Stars:
Jodie Foster, Forest Whitaker, Dwight Yoakam, Jared Leto, and Kristen Stewart
Writer:
David Koepp
Director:
David Fincher
Feature
length: 112 minutes
Extras:
Teaser Trailer and Filmographies
Languages:
English DTS Digital 5.1 Theatrical Surround Sound, Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround
Sound, and English and French Language Dolby Surround Sound 2.0
Subtitles:
English Captions and Closed Captions and French Language Subtitles
Packaging:
Gatefold Within Cardboard Slipcase
Chapter
Stops: 28
Sound:
DTS Digital 5.1 Theatrical Surround Sound, Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound,
Dolby Surround Sound 2.0
Year
of Theatrical Release: 2002/DVD Release: 2002
Theatrical
Distributor: Columbia Pictures
Home
Video Distributor: Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment
MPAA
Rating: R
Reviewer:
Mark A. Rivera
After
directing a film that dissected the emasculation of men through what was
essentially a very overblown yuppie nervous breakdown, David Fincher does a
complete 180-degree turn with this bourgeoisie thriller where three thieves
(Forest Whitaker, Dwight Yoakam, and Jared Leto) break into an impossibly huge
upper west side Manhattan brownstone to get at a fortune hidden beneath the
floor of a nearly impregnable panic room where the recently divorced wife of a
wealthy pharmaceuticals executive (Jodie Foster) and her diabetic daughter
(Kristen Stewart) are held up. The remainder of the film is a cat and mouse game
where the thieves who are basically made up of three types, Yoakam being the
silent psychopathic type, Leto being the hyper smarmy type, and Whitaker the
sympathetic thief whom circumstance and or fate have driven him to do something
he normally would never consider this one dark night. Now I am not a fan of
thieves, but I would be a liar if I didn’t state that part of me would have
liked to see these upper crust people not get hurt, but be humbled a bit because
Fincher and screenwriter Koepp do not do a lot to make us the viewer, who I am
going to assume for argument sake do not have enough money to rent, let along
buy an upper west side Manhattan brownstone, feel sympathetic for these people
other than that they are two women trapped in a panic room.
This
is the first time Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment has ever released a film
directly to their “Superbit” series of films on DVD before a “Special
Edition” or general release. In their first exception to the entire disc being
used for the best possible picture and sound with no compromises, Columbia
TriStar has parted with the no frills approach to add full motion three
dimensional interactive menus that create a computer animated representation of
the panic room with each selection leading to a different area where the
selectable elements are incorporated into the animated menus. They are
beautifully rendered; smooth in motion, and easy to navigate. Filmographies for
main cast members and the writer and director and the theatrical teaser with
English Stereo Sound are included along with the addition of a French Language
Dolby Surround Soundtrack with French Language Subtitles that separate this disc
from the “Superbit” and “Superbit Deluxe” DVD titles.
The
transfer is excellent with no compression grain and anomalies, but like any
Fincher film, the picture has a monotone quality made up of a mix of browns,
greens, and shadows. Depending on the TV and method of connection, Component,
S-Video, or Composite inputs, viewers may have to adjust their monitor for
whatever brightness level they prefer. As a whole though, the transfer is solid.
“Panic Room” is presented in an anamorphic widescreen (2.40:1) aspect ratio
preserving the way the film was presented theatrically for home viewers. The
English DTS Digital 5.1 Theatrical Surround Soundtrack is excellent. There is
nothing else I could say that would describe it better. For sound demos,
“Panic Room: Superbit” rules. An English Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround
Soundtrack along with English Captions and Closed Captions for the hearing
impaired are also provided as options.
The
only weak link in this DVD presentation is the shoddy cardboard packaging. What
were they thinking? Good luck getting the gatefold out of the box without
creating bend creases or even ripping the packaging. The mix of glossy and flat
photo art is nice, but did they have to make the packaging so tight that it is
nearly impossible to get at the DVD without messing it up? Stick to the keep
cases from now on please!!!
“Panic
Room: Superbit” will debut on DVD-Video from Columbia TriStar Home
Entertainment on Tuesday, September 17, 2002 from Columbia TriStar Home
Entertainment.
©
Copyright 2002 By Mark A. Rivera
All Rights Reserved.