For those that don't understand "anamorphic", when viewing on a standard tv it will be just the black bars at top and bottom, meaning "letterbox". On any projection tv, big screen tv, or especially a widescreen projection television, the letterbox non-anamorphic dvd makes it so the viewer has to "zoom" in to see it correctly, thus resulting in seeing more of the quality of transfer.When in an anamorphic process, the viewer with a large projection tv has the picture automatically set for normal viewing without having to adjust the picture to fit the screen. Thuhs resulting in a better picture transfer for the dvd itself and for the complete presentation. "Letterbox" versions in my opinion are as good (bad) as watching it on a VHS tape like quality picture.Anyways, although this dvd had great features and it is a great movie, the dvd in my opinion is not that great due to the picture quality. But, it is ok enough to watch and not as horrible as alot of other dvds I have seen transfered non-anamorphic. I guess it's worth buying if you can't wait and are a hardcore fan of the movie.If you can wait, I'd find the widescreen vhs tape instead for a cheaper price and get almost the same picture quality if you have a super-vhs player.

It has been an increasing obsession in Hollywood that visual effects are the most important part of a movie and that to draw customers, all you need is a colorful dog-and-pony show. The fact that so many of these efforts bomb - think of such recent duds as The Core or The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen - is an indication that you can't have a good movie unless you have decent writing. It's not necessary that it be GREAT writing (no one will confuse the Matrix with Shakespeare), but it needs to be at least decent. Otherwise, you have a movie that, despite all its flash and fury, will be little more than another forgettable effort in a ocean of such works. Which leads to The Abyss, a movie that looks good but is offset by poor writing. Only because it is directed by James Cameron - of Terminator and Titanic fame - makes this movie at all noteworthy. But if you disregard its well-known director, you find that this is little better than Wild Wild West or the Avengers (the movies, not the TV shows) were in their times.

The story involves a submarine that is involved in a fatal accident after an encounter with a mysterious object. A rescue crew is sent to retrieve any possible survivors and inspect the damage. The crew is beset with problems, most significantly getting marooned two thousand feet below the ocean surface. While Cold War tensions build above - along with a hurricane - the characters deal with their own problems as well as an alien presence that seems benevolent but has mysterious motives.

The movie looks good, but is riddled with story problems. Even dismissing the scientific inaccuracies (after all, we're not watching this to learn), there are still all sorts of flaws. The first hour is slow and the final portion is corny and preachy. There are implausibilities from the get-go: for example, wouldn't the sub crew have a better knowledge of ocean topography to avoid crashing into an underwater mountain even with the minor distraction of a mystery object and a brief power outage? When things are at the darkest for the characters, there is always a miraculous intervention to save them.

Somehow, despite the many problems, there is enough in this movie to make it exciting in places and if you're willing to not think at all and just go for the ride, you might be entertained. The problem is that you most likely will not be able to turn off your brain; as a result, like a cheap roller coaster ride, you may have had some fun, but when you look back at it later, you will find the experience to have been emptier than it first seemed.

I've always wondered what's "really" underneath all that ocean water that covers three-fourths of the earth's surface. Could there be more than just the critters that adorn my plate when I visit Red Lobster?

Well, I must confess, I just lied: I really don't think about things like that, but James Cameron's handsome film THE ABYSS certainly tweaks at my brain matter and introduces a most interesting story that we humans are not even alone on our own planet when it comes to intelligent life.

Yes, we have drama: a downed nuclear sub deep in the ocean, an underwater oil exploration platform hijacked by the feds to go on a rescue mission, and a Navy SEAL commander just itching to go bonkers. We also have a failed romance suddenly rekindled, even though it's beyond me why anyone would want to light a fire with grouchy engineer Lindsey Brigman (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio), but for whatever reason ex-husband Bud Brigman (Ed Harris) does. And then we are treated to magnificent underwater camera shots, high-tech gadgets and machines, and special effects as only James Cameron can paint on celluloid.

As viewers, we are asked to jettison our common sense to the high seas as we watch people swim thousands of feet underwater without protective gear, but that's okay: the assault on disbelief is only beginning. With escalating tensions between the U.S. and the old U.S.S.R. coming to a head, the pesky human race suddenly receives an eye-opening comeuppance by a superior form of intelligent life that comes up from the abyss to paternally warn us to knock it off. Lesson learned, planet saved. I'll have the shrimp scampi with extra sauce.
--D. Mikels

This DVD was transfered in a "letterbox" format. In my opinion the result was a VHS LIKE picture quality which was very disapointing. This is the kind of classic special effect extravaganza that deserves way better quality picture and that is what you get when a dvd is transfered in a anamorphic process. This dvd wasn't done properly and the result is a far lower quality picture than I was hoping for. Also disapointing was the fact it doesn't state that it is a "letterbox" presentation. My mistake was buying it without looking here on amazon first toi find out. In my experience, 99.9% of dvds that are non-anamorphic result in a way lower quality of picture.However, this dvd does have alot of extras that will make the hardcore "Abyss" fan happy. The 5.1 audio transfer was very good however it would've been better in DTS.I loved this movie and hope that when or if it is re-released they do it in a anamorphic format to drastically improve the picture quality. On any standard tv the picture quality would be ok but I have a 65in. widescreen tv and even with a progressive dvd player the picture exhibits alot of elements and pixelzation resulting in color loss and a crisp clean presentation. For those that don't understand "anamorphic", when viewing on a standard tv it will be just the black bars at top and bottom, meaning "letterbox". On any projection tv, big screen tv, or especially a widescreen projection television, the letterbox non-anamorphic dvd makes it so the viewer has to "zoom" in to see it correctly, thus resulting in seeing more of the quality of transfer.When in an anamorphic process, the viewer with a large projection tv has the picture automatically set for normal viewing without having to adjust the picture to fit the screen. Thuhs resulting in a better picture transfer for the dvd itself and for the complete presentation. "Letterbox" versions in my opinion are as good (bad) as watching it on a VHS tape like quality picture.Anyways, although this dvd had great features and it is a great movie, the dvd in my opinion is not that great due to the picture quality. But, it is ok enough to watch and not as horrible as alot of other dvds I have seen transfered non-anamorphic. I guess it's worth buying if you can't wait and are a hardcore fan of the movie.If you can wait, I'd find the widescreen vhs tape instead for a cheaper price and get almost the same picture quality if you have a super-vhs player.

It has been an increasing obsession in Hollywood that visual effects are the most important part of a movie and that to draw customers, all you need is a colorful dog-and-pony show. The fact that so many of these efforts bomb - think of such recent duds as The Core or The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen - is an indication that you can't have a good movie unless you have decent writing. It's not necessary that it be GREAT writing (no one will confuse the Matrix with Shakespeare), but it needs to be at least decent. Otherwise, you have a movie that, despite all its flash and fury, will be little more than another forgettable effort in a ocean of such works. Which leads to The Abyss, a movie that looks good but is offset by poor writing. Only because it is directed by James Cameron - of Terminator and Titanic fame - makes this movie at all noteworthy. But if you disregard its well-known director, you find that this is little better than Wild Wild West or the Avengers (the movies, not the TV shows) were in their times.

The story involves a submarine that is involved in a fatal accident after an encounter with a mysterious object. A rescue crew is sent to retrieve any possible survivors and inspect the damage. The crew is beset with problems, most significantly getting marooned two thousand feet below the ocean surface. While Cold War tensions build above - along with a hurricane - the characters deal with their own problems as well as an alien presence that seems benevolent but has mysterious motives.

The movie looks good, but is riddled with story problems. Even dismissing the scientific inaccuracies (after all, we're not watching this to learn), there are still all sorts of flaws. The first hour is slow and the final portion is corny and preachy. There are implausibilities from the get-go: for example, wouldn't the sub crew have a better knowledge of ocean topography to avoid crashing into an underwater mountain even with the minor distraction of a mystery object and a brief power outage? When things are at the darkest for the characters, there is always a miraculous intervention to save them.

Somehow, despite the many problems, there is enough in this movie to make it exciting in places and if you're willing to not think at all and just go for the ride, you might be entertained. The problem is that you most likely will not be able to turn off your brain; as a result, like a cheap roller coaster ride, you may have had some fun, but when you look back at it later, you will find the experience to have been emptier than it first seemed.

I've always wondered what's "really" underneath all that ocean water that covers three-fourths of the earth's surface. Could there be more than just the critters that adorn my plate when I visit Red Lobster?

Well, I must confess, I just lied: I really don't think about things like that, but James Cameron's handsome film THE ABYSS certainly tweaks at my brain matter and introduces a most interesting story that we humans are not even alone on our own planet when it comes to intelligent life.

Yes, we have drama: a downed nuclear sub deep in the ocean, an underwater oil exploration platform hijacked by the feds to go on a rescue mission, and a Navy SEAL commander just itching to go bonkers. We also have a failed romance suddenly rekindled, even though it's beyond me why anyone would want to light a fire with grouchy engineer Lindsey Brigman (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio), but for whatever reason ex-husband Bud Brigman (Ed Harris) does. And then we are treated to magnificent underwater camera shots, high-tech gadgets and machines, and special effects as only James Cameron can paint on celluloid.

As viewers, we are asked to jettison our common sense to the high seas as we watch people swim thousands of feet underwater without protective gear, but that's okay: the assault on disbelief is only beginning. With escalating tensions between the U.S. and the old U.S.S.R. coming to a head, the pesky human race suddenly receives an eye-opening comeuppance by a superior form of intelligent life that comes up from the abyss to paternally warn us to knock it off. Lesson learned, planet saved. I'll have the shrimp scampi with extra sauce.
--D. Mikels

This DVD was transfered in a "letterbox" format. In my opinion the result was a VHS LIKE picture quality which was very disapointing. This is the kind of classic special effect extravaganza that deserves way better quality picture and that is what you get when a dvd is transfered in a anamorphic process. This dvd wasn't done properly and the result is a far lower quality picture than I was hoping for. Also disapointing was the fact it doesn't state that it is a "letterbox" presentation. My mistake was buying it without looking here on amazon first toi find out. In my experience, 99.9% of dvds that are non-anamorphic result in a way lower quality of picture.However, this dvd does have alot of extras that will make the hardcore "Abyss" fan happy. The 5.1 audio transfer was very good however it would've been better in DTS.I loved this movie and hope that when or if it is re-released they do it in a anamorphic format to drastically improve the picture quality. On any standard tv the picture quality would be ok but I have a 65in. widescreen tv and even with a progressive dvd player the picture exhibits alot of elements and pixelzation resulting in color loss and a crisp clean presentation. For those that don't understand "anamorphic", when viewing on a standard tv it will be just the black bars at top and bottom, meaning "letterbox". On any projection tv, big screen tv, or especially a widescreen projection television, the letterbox non-anamorphic dvd makes it so the viewer has to "zoom" in to see it correctly, thus resulting in seeing more of the quality of transfer.When in an anamorphic process, the viewer with a large projection tv has the picture automatically set for normal viewing without having to adjust the picture to fit the screen. Thuhs resulting in a better picture transfer for the dvd itself and for the complete presentation. "Letterbox" versions in my opinion are as good (bad) as watching it on a VHS tape like quality picture.Anyways, although this dvd had great features and it is a great movie, the dvd in my opinion is not that great due to the picture quality. But, it is ok enough to watch and not as horrible as alot of other dvds I have seen transfered non-anamorphic. I guess it's worth buying if you can't wait and are a hardcore fan of the movie.If you can wait, I'd find the widescreen vhs tape instead for a cheaper price and get almost the same picture quality if you have a super-vhs player.

It has been an increasing obsession in Hollywood that visual effects are the most important part of a movie and that to draw customers, all you need is a colorful dog-and-pony show. The fact that so many of these efforts bomb - think of such recent duds as The Core or The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen - is an indication that you can't have a good movie unless you have decent writing. It's not necessary that it be GREAT writing (no one will confuse the Matrix with Shakespeare), but it needs to be at least decent. Otherwise, you have a movie that, despite all its flash and fury, will be little more than another forgettable effort in a ocean of such works. Which leads to The Abyss, a movie that looks good but is offset by poor writing. Only because it is directed by James Cameron - of Terminator and Titanic fame - makes this movie at all noteworthy. But if you disregard its well-known director, you find that this is little better than Wild Wild West or the Avengers (the movies, not the TV shows) were in their times.

The story involves a submarine that is involved in a fatal accident after an encounter with a mysterious object. A rescue crew is sent to retrieve any possible survivors and inspect the damage. The crew is beset with problems, most significantly getting marooned two thousand feet below the ocean surface. While Cold War tensions build above - along with a hurricane - the characters deal with their own problems as well as an alien presence that seems benevolent but has mysterious motives.

The movie looks good, but is riddled with story problems. Even dismissing the scientific inaccuracies (after all, we're not watching this to learn), there are still all sorts of flaws. The first hour is slow and the final portion is corny and preachy. There are implausibilities from the get-go: for example, wouldn't the sub crew have a better knowledge of ocean topography to avoid crashing into an underwater mountain even with the minor distraction of a mystery object and a brief power outage? When things are at the darkest for the characters, there is always a miraculous intervention to save them.

Somehow, despite the many problems, there is enough in this movie to make it exciting in places and if you're willing to not think at all and just go for the ride, you might be entertained. The problem is that you most likely will not be able to turn off your brain; as a result, like a cheap roller coaster ride, you may have had some fun, but when you look back at it later, you will find the experience to have been emptier than it first seemed.

I've always wondered what's "really" underneath all that ocean water that covers three-fourths of the earth's surface. Could there be more than just the critters that adorn my plate when I visit Red Lobster?

Well, I must confess, I just lied: I really don't think about things like that, but James Cameron's handsome film THE ABYSS certainly tweaks at my brain matter and introduces a most interesting story that we humans are not even alone on our own planet when it comes to intelligent life.

Yes, we have drama: a downed nuclear sub deep in the ocean, an underwater oil exploration platform hijacked by the feds to go on a rescue mission, and a Navy SEAL commander just itching to go bonkers. We also have a failed romance suddenly rekindled, even though it's beyond me why anyone would want to light a fire with grouchy engineer Lindsey Brigman (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio), but for whatever reason ex-husband Bud Brigman (Ed Harris) does. And then we are treated to magnificent underwater camera shots, high-tech gadgets and machines, and special effects as only James Cameron can paint on celluloid.

As viewers, we are asked to jettison our common sense to the high seas as we watch people swim thousands of feet underwater without protective gear, but that's okay: the assault on disbelief is only beginning. With escalating tensions between the U.S. and the old U.S.S.R. coming to a head, the pesky human race suddenly receives an eye-opening comeuppance by a superior form of intelligent life that comes up from the abyss to paternally warn us to knock it off. Lesson learned, planet saved. I'll have the shrimp scampi with extra sauce.
--D. Mikels