At first, I was unsure why Columbia TriStar chose two mediocre titles like “The Patriot” and “Hollow Man” to showcase the studio’s stellar Superbit technology – which promises viewers the crispest audio transfers and video enhancements. Then I realized how eager I was to get my hands on the discs, and how excited I was when the titles arrived in the mail. A buzz had been generated around two films I might not have cared for. Mission accomplished.
However, is the Superbit technology applied to these films worth your time and money? We’ve experienced the use of the technology on titles like “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” and “Air Force One.” And while it does present an unparalleled audio transfer and brisk visuals, I argue that such a transfer is only necessary for a certain type of film – one that’s effects heavy (“Hollow Man” qualifies) and already equipped with sweeping, scenic landscapes and accompanied by a bombastic score (well, that’s “The Patriot”).The Superbit technology requires that all the supplements be relegated to a second disc, clearing the way for cleaner audio and video transfers. Would anyone mind rotating between two discs if that means the film on the first disc will be that much sharper? Hardly. So with “Hollow Man” and “The Patriot,” we get the full-length feature on Disc One, and a wealth of familiar features on Disc Two. Familiar, that is, if you bought these DVDs the first time around. The only thing missing in both instances is a commentary track. However, since the first batch of Superbit titles lacked extras completely – the studio considered the Superbit transfer “extra” enough – the presence of features on a second disc only adds to the DVDs’ already high value.“The Patriot”Watching Roland Emmerich’s mawkish, overlong blockbuster a second time, I was reminded just how powerful it could have (should have) been, and remain surprised at how often it dropped the ball in such competent hands. A slice of Americana, “Patriot” stars Mel Gibson as a former war hero and peaceful farmer who’s drawn into the Revolutionary War efforts despite his wishes when his oldest son (Heath Ledger) enlists. Listen, Emmerich’s not Spielberg. Nor should he aspire to be Spielberg. He specializes in popcorn thrillers, and I’d have been delighted if “Patriot” chose that path (once) and stuck with it. Instead, Emmerich displays a misplaced, heavy-handed “initiative,” and “The Patriot” suffers because of it, despite fine performances by Gibson, Ledger and a razor-sharp Jason Isaacs as the main villainThe DVD contains several extras, including three “Making Of” featurettes, six deleted scenes, a “Conceptual Art to Film Comparison” and a photo gallery. A fantastic second disc makes up for a disappointing film.Overall Grade: B”Hollow Man”We’ve all wondered what we’d do if we suddenly had been granted the power to turn invisible. Apparently, dirty old Paul Verhoeven would spy on gorgeous women as they change, and eventually, when drunk with power, he’d descend into murderous antics. Or so his “Hollow Man” would have us believe.“Hollow Man” resembles a perfectly slippery B-movie that’s backed with A-movie special effects. Kevin Bacon, as the scientist granted this miraculous power, deserves eggs with the ham he’s serving up here, and his team co-stars (including Elisabeth Shue and Josh Brolin) gleefully play along. But the real joy comes in the effects, which go to great lengths to show how an invisible man might be made visible – he’s cloaked with robes, doused with water and blood, burned, etc. Too bad they can’t expose the film’s many plot holes, as well. The “Hollow Man” DVD packs multiple features on Disc Two of the set. “Fleshing Out The Hollow Man” dives the deepest into the technology behind the film’s gimmick, while the HBO-produced “Anatomy of a Thriller” takes a more broad, behind-the-scenes approach. One fantastic “VFX Picture in Picture Comparison” feature shows how scenes were actually shot, with Bacon sporting several versions of skin-tight leotards, running simultaneously with the way the scene looks in the movie. Finally, there are three quick deleted scenes with a set-up from Verhoeven, and then a trailer and teaser.Overall Grade: B-By Sean O’ConnellMay 31, 2002