U-571, Blu-ray (2008, Original release 2000)
Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Pill Paxton, Harvey Keitel, Jon Bon Jovi
Director: Jonathan Mostow
Studio: Universal [Release date: Aug. 26, 08]
Video: 2.35:1 anamorphic/enhanced for 16:9, 1080p HD
Audio: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, English/French DD Plus 5.1, English DD 2.0
Extras: Bonus View PIP Commentary and Featurettes, Audio Commentary
Subtitles: English, Spanish, French
Length: 117 minutes
Rating: ***
I’m a huge fan of the “submarine” genre of filmmaking, and classic movies like Das Boot, Red October and Crimson Tide are in regular viewing rotation in my library of catalog titles. All those films feature not only superb visuals and compelling action sequences, but also equally superb acting among the principals and supporting players. The drama is rarely less than intense and edge-of-your seat, and all three films offer an exceptionally satisfying viewing experience. Needless to say, I had high hopes for U-571, an Americanized version of a true story (British sailors were actually responsible for much of the action here). The movie focuses on the capture of the “Enigma” device, the code machine which allowed Allied forces to break German naval code messages and eventually hasten the end of WWII.
Unfortunately, the conscious choice of the writers and director to stray from the actual events is compounded by the relatively uninspired and wooden performances from just about everyone involved, and led (for me) to an ultimately unsatisfying movie experience. I know that moviemakers often take serious carte blanche with story lines; a clear example is the recent Lord Of The Rings trilogy. And while I still think that those films are the most fully realized visual version of the books we’ll ever see, I can’t help but wonder what might have been had Peter Jackson stayed more true to Tolkien’s vision. And where the hell is Tom Bombadil?
Despite its shortcomings from an artistic standpoint, technically, this disc is a knockout, and offers an impressive home theater experience. The image quality is nothing short of stunning, with crisp, clear visuals and magnificent color representation throughout. I saw no trace of any type of artifacting, and grain was never apparent. Contrast and retention of detail were also superb. The DTS HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack was also a significant upgrade over previous versions of this film, and offered a truly immersive surround sound experience. I was literally blown away by how great this film sounded and looked; it almost allowed me to transcend my criticisms of the film artistically and gain some measure of enjoyment watching. The disc also includes a generous offering of bonus materials; for those with Profile 1.1 capable equipment, there’s a really good selection of picture-in-picture featurettes and commentaries that are available to view while the main movie rolls on, and the functionality of these items was nearly seamless.
As a one-off (and especially for fans of Matthew McConaughey or Jon Bon Jovi), U-571 makes for a pretty enjoyable home theater experience. While definitely not the kind of film I’d reach for time and again, the near-reference audio and video quality do offer it some redeeming value (lifting it to three stars), and fans of the film will consider this excellent Blu-ray disc the definitive version to own. For the rest of us, though, a rental will probably suffice.
— Tom Gibbs
