Bone Collector (HD DVD)

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Video:

"The Bone Collector" follows the tradition set by "SE7EN" and is composed of many dark and eerie scenes. The dark moments demand a strong transfer. The black levels and shadow detail are top notch and do true justice to the film. When color is present in the film, it is well saturated and does not suffer from any chroma noise. Detail is very good, and though it is not as strong as some of Universals other recent releases, the transfer is very crisp. It is hard finding fault in this transfer, and even the original source materials used for the print appear to have been pristine. "The Bone Collector" looks pretty good on HD-DVD and is a nice step above the original DVD release.

Sound:

"The Bone Collector" is brought to HD-DVD with both Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 and DTS 5.1 sound. The original DVD featured Dolby Digital EX sound. The new HD-DVD release does not. All six channels are active throughout the film. The .1 LFE subwoofer channel adds a true element to the film, especially during moments of high suspense. The bass is not overpowering, but it is nicely done and fits the tone of each individual scene well. The rear surrounds are active throughout the picture and again, they are used in a manner that works well with the level of suspense of the scene. Dialogue is crystal clear. It is hard to find fault in the sound quality, and if you have either an older Dolby Digital or DTS system or can enjoy the newer Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 sound, you will find this film to be enjoyable.

Extras:

There are a few supplements to be found on this HD-DVD, which are carried over from the original release. Actually, the only real solid feature to enjoy is the Feature Commentary by Director Phillip Noyce. Noyce gives a wonderfully informative commentary on the making of the film and many of his reasons for doing things the way he did. A few little side stories are told and the commentary never gets dull. There are one or two more instances than I prefer where Noyce sits back and lets you listen to what is going, but in the end, he does a fine job. After the commentary, there is a Spotlight on Location featurette that was used to advertise the film and runs for just under a half an hour. This making of feature is typical EPK material and if you are familiar with the "Spotlight on Location" features, you know how overly positive they are. Speaking of advertisements, the Theatrical Trailer finds its way to the HD-DVD. Universal has been shunning these beloved little trailers and finally, one makes its way to HD-DVD. Joy.

Closing Thoughts:

"The Bone Collector" is a fine entry in the crime-thriller genre. It is dark and suspenseful and features a few scenes that may leave the viewer a little queasy in the stomach. Phillip Noyce has earned much respect from me for this film. The performances of the cast are very good and help add to a solid plot. There really is no way to predict who the killer is, but the ending is still interesting and in the end, the human element is the hardest to guess when it comes to the outcome of the film. The HD-DVD brings over the features from the DVD release. The commentary track is quite good and the making of featurette is all about publicity, but lengthy. The transfer and sound quality are not benchmark material. They are more than adequate and the film is clean and passable on the new format.

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