Million Dollar Baby is not a boxing film. Comparisons to Rocky or Raging Bull are pointless. This is more than that. It's deeper, more involved, and something else entirely.

To expect a boxing film, or worse, just a sports film, is setting yourself up for disappointment. With the exception of one fight, every match could be cut from the movie, and it wouldn't lose any of the impact. This isn't the overblown type of movie where each pugilist takes 1,000 punches to the head and keeps going either. It's a drama, and brilliant one at that.

It's the type of film where the performers acting are too good to be noticed. You're not thinking about Clint Eastwood or Morgan Freeman. You're watching Frankie Dunn and Eddie Dupris. The story doesn't stray very far from the beginning either. It's focused, giving full attention to a small set of flawlessly created characters, simply to create a final act that you'll never forget.

Unfortunately, some people believe there's some sort of political statement here. To believe that is your own fault, and the film is lost. What the characters do and how they make their decisions is how they're set up and what they have become. If you can't understand that, you're watching a different movie.

There's also a fantastic job of foreshadowing at work in which basic, natural conversation develops a character and sets up the sequences that come. Even if you figure out the end result early, it's practically impossible to know how it's actually going to happen. When that time comes, it's hard to watch. That's the sign of a truly great film.

If there are any complaints to be had, it's that the third act should come sooner. It's where the movie really picks up and becomes involving and the emotional attachment begins. Still, there's not a moment where this movie loses the impact it's trying to convey, whether it's through brief moments of humor or brutal drama. It deserves every piece of hype and every award it received. (***** out of *****)

The atmosphere here, with deep shadows (which characters are occasionally hidden behind) and slightly washed out colors, is preserved in this masterful transfer. Black levels are simply amazing, creating a necessary contrast against the bright colors. The muted, blue/green tone that finishes the film is captured as it should. Darker backgrounds feature noticeable grain and some of the final scenes have a major problem with chroma noise if your TV is not properly calibrated. Otherwise, this is a flawless transfer. (*****)