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Vertical Limit: Superbit
Columbia/Tri-Star // PG-13 // March 19, 2002
List Price: $27.98 [Buy now and save at Amazon]
The Movie:
After rock climbing gained newfound popularity with the best-selling book "Into Thin Air" and the mostly terrific IMAX feature "Everest", it became apparent to me that a big-budget action picture could be made out of the situation - in steps "Vertical Limit", a solid idea for a movie that could have likely chosen a better lead actor.
Chris O'Donnell stars as Peter Garrett, a National Geographic photographer. The opening sequence, a terrifying and tragic one, results in sadness and Peter and his sister Annie(Robin Tunney), both experienced climbers, going their separate ways. Years later, Annie is helping billionare Elliot Vaughn (Bill Paxton) up K2 to wave to the inagural flight of his new airline company as it passes by (no, I'm not kidding. It sounded rather silly to me, too.). A team lead by Annie and climber Tom McClaren(Nicholas Lea) heads up the mountain, but the weather begins to become threatening.
As expected, Elliot doesn't heed the warnings of Tom or anyone else, and decides to continue up the mountain, where disaster strikes, trapping Annie, Tom and Elliot in the middle of an ice cavern. Peter gets together a rescue team to go up and save the stranded climbers. Of course, they must take nitroglycerin up to blow up the cave wall so they could get in, but as one might expect, things don't go quite as planned. Several characters join in the proceeding search party, but we hardly get to know anything about any one of them before they're dispatched.
This brings us to the screenplay, which is generally mediocre, but can sometimes be poor. I can see where someone would look at it and visually, be able to imagine a very cool looking film. But the dialogue and characters are weakly written to the point where one might first question the judgement of dropping $75 million on the film's budget. A favorite line - "it's not going to be just snow, it's going to be rock and ice." (stating the rather obvious.)
Speaking of questionable judgement, one must wonder if other actors either weren't available, or Chris O'Donnell was the only one who took an interest in the film's script, figuring the film might get his deservedly slow career back on track. Previously, I had greatly disliked the acting of Matthew McConaughey until he really showed he has serious talent in "U-571". Those expecting a change from O'Donnell into a dramatic actor aren't going to find it here.
But, I must give credit to director Martin Campbell for making all of this watchable, and occasionally moderately entertaining. Campbell helmed one of the best recent Bond pictures with 1995's "Goldeneye" and did wonderfully well with the thrilling action film "Mask Of Zorro" a few years back. Also, cinematographer David Tattersall("Star Wars: Episode 1" and the upcoming "Episode 2") at least makes the film look stunning (although the choice to film in 1.85:1 instead of 2.35:1 is a strange and unfortunate one). Sound design by supervising sound editor David McMoyler (whose previous efforts include "Mask of Zorro" and, appropriate for this film, "Cliffhanger") and team is also outstanding; the audio is wonderfully convincing of the dangerous mountain environment.
What doesn't always look stunning though, are the film's visual effects. Some of them look pretty respectable, while others are suprisingly unconvincing for a budget as big as this film's was (although none are nearly as bad as a fake bird as the film opens, which looks a little silly). One of the better sequences involves a climber securing himself just as he's about to go over the side of the mountain; successfully tense sequences like this are more of what "Limit" needed.
It's not a complete failure and much of it remained watchable, but "Vertical Limit" remains dissapointing in the fact that, with a better lead actor and screenplay, it had the potential to be something much more.
The DVD
VIDEO: Columbia/Tristar's original edition of "Vertical Limit" was released last Spring and impressed many. While not flawless (and viewing it again a couple of months ago, I wasn't quite as pleased as I was originally), it still was a really stunning piece of work at times, showing off incredible clarity and remarkable detail at times. That said, it really surprised me greatly that Columbia/Tristar would add this to their "Superbit" line. The "Superbits", known for deleting extras and other touches in hopes of making the most space for optimal audio/video quality, do hope to provide an even stronger visual/audio presentation. Yet, when you've already offered an often amazing presentation on the original release, how far could Tristar improve here?
Honestly, the answer is not a whole lot. Sharpness and detail were exceptional on the original release, to the point where you could clearly see every hair on the actor's head, and is once again superb again here. While sharpness may be even a bit improved here, the differences in this regard are minor.
Some stray flaws return again for this edition. The couple of specks on the print used are once again seen here, but hardly are noticable. Edge enhancement is also seen again, although seemingly not as apparent this time around. No pixelation or other flaws were seen on the first release and they don't show up this time. The film is certainly very white, given all the snow, but the clothing and other elements provide rich, vivid colors that look magnificent and practically pop off the screen. The original edition of "Vertical Limit" looked fantastic and while this new "Superbit" edition may provide some improvements, they're slight and certainly not night-and-day differences.
SOUND: "Vertical Limit" was presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 for the original DVD edition. This "Superbit" edition retains the Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack, but also offers the option of a DTS 5.1 edition of the soundtrack. Although a good deal of the early part of the film is dialogue-driven, as expected, the sound presentation becomes very exciting once the film really gets going. The sound experience becomes a very agressive one during the mountain sequences, as helicopters sound convincingly as if they're in the same room as you. Winds occasionally whip through the listening space as well, sounding natural and forceful enough to be chilling.
As I mentioned before, some of the effects aren't quite as convincing as they should be, which is why I was so pleased that the sound design of the movie was excellent and thrilling enough to make up where the visuals sometimes lacked. Surrounds are often incredibly active during the most intense sequences, from the subtle cracking in the ice caves to the tremendous explosion when a can of nitro gets loose and takes a good chunk of the moutain with it in more than one scene in the movie. The explosions (as well as some of the other action scenes) provide heavy, strong low bass.
Audio quality is excellent, as the effects sound warm and crisp, and James Newton Howard's score comes through clearly. Dialogue also sounds clear, even above all the rest of the chaos. A very, very good audio presentation that adds a good deal of excitement and thrills. Definitely some amazing specific sequences, audio-wise.
While the differences on this "Superbit" edition in terms of video quality did not seem major, the differences in audio quality were more sizable as I went back and forth attempting to compare the two. The Dolby Digital 5.1 presentation had impressed me before, but going back and forth between the Dolby Digital and DTS soundtracks, the DTS version did provide noticable improvements. The film does pack some pretty stunning explosions and, while the power is apparent on the Dolby version, these scenes seemed more forceful and enveloping on the DTS edition. The differences also extended to the smaller details. This film has a considerable amount of nice environmental detail; winds whip around the listening space quite convincingly and their presence seemed more seamless and enveloping on the DTS edition, as the Dolby seemed a bit more "speaker-specific". The DTS version also provided slightly better overall clarity and low-bass that was more fierce. Even James Newton Howard's score seemed to have more presence and impact. The Dolby Digital soundtrack still remains very good, but the DTS soundtrack was even better.
MENUS: As with the rest of the "Superbit" editions, menus are minimal in order to save space.
EXTRAS: As with the rest of the "Superbit" editions, there are no extras. This will change, as Columbia plans to offer "Superbit Deluxe" editions in the future. The original edition of the film contained several featurettes as well as a good producer/director commentary, among other things.
Final Thoughts: The merits of "Vertical Limit" as a film can be debated; I understand it's only basic entertainment, but the situations can become a bit too ridiculous and the screenplay could have used some work. Chris O'Donnell certainly wasn't the best choice, either. Still, it has its moments. Columbia/Tristar's original edition of "Vertical Limit" was a very nice Special Edition with exceptional audio/video quality. This "Superbit" edition does not contain any of the extras (most of which were pretty informative), but does slightly improve video quality and offer a DTS audio track that provides a moderately better audio experience. Overall, it's a reference quality presentation. In the case of many of the Superbit releases, the original edition has been repriced downwards considerably, but in this case, the original edition remains similarly priced. Those interested in pure performance should seek out this new edition of "Vertical Limit", while those interested in a more well-rounded package should seek out the original.
After rock climbing gained newfound popularity with the best-selling book "Into Thin Air" and the mostly terrific IMAX feature "Everest", it became apparent to me that a big-budget action picture could be made out of the situation - in steps "Vertical Limit", a solid idea for a movie that could have likely chosen a better lead actor.
Chris O'Donnell stars as Peter Garrett, a National Geographic photographer. The opening sequence, a terrifying and tragic one, results in sadness and Peter and his sister Annie(Robin Tunney), both experienced climbers, going their separate ways. Years later, Annie is helping billionare Elliot Vaughn (Bill Paxton) up K2 to wave to the inagural flight of his new airline company as it passes by (no, I'm not kidding. It sounded rather silly to me, too.). A team lead by Annie and climber Tom McClaren(Nicholas Lea) heads up the mountain, but the weather begins to become threatening.
As expected, Elliot doesn't heed the warnings of Tom or anyone else, and decides to continue up the mountain, where disaster strikes, trapping Annie, Tom and Elliot in the middle of an ice cavern. Peter gets together a rescue team to go up and save the stranded climbers. Of course, they must take nitroglycerin up to blow up the cave wall so they could get in, but as one might expect, things don't go quite as planned. Several characters join in the proceeding search party, but we hardly get to know anything about any one of them before they're dispatched.
This brings us to the screenplay, which is generally mediocre, but can sometimes be poor. I can see where someone would look at it and visually, be able to imagine a very cool looking film. But the dialogue and characters are weakly written to the point where one might first question the judgement of dropping $75 million on the film's budget. A favorite line - "it's not going to be just snow, it's going to be rock and ice." (stating the rather obvious.)
Speaking of questionable judgement, one must wonder if other actors either weren't available, or Chris O'Donnell was the only one who took an interest in the film's script, figuring the film might get his deservedly slow career back on track. Previously, I had greatly disliked the acting of Matthew McConaughey until he really showed he has serious talent in "U-571". Those expecting a change from O'Donnell into a dramatic actor aren't going to find it here.
But, I must give credit to director Martin Campbell for making all of this watchable, and occasionally moderately entertaining. Campbell helmed one of the best recent Bond pictures with 1995's "Goldeneye" and did wonderfully well with the thrilling action film "Mask Of Zorro" a few years back. Also, cinematographer David Tattersall("Star Wars: Episode 1" and the upcoming "Episode 2") at least makes the film look stunning (although the choice to film in 1.85:1 instead of 2.35:1 is a strange and unfortunate one). Sound design by supervising sound editor David McMoyler (whose previous efforts include "Mask of Zorro" and, appropriate for this film, "Cliffhanger") and team is also outstanding; the audio is wonderfully convincing of the dangerous mountain environment.
What doesn't always look stunning though, are the film's visual effects. Some of them look pretty respectable, while others are suprisingly unconvincing for a budget as big as this film's was (although none are nearly as bad as a fake bird as the film opens, which looks a little silly). One of the better sequences involves a climber securing himself just as he's about to go over the side of the mountain; successfully tense sequences like this are more of what "Limit" needed.
It's not a complete failure and much of it remained watchable, but "Vertical Limit" remains dissapointing in the fact that, with a better lead actor and screenplay, it had the potential to be something much more.
The DVD
VIDEO: Columbia/Tristar's original edition of "Vertical Limit" was released last Spring and impressed many. While not flawless (and viewing it again a couple of months ago, I wasn't quite as pleased as I was originally), it still was a really stunning piece of work at times, showing off incredible clarity and remarkable detail at times. That said, it really surprised me greatly that Columbia/Tristar would add this to their "Superbit" line. The "Superbits", known for deleting extras and other touches in hopes of making the most space for optimal audio/video quality, do hope to provide an even stronger visual/audio presentation. Yet, when you've already offered an often amazing presentation on the original release, how far could Tristar improve here?
Honestly, the answer is not a whole lot. Sharpness and detail were exceptional on the original release, to the point where you could clearly see every hair on the actor's head, and is once again superb again here. While sharpness may be even a bit improved here, the differences in this regard are minor.
Some stray flaws return again for this edition. The couple of specks on the print used are once again seen here, but hardly are noticable. Edge enhancement is also seen again, although seemingly not as apparent this time around. No pixelation or other flaws were seen on the first release and they don't show up this time. The film is certainly very white, given all the snow, but the clothing and other elements provide rich, vivid colors that look magnificent and practically pop off the screen. The original edition of "Vertical Limit" looked fantastic and while this new "Superbit" edition may provide some improvements, they're slight and certainly not night-and-day differences.
SOUND: "Vertical Limit" was presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 for the original DVD edition. This "Superbit" edition retains the Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack, but also offers the option of a DTS 5.1 edition of the soundtrack. Although a good deal of the early part of the film is dialogue-driven, as expected, the sound presentation becomes very exciting once the film really gets going. The sound experience becomes a very agressive one during the mountain sequences, as helicopters sound convincingly as if they're in the same room as you. Winds occasionally whip through the listening space as well, sounding natural and forceful enough to be chilling.
As I mentioned before, some of the effects aren't quite as convincing as they should be, which is why I was so pleased that the sound design of the movie was excellent and thrilling enough to make up where the visuals sometimes lacked. Surrounds are often incredibly active during the most intense sequences, from the subtle cracking in the ice caves to the tremendous explosion when a can of nitro gets loose and takes a good chunk of the moutain with it in more than one scene in the movie. The explosions (as well as some of the other action scenes) provide heavy, strong low bass.
Audio quality is excellent, as the effects sound warm and crisp, and James Newton Howard's score comes through clearly. Dialogue also sounds clear, even above all the rest of the chaos. A very, very good audio presentation that adds a good deal of excitement and thrills. Definitely some amazing specific sequences, audio-wise.
While the differences on this "Superbit" edition in terms of video quality did not seem major, the differences in audio quality were more sizable as I went back and forth attempting to compare the two. The Dolby Digital 5.1 presentation had impressed me before, but going back and forth between the Dolby Digital and DTS soundtracks, the DTS version did provide noticable improvements. The film does pack some pretty stunning explosions and, while the power is apparent on the Dolby version, these scenes seemed more forceful and enveloping on the DTS edition. The differences also extended to the smaller details. This film has a considerable amount of nice environmental detail; winds whip around the listening space quite convincingly and their presence seemed more seamless and enveloping on the DTS edition, as the Dolby seemed a bit more "speaker-specific". The DTS version also provided slightly better overall clarity and low-bass that was more fierce. Even James Newton Howard's score seemed to have more presence and impact. The Dolby Digital soundtrack still remains very good, but the DTS soundtrack was even better.
MENUS: As with the rest of the "Superbit" editions, menus are minimal in order to save space.
EXTRAS: As with the rest of the "Superbit" editions, there are no extras. This will change, as Columbia plans to offer "Superbit Deluxe" editions in the future. The original edition of the film contained several featurettes as well as a good producer/director commentary, among other things.
Final Thoughts: The merits of "Vertical Limit" as a film can be debated; I understand it's only basic entertainment, but the situations can become a bit too ridiculous and the screenplay could have used some work. Chris O'Donnell certainly wasn't the best choice, either. Still, it has its moments. Columbia/Tristar's original edition of "Vertical Limit" was a very nice Special Edition with exceptional audio/video quality. This "Superbit" edition does not contain any of the extras (most of which were pretty informative), but does slightly improve video quality and offer a DTS audio track that provides a moderately better audio experience. Overall, it's a reference quality presentation. In the case of many of the Superbit releases, the original edition has been repriced downwards considerably, but in this case, the original edition remains similarly priced. Those interested in pure performance should seek out this new edition of "Vertical Limit", while those interested in a more well-rounded package should seek out the original.
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