You might not forget "The Forgotten" because it taps into one of the most basic human emotions: the strongest of bonds between a mother and a child.
Video:
Much of this film is shot in subdued or atmospheric light, and yet the clarity and picture quality is superb. The 91-minute film is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen, mastered in High Definition. There are several scenes which are grainy, but they seem exaggerated enough to have been deliberate—a reflection of the main character's mental state, rather than a technical deficiency. Likewise, the color palette isn't exactly bright and sunny—it's more overcast, but again, this seems like a deliberate decision of the director, and one which certainly matches the mood and atmosphere of the film.
Audio:
The soundtrack options are English, French, or Thai Dolby Digital 5.1, with subtitles in English, French, Chinese, Korean, and Thai. Again, no complaints, especially as there seems to be plenty of rear-action, and that's almost a requisite for thrillers to make you jump right out of your seats.
Extras:
What's one monotone times two? I don't want to be cruel, but the commentary by director Joseph Ruben and writer Gerald DiPego is one of the most boring I've had to sit through. If I wasn't reviewing this, I'd have shut it off ten minutes into the drone. Yes, they said some things that were worth saying and hearing, at times, but for the most part it felt as if the pair were just filling air time, and without the aid of a Coke, a Pepsi, or a double cappuccino. The other features are a little better, but still pretty standard. There's a 20-minute "Remembering 'The Forgotten'" feature where DiPego says it all started not with a "Back to the Future" filmfest, but with a dream where a photo of a couple with a son suddenly had the son fade away. He woke up, started writing, and the result was a screenplay that sold within 24 hours after his agent started showing it. The original script placed the action in Boston, but director Ruben says they shifted to New York because it was more visually exciting--which should provide some incentive for Boston to somehow beat the Yankees again next year. It's a decent but not spectacular feature that shows some recreations of stunts.
The "making of" feature is, as is happening all too often, something that one suspects was made to do double duty: promote the film on television, and then double as a DVD extra. It's much more an introduction and summary teaser than it is a behind-the-scenes reveal. The only other extras—and don't be fooled by the box teaser which promises two versions of the film, the theatrical version and an expanded version with alternate ending—are a 10-minute alternate ending and two deleted scenes that total just a few minutes. The alternate ending is interesting, but it's easy to see why it was cut: too much exposition, too much telling rather than showing, and, frankly, more of a bummer than the theatrical version. It's inclusion pretty much confirms Ruben's instincts as a top director of thrillers. Yes, it's neat that you can actually watch those inserted into the film, but I'm not sure that it's all that big of a deal, like it was a director's cut or anything.
Bottom Line:
You might not forget "The Forgotten" because it taps into one of the most basic human emotions: the strongest of bonds between a mother and a child. Some viewers might find the straddling approach between genres annoying, and there is that erased photo thing that conjures up images of Michael J. Fox. But this film provides solid entertainment and keeps you guessing throughout, which, of course, is the whole point of a thriller. Anything else is just gravy.
Much of this film is shot in subdued or atmospheric light, and yet the clarity and picture quality is superb. The 91-minute film is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen, mastered in High Definition. There are several scenes which are grainy, but they seem exaggerated enough to have been deliberate—a reflection of the main character's mental state, rather than a technical deficiency. Likewise, the color palette isn't exactly bright and sunny—it's more overcast, but again, this seems like a deliberate decision of the director, and one which certainly matches the mood and atmosphere of the film.
Audio:
The soundtrack options are English, French, or Thai Dolby Digital 5.1, with subtitles in English, French, Chinese, Korean, and Thai. Again, no complaints, especially as there seems to be plenty of rear-action, and that's almost a requisite for thrillers to make you jump right out of your seats.
Extras:
What's one monotone times two? I don't want to be cruel, but the commentary by director Joseph Ruben and writer Gerald DiPego is one of the most boring I've had to sit through. If I wasn't reviewing this, I'd have shut it off ten minutes into the drone. Yes, they said some things that were worth saying and hearing, at times, but for the most part it felt as if the pair were just filling air time, and without the aid of a Coke, a Pepsi, or a double cappuccino. The other features are a little better, but still pretty standard. There's a 20-minute "Remembering 'The Forgotten'" feature where DiPego says it all started not with a "Back to the Future" filmfest, but with a dream where a photo of a couple with a son suddenly had the son fade away. He woke up, started writing, and the result was a screenplay that sold within 24 hours after his agent started showing it. The original script placed the action in Boston, but director Ruben says they shifted to New York because it was more visually exciting--which should provide some incentive for Boston to somehow beat the Yankees again next year. It's a decent but not spectacular feature that shows some recreations of stunts.
The "making of" feature is, as is happening all too often, something that one suspects was made to do double duty: promote the film on television, and then double as a DVD extra. It's much more an introduction and summary teaser than it is a behind-the-scenes reveal. The only other extras—and don't be fooled by the box teaser which promises two versions of the film, the theatrical version and an expanded version with alternate ending—are a 10-minute alternate ending and two deleted scenes that total just a few minutes. The alternate ending is interesting, but it's easy to see why it was cut: too much exposition, too much telling rather than showing, and, frankly, more of a bummer than the theatrical version. It's inclusion pretty much confirms Ruben's instincts as a top director of thrillers. Yes, it's neat that you can actually watch those inserted into the film, but I'm not sure that it's all that big of a deal, like it was a director's cut or anything.
Bottom Line:
You might not forget "The Forgotten" because it taps into one of the most basic human emotions: the strongest of bonds between a mother and a child. Some viewers might find the straddling approach between genres annoying, and there is that erased photo thing that conjures up images of Michael J. Fox. But this film provides solid entertainment and keeps you guessing throughout, which, of course, is the whole point of a thriller. Anything else is just gravy.
![Lost [TV Series]](/images/displaymedia.php?id=23770&sizew=70&cat=3)
Average user rating (1-5):
[release]13847[/release]