It should also be noted that different shooting formats were employed, including a standard hand-held home video camera during some of the training. Certain rescues scenes feature a fine grain stock. It’s nothing against the transfer, yet it’s worth noting for those not expecting it. 
During its action scenes, Guardian delivers the audible goods. Waves deliver heavy bass, the swirling winds fill the sound field, and creaking ships come through in stunning clarity. This PCM mix is more than spectacular there, yet it dies elsewhere. There’s no sense of ambient audio during scenes such as the bar, where various outside conversations sit in the front channels. That said, the action is pure demo material.
Annoyingly, the disc does not have a main menu, and every time you try to access it, you’re asked to select from a standard or “enhanced” version of the film. The enhanced part comes from a unique Filmmaker Q&A where you select a question from a list, and it’s answered. Since the disc was an early release for the format, it’s nowhere near as smooth or as easy to use as some newer features. Plus, the content is only available through this feature. You can’t access it without watching the movie.
For those that don’t want to deal with all of that, a commentary from director Andrew Davis and writer Ron Brinkerhoff will fill in the blanks. Some deleted scenes along with an alternate ending are included. Despite its forced emotional push, the ending in the film was a better choice. A promotional "making of" is followed with a nice piece on the real Coast Guard. 
As a side note, the back of the case ruins the ending for those who haven’t seen the film. It’s an appalling oversight that someone should have caught prior to printing. In other words, don’t read the extras if you’re thinking about watching this one.
.jpg?t=20120527181101)
Article comments