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The Movie:
Many have certainly compared it to Wolfgang Petersen's classic "Das Boot", and although "U571" isn't as good as that film, I really don't think it tried to be a similar picture. One thing that I am sure of is that director Jonathan Mostow, who first presented audiences with the twisty thriller "Breakdown", is certainly a talent to watch. Although "u571" makes some wrong turns, and doesn't really fill out the characters beyond many surface details, the tension that builds is undeniable. Although we don't find out that much about the characters, the fact that my heart was beating triple-time as well as that I was on the edge of my seat is evidence enough that we at least care about the fate of these characters.
The film revolves around a submarine crew summoned to leave their free time to embark on a top-secret mission. Their task is to grab a top secret encoding device from a German submarine and then get the device safely back to shore. I'm not going to go into details about what happens(unfortunately, the trailer ruins that for you), but things certainly take a turn for the worse, and what's left of the crew must head for safety. The crew is headed by Lt. Andrew Tyler(Matt McConaughey), and also includes the Chief(Harvey Keitel), Peter Emett(Jon Bon Jovi) and a sonar operator(Jack Noseworthy). It's not long before the Germans find out what's happened, and make their way after the stolen, crippled submarine.
The film takes a little while to get going, introducing us to the legion of lead and supporting characters, and getting the story underway. Once the introductions are over though, the film goes forth at an extremely intense pace, rocketing by while at the same time creating unbelievable tension. In fact, if anything, Mostow doesn't know when to stop - there are a few thrilling scenes towards the end that go on unbearably long, in a good way.
The acting delivers quite well, and the biggest suprise has to be Matt McConaughey as Lt. Tyler. We've seen the actor try weak drama ("A Time To Kill") and we've seen him act like an idiot(the awful "EDTV") - nothing before can really prepare for just how good his performance is here - perfectly intense and playing the drama to perfection. Also contributing solid supporting performances are Keitel, Bon Jovi and Jack Noseworthy.
"U-571" also delivers in one more element - the sound. Mostow works here with sound designer Jon Johnson("Independence Day", Mostow's "Breakdown") and crew to create an explosive environment, with every detail of the creaking ships to the roar of the depth charge explosions coming through perfectly in a theater with a good sound system.
There are some little things in "u571" that don't work, and times where we know where the movie is headed, but overall, it's a ride - and it's an extremely good one that I enjoyed.
The DVD
VIDEO: Although it's not as remarkable as "U571"'s phenomenal sound, the 2.35:1 anamorphic transfer is very positive in its own ways, with a bare minimum of flaws that are encountered. Sharpness is wonderful throughout much of the presentation, with only a couple of scenes that seemed the slightest bit soft. Detail is very good, and clarity even in many of the dark scenes in the film is not lacking.
There are only a few slight bumps along the way. A tiny bit of pixelation appears once or twice, although this is hardly a distraction at all. Otherwise, no shimmering is visible, and the print flaws are zero - no marks, no scratches, no nothing. Colors are bold and rich during some scenes in the film, although the interior of the submarine understandably has a more limited, subdued color palette.
Universal delivers quite well here. The layer change is at 1:03:16.
SOUND: For those who experienced "U571" in theaters, you know what you're getting into here. I've read that the sound for "U571" took a little over a year to create and whether that's accurate or not, I'll believe it. In my opinion, supervising sound editor Jon Johnson has created what is, at this point in time, one of the best and most thrilling film soundtracks ever. The moment after I walked out of the theater after seeing U571, I was counting the days until I was able to experience this film's outstanding audio on DVD.
Universal has included Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS 5.1 soundtracks on this DVD edition of "U571" and although the DTS does win out over the Dolby version in slightly in some areas, both soundtracks are simply stunning in terms of giving the viewer a sense of space and dimension and, of sheer power and force - two things of which this soundtrack has plenty of. Once this film really gets going, this is absolutely an amazing attack from the sound, and yet it's never distracting or used wrongly. This is a true you are there audio experience that really adds a marvelous amount of tension to the already exciting experience of the film.
Surrounds are used almost contstantly throughout the picture and really come into heavy play during many of the action sequences, where their use does a remarkably good job of placing the viewer in the middle of the experience. Surrounds even get some good subtle use now and then. Bass is immensely powerful, and many of the heavy action scenes have an almost shocking power behind them. The musical score is enjoyable and adds to the experience quite nicely, and it sounds very, very good here, coming through clearly and cleanly. Audio quality is fantastic, with no problems whatsoever and a clean, warm sound that is absolutely never the least bit harsh in any way.
The DTS audio improves slightly over the also excellent Dolby audio, soundingly slightly fuller, more detailed and more natural. Although the DTS version is slightly better, both soundtracks do a very good job at re-creating one of the more (or should I say, most?) stunning audio experiences on DVD. This is one of those films where the audio will not only wake the neighbors, but much of the rest of the block might wonder what's going on.
MENUS:: Universal offers some very enjoyable menus here; the main menu has some animation, and there is also various forms of animation when the viewer makes a choice (for example, a depth charge drops in once you select play). Easily navigated and a nice intro.
EXTRAS:
Commentary: This is a good commentary track from director Jonathan Mostow, who talks in great depth about the lengths that he had to go during the production to get a picture this large from script (his own) to screen. The discussion is a great balance of the usual elements of commentary chat - he does talk about the story and characters, but offers an interesting viewpoint on the events of the story rather than just telling the audience what's going on in the story at that point. A lot of time is also devoted to discussing how some of the bigger scenes were filmed, breaking down the details of what had to be done and how the actors were kept safe.
The general tone of the commentary is very good, too. Mostow seems energetic and involved in discussing his experiences on the film, and there are few pauses as he has quite a bit to discuss. Not only did I learn quite a bit about how the movie was made, but I enjoyed hearing about Mostow's views on filmmaking in general during points throughout the commentary. Definitely worth a listen.
Spotlight On Locations: Universal often adds these "spotlight on location" documentaries to their DVDs; some of them are great - some of them aren't. This one certainly leans towards the negative side. It runs around 15 minutes or so and mainly just gives us interviews about how the story came about, and often seems simply a promotional document.
Creating U-571: Although not as lengthy as the "spotlight", this featurette offers more interesting information than that documentary, showing the viewer how the subs were designed - taking the viewer on set to see preparation. It's very interesting to see the work and effort that went into creating the sets and details.
Inside The Engima: Another short featurette which talks about the realities of the Enigma coding. Definitely an interesting look at the real history behind "U571".
Britain Captures The U-110: Director Jonathan Mostow interviews Lt. Commander David Balme, who captured an Enigma machine during the war. He's fascinating to listen to, and I wished this documentary lasted longer than it did.
A Submariners WWII Experience: Again, Mostow serves as interviewer in a discussion with Vice Admiral Patrick Hannifin, who served as the technical advisor on "U571". Mostow proves to be a good interviewer again here, and it's interesting to hear about the experiences of the war.
Newsreel Footage: Footage of the U505 capture.
Also: Production notes and cast/crew bios, trailer for "U571"(Dolby Digital 5.1) and trailers for "Pitch Black"(which is one of the next titles I get to review) and "Ed TV".
Final Thoughts: Universal's Collector's Edition of "U571" is certainly a must-see; the sound quality really is the most outstanding element of the DVD - the audio really is agressive and often packs an enormous amount of power. Picture quality is good, as well. The movie is wonderfully thrilling and entertaining, and is highly recommended.
Film Grade
The Film A-
DVD Grades
Video 94/A = (376/400 possible points)
Audio: 100/A+ = (400/400 possible points)
Extras: 85/B = (255/300 possible points)
Menus: 89/B+ = (178/200 possible points)
Value: 88/B = (264/300 possible points)
TOTAL POINTS:1473/1600
DVD GRADE:A/92%
FILM GRADE: A-
DVD GRADE: A
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