"Frequency" was one of those films that was carried along by very good word of mouth. Although it didn't have a particularly stunning opening weekend, it just kept on going (the film's first weekend was April 3, 2000 - its last week was September 10th) - eventually taking in a very respectable amount at the box office. The film was directed by Gregory Hoblit, who has met with mixed success with films from "Primal Fear" to "Fallen". He strikes me as a good director who chooses material that doesn't quite have all of the pieces of the puzzle come together.

That happens again in "Frequency", a supernatural thriller that starts off very well but slowly begins to run off the tracks as it heads in different directions. The film starts off introducing us to Frank Sullivan(Dennis Quaid) a firefighter who finds out early in the film that he and his son John(Jim Caviezel, in a role that originally Ed Burns was cast in) are able to communicate via HAM radio. The only difference here? That the two are 30 years apart, and that John knows that his father has passed away - and he tries to prevent it.

I believe it not ruining the twists and details of some films and "Frequency" falls into that catagory. John attempts to prevent, and his actions set into motion other problems that the two must solve - somewhat of a more serious "Back To The Future" with a bit of "Backdraft" thrown in. The cause of why the younger son is able to communicate with his father is shown as a series of solar events - the details of which are not explained, and in this case, they don't really need to be.

The performances are generally good. Caviezel's a very subtle performer - sometimes more than he should be, and that's the case here. A bit more energy would have added to the interest in the character. Quaid, on the other hand, plays Frank quite effectively. The film definitely forces the viewer to suspend disbelief, and atlhough the logic isn't always there, the film doesn't go to absurd levels and stays acceptable. Again, the earliest moments of the film worked the absolute best for me, as a film about a father and son that plays as an emotional, engaging drama (I'll admit, there were a few moments that brought a couple real tears) - that's why it's unfortunate that the film turns into more of a thriller as it goes on.

"Frequency" has some issues, especially in the later half, but overall, Hoblit does as good as he can with the material.

The DVD

VIDEO: New Line, much like fellow studio Warner Brothers, has seemingly found a way to improve their output even further past their previously outstanding works. Recent titles like "Final Destination" and "Love and Basketball" look marvelous, and "Frequency" looks even more impressive. This is a perfectly smooth, well-defined presentation where flaws are almost non-existent. Detail and clarity are first rate, and there's a very pleasing depth and richness to the image that, combined with the enjoyable cinematography, makes for a great viewing experience.

Colors are beautiful as well, looking bold and well-saturated with no flaws at all. Speaking of flaws, it's incredibly hard to find any with this presentation. To go into detail, I saw the slightest bit of shimmer on one or two occasions, but this is so minor as to be practically non-existent.

This is a really impressive presentation that looks excellent. New Line deserves praise for such solid work that really looks consistently enjoyable throughout.

SOUND: I didn't quite know what to expect with the audio from "Frequency"'s Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack, but I found it to be a pretty entertaining presentation. A lot of it does stick to the expected with a mainly dialogue-driven presentation, but during the more intense sequences, it does begin to use the surrounds more actively. Michael Kamen's score comes through very well, sounding rich and full-bodied throughout.

Although not constantly agressive, the sound does engage the viewer quite effectively when neccessary. Those responsible for the sound did a fine job, not overdoing it, but certainly not missing opportunities to create a more entertaining experience. A very good and certainly quite pleasing surprise of a soundtrack.

MENUS:Menus contain nicely done animation and film-themed images; although not the most remarkable menus New Line has produced, they're still very well-done.

EXTRAS:

Commentary: This is a very engaging commentary from director Gregory Hoblit, who pulled me in at the very begining as he discusses both the way that the movie came into being with the history with the studio as well as the reality that he wanted to have to the movie, whether it be the way that firemen work or trying to get at least a partial logic to the solar/space issues that are used in the movie.

Although there are some pauses here and there throughout the commentary track, what I really liked about the track was that Hoblit is able to offer enough info so that it's pretty rare that he actually falls back to simply talking about what's happening on-screen. We learn quite a bit about the production from the preparation down to some of the more technical details such as the film's few effects sequences. Hoblit talks about the story details, but his analysis of characters is interesting and enjoyable - especially interesting is the details of the story that he wanted and differences between the original ideas and final movie. I would have liked a few less pauses, but the director does a very good job of getting to the point of presenting the most important information when he does talk.

Commentary Two: This is a commentary by the brothers Emmerich, Screenwriter Toby and actor Noah. This is a bit more informal track that talks a bit more about the details of the story as writer Emmerich details where he came up with the details of the movie and also, some of the minor details that were changed between script and screen. The majority of the talk revolves around the two commenting on what they think of certain scenes and details of the movie. A few pauses come up now and then, as well. I didn't find this track quite as informative as Hoblit's, but for more intense fans of the movie, this might be worth a listen.

Important Note: To get the absolute most information possible, there is also a subtitle track that offers quite a lot of production and general information about the events shown in the movie and some real life historical information. It really offers quite a bit of interesting tidbits and might be something that people would like to watch either during the film or as a supplement to the experience of listening to the commentary. Also, there is an isolated score in Dolby Digital 5.1 with comments by composer Michael Kamen when the music isn't playing.

The Science Of Frequency: This is a 36 minute documentary that takes the comments in Hoblit's commentary about the research that he did to make the "scientific" events of the film at least seem more logical and have them rooted in at least some elements of reality. Interesting to watch, but rather technical at times and something that most will probably be satisfied watching once. Some of the other pieces later in the documentary such as the piece on fire fighters proves a bit more interesting to watch.

Trailer: The film's trailer, presented in 1.85:1 and Dolby Digital 5.1.

Deleted Scenes: 4 enjoyable deleted scenes that are fun to watch on their own, but don't really work within the movie that much. Presented in fine condition, they're in Dolby 2.0.

Conceptual Gallery: We even get a multiple-angle extra! Instead of a "gallery" in the sense that we're used to, this is a feature where the viewer can see each step of the opening effects scene - rough 3d animation, animation with lighting, complex animation and final film.

Also: Cast and crew bios.

DVD-Rom Features: Viewers can watch the movie while also being shown other elements such as artwork or storyboards; the original theatrical website; game demo, Lord Of The Rings browser and more.

Final Thoughts: There really is no stopping New Line, is there? That's a very good thing because they do a remarkable job again here, with an excellent effort in every catagory. The movie works more often than not, and is definitely worth a look as at least a rental. Those who enjoyed the movie and are looking forward to the DVD release will be very pleased with the results of New Line's work - again, the studio almost never dissapoints. In fact, the only thing I really don't like here is the cover art, which is different from the poster art.