Mr. Bridges, so often underrated, shows great charm and understanding of political realism, a sharp contrast to the simplistic dignity of fictional Democratic presidents (Michael Douglas in "The American President") or chest-thumping patriotism of fictional Republican presidents (the one in Michael Bay's "The Rock" and "Armageddon"). Also, his subtle shadings make the character far more interesting than he would've been had he been played by a lesser performer. For example, Evans has a habit of ordering food all the time from the White House kitchen, and rather than becoming a running joke in the movie, this habit becomes a sinister way for the president to impose his will on others. Finally, Bridges's fiery deliver of the aforementioned speech is the best actor-ly moment in the film. He makes a defiant challenge that provokes more real political thought that anything else in the movie. I have no arguments with the Academy's nomination of Bridges as one of the year's Best Supporting Actors.
Video:
DreamWorks puts its weight behind every DVD release, and it shows. Despite the fact that Lurie shot the film with a variety of film stocks, the anamorphic 1.85:1 print is clean and does not exhibit pixel break-ups. I would rate the video quality higher, but for a new film, there is just a tad bit too much grain for my liking. The grain isn't there for stylistic purposes, but it's there because Lurie got a bit fancy with the different materials he used.
Audio:
Viewers can choose from three English audio tracks: Dolby Digital 5.1, Dolby Surround, and DTS 5.1. This being a political drama, the center channel (dialogue) dominates the sound stage, but there are some nice uses of sound effects to emphasize the "political thriller" aspects of the film. I hated the manipulative and generic music score, but I must say that it came through clearly, especially in the surround channels. (There are subtitles/captions for English only).
Extras:
Extras-wise, the disc features a commentary with Rod Lurie and Joan Allen. The two provide a good deal of background about the making of the film, the acting craft, and Mr. Lurie's fascination with politics. Steven Spielberg gets a few mentions (DreamWorks picked this movie up for distribution, and Spielberg was rumored to have made a few suggestions concerning the final cut of "The Contender").
Lurie also does commentary duties for the 10 or so deleted scenes (non-anamorphic, 2.0 surround). Most of the scenes are extraneous and would've slowed down the movie, but the scenes between Laine and her father would've helped the movie work better as a humanist drama (she used to be a Republican like her governor father, and it's interesting to see how they play off of one another). In another scene, the president's staff fires one of their members for loyalty reasons. While Lurie probably wouldn't think so, it plays as an important part in the film's see-saw discussion of the meaning and importance of party loyalty.
The behind-the-scenes featurette feels like a promotional piece, of course, but there are interviews with everyone, including Gary Oldman, that fill in some of the informational gaps on the commentary track. A theatrical trailer, production notes, and biographical info pages round out the package.
Entertainment Value:
When the words "The End" show up to close the movie, it's not quite the end of the film, actually. There is a postscript that reads "For Our Daughters." You know what? That is the rottenest inscription possible for a film carrying a message about erasing double standards. Wouldn't a message of political and social equity apply to all Americans, not just one sex or the other? Unfortunately, Lurie is so enamored with his "mission" as to be blinded from reality and handicapped from making a prescient political film. "The Contender" is an interesting failure.
Video:
DreamWorks puts its weight behind every DVD release, and it shows. Despite the fact that Lurie shot the film with a variety of film stocks, the anamorphic 1.85:1 print is clean and does not exhibit pixel break-ups. I would rate the video quality higher, but for a new film, there is just a tad bit too much grain for my liking. The grain isn't there for stylistic purposes, but it's there because Lurie got a bit fancy with the different materials he used.
Audio:
Viewers can choose from three English audio tracks: Dolby Digital 5.1, Dolby Surround, and DTS 5.1. This being a political drama, the center channel (dialogue) dominates the sound stage, but there are some nice uses of sound effects to emphasize the "political thriller" aspects of the film. I hated the manipulative and generic music score, but I must say that it came through clearly, especially in the surround channels. (There are subtitles/captions for English only).
Extras:
Extras-wise, the disc features a commentary with Rod Lurie and Joan Allen. The two provide a good deal of background about the making of the film, the acting craft, and Mr. Lurie's fascination with politics. Steven Spielberg gets a few mentions (DreamWorks picked this movie up for distribution, and Spielberg was rumored to have made a few suggestions concerning the final cut of "The Contender").
Lurie also does commentary duties for the 10 or so deleted scenes (non-anamorphic, 2.0 surround). Most of the scenes are extraneous and would've slowed down the movie, but the scenes between Laine and her father would've helped the movie work better as a humanist drama (she used to be a Republican like her governor father, and it's interesting to see how they play off of one another). In another scene, the president's staff fires one of their members for loyalty reasons. While Lurie probably wouldn't think so, it plays as an important part in the film's see-saw discussion of the meaning and importance of party loyalty.
The behind-the-scenes featurette feels like a promotional piece, of course, but there are interviews with everyone, including Gary Oldman, that fill in some of the informational gaps on the commentary track. A theatrical trailer, production notes, and biographical info pages round out the package.
Entertainment Value:
When the words "The End" show up to close the movie, it's not quite the end of the film, actually. There is a postscript that reads "For Our Daughters." You know what? That is the rottenest inscription possible for a film carrying a message about erasing double standards. Wouldn't a message of political and social equity apply to all Americans, not just one sex or the other? Unfortunately, Lurie is so enamored with his "mission" as to be blinded from reality and handicapped from making a prescient political film. "The Contender" is an interesting failure.
Average user rating (1-5):
[release]6350[/release]