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The 1997
Bruce Willis/Richard Gere remake of Day of the Jackal is a
hotly debated film. Some really enjoy the updated telling
of the story and find the action a welcome addition. Others
simply contend that the film sucks and no action or stars
would ever change their minds. No matter which side of the
argument you side with, you'll always have people opposed
to you.
When a Russian
Mafia organization sets its sights on making a terrorist statement
against America, they hire an assassin known only as the Jackal
(Bruce Willis) to do the job. For over twenty-years, the Jackal
has managed to evade the law and remained anonymous to everyone
around him. Well, almost everyone. An imprisoned former IRA
terrorist (Richard Gere) has made claims of knowing the identity
of the Jackal and may be the only hope the FBI has in figuring
out the Jackal's plan and how to stop him.
Is The Jackal
better than the original Day of the Jackal? No, not necessarily.
Is it a fine movie judged on its own merits? I think so. I
heard a lot of people complaining about Gere's Irish accent
or Bruce Willis being the villain, but I think that all these
elements work well when put together. This isn't supposed
to be very serious, it's an action movie. As an action movie,
I really kind of enjoy The Jackal.
Video: How Does The Disc Look?
The differences
in the Dolby Digital and DTS versions of The Jackal can be
found not only in the audio department, but in the video as
well. Both discs sport an excellent anamorphic widescreen
transfer. Each version is nearly identical in color, black
level, shadow detail, and overall detail. What I did find
slightly different is the DTS' lack of digital shimmer in
certain shots. At the 71-minute mark, during chapter 19 of
the Dolby Digital edition for example, this shimmer is visible
around the crow's feet next to Willis' eyes. On the DTS version,
the shimmer is not there. A check of the bitrate meter revealed
a rate of just under 6 on the DD with the same shot at 8.5
on the DTS. This is hardly a distraction on the DD version
and both editions will be sure to please.
Audio: How Does the Disc Sound?
Dolby Digital
vs. DTS, that is the question. First, let me state that the
Dolby Digital 5.1 version of The Jackal is excellent, with
great use of the surrounds and LFE channel. That said, I was
immediately drawn to the improvements the DTS version had
to offer. The simplest way to explain this is that when I
listened to the DD version, sound was directional and was
very specific to the soundstage. When I put in the DTS version,
the soundtrack was more three dimentional and actually moved
forward from the individual speakers to sound more full as
if a veil had been placed over the DD and then removed on
the DTS edition.
This fullness
was most apparent with the music. Instead of simply coming
from the speakers, the DTS filled the front soundstage not
only side to side, but with more depth as well. Bass reproduction
was also more defined in the DTS version, leaving the DD edition
sounding muddy. Dialog was clear on both versions and never
strained to be smooth. Surround use on both versions is excellent
with DTS edging past again due to the improvement in sidewall
and backwall imaging. With The Jackal I definitely prefer
the DTS edition, but without a DTS version to compare with,
the Dolby Digital 5.1 version is a fine example of great sound
design. The DTS version also contains an English 2.0 mix with
the DD edition also containing a French 2.0 mix. The DTS version
is devoid of any subtitling while the DD has English, French,
and Spanish subtitles.
Supplements: What Goodies Are There? The weak
link in the DTS chain is their unfortunate lack of supplemental
support. There are absolutely no extras to be found on the
DTS version while the Dolby Digital edition is a full-blown
collector's edition.
First on
the collector's edition is a running commentary from director
Michael Caton-Jones, which is average but nothing spectacular.
A 23-minute documentary, "Making of The Jackal," offers an
interesting insider look into the making of the film with
interviews with cast and crew. They offer reasoning into why
the remake and what they were up against in filming. After
the documentary, a large offering of deleted scenes are featured
with intros from the director. The film's alternate ending
is then available which offers a slightly altered view of
the film's actual ending. Rounding out the disc are the original
theatrical trailer, a still gallery, production notes, and
cast and crew bios.
Parting Thoughts
The improvements
in the audio department are hardly justification for the DTS
version to come out on top. The Dolby Digital edition does
distinguish itself by a wide margin through its supplements
and it's a shame that Universal didn't see the idiocy of charging
the exact same price for such wildly different content. Unless
you're solely interested in the video and audio quality of
the film, I'd go with the Dolby Digital version. The audio
differences are substantial, but so are the supplements.
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>Dolby
Digital Edition
DTS
Edition
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