It's rare for a crowd to be noticeably immersive. Usually it's subtle and hard to detect, but not here. Fans ringside spout banter and chant, and it's all coming from a different direction than the basic audience cheering and reactions. There's little to no LFE use here, keeping the boxing scenes far more subdued than something like Rocky. That's not a complaint; it keeps the subtlety the movie is going for. Dialogue is a problem, though it's not a problem with the audio mix. There's a lot of low level talking going on, and the assistance of subtitles may be necessary. (****)
There are two versions of the DVD available. The three-disc set contains the soundtrack, and that's the only thing not included in the standard two-disc set. Strangely, this shouldn't be a dual disc presentation. The features are meager, and could have (should have for that matter) been included on a single disc.
Producers Round 15 is a basic talking heads feature (like much of the special features) as they discuss the influences and reasons behind making the film. Born to Fight runs 19-minutes as Hilary Swank discusses her training alongside the other actors who showcase their characters. James Lipton Takes on Three is an interview with the three main stars. The theatrical trailer resides on the same disc as the film. (**)
If you have not seen this movie, do not let anyone ruin it by spoiling the ending. The entire movie depends on it. Second time viewers will find it just as hard to take. It loses no impact. It's a film that practically requires a second viewing.
Edited: Tan The Man
Article comments
1 - Chris Evans
I LOVED this movie, I thought it was brilliant. The writing (<3 Paul Haggis--Crash), the acting, the directing...all brilliant. At the moment where Clint speaks to Hilary right before he does you know what to her in the hospital....He tells her what that word means..I forget what it was...and he says it means "My darling, my blood"...I lost it. I sobbed on my bedroom floor for hours after this movie.
2 - Matt Paprocki
You know, I expected to cry, I really did. I didn't mostly because I accepted it and understood why it had to be that way. Ladder 49 is one that really hit me though. That one had me depressed for weeks.
By the way, anyone know of the signifigance of the final shot (the diner)?
3 - Tan The Man
I'll have to admit that this movie hit me harder than Mystic River did. I think Eastwood picked two really good scripts to do back-to-back in that both deal with raw and very real characters. I can't wait for his next movie on World War II and the battle of Iwa Jima.
4 - El Bicho
In most tradgies, the formula is that the hero exceeds the boundaries of his world, in effect, acting like a god.
This results in him being punished with a literal death, McMurty from "Cuckoo's Nest" and Luke from "Cool Hand Luke," or a figurative one like isolation from society, Robert from "Five Easy Pieces" who heads off to Alaska. That's why Frank is alone in the diner.