The Man Without A Face is the 1993 directorial debut from Mel Gibson. Based on the book by Isabelle Holland, it tells the story of Justin McLeod (Gibson), a man horribly scarred and disfigured after a terrible automobile accident. In the years since this accident, Justin has lived quietly out of view in a small town in Maine. Needless to say, he doesn't have much of a social life, and is generally ignored by everyone around him...unless you count gossip and finger-pointing.

An unlikely friend surfaces in the form of young Chuck Norstadt (Nick Stahl), who doesn't have a male role model in his life. He lives at home with his mother and sisters, and also feels like somewhat of a social outcast. The differences between Chuck and Justin are many, but each feels a need for companionship that far outweighs the opinions and approval of others.

Like other films centered around physical appearance and social departure (The Elephant Man and Beauty and the Beast), The Man Without A Face conveys a very clear message: you can't judge a book by its cover. While not the most earth-shattering concept in modern filmmaking, The Man Without A Face seems timeless in its innocence. It's the rare kind of movie that is suitable for all ages…while it may not be considered a modern classic, it never seems overly preachy or sentimental, like its two previously mentioned counterparts.

Although somewhat of a sidenote, I must address one issue that has been widely misunderstood since the film's release in 1993: The Man Without A Face is not based on Mel Gibson's life. Somewhere along the line, a rumor came about that Gibson was horribly disfigured as a young man, and has since gone through miraculous facial reconstrucion surgery. Although it would make a nice Trivial Pursuit question, the story is not true (as evidenced by the fact that the movie is based on a book). For further proof, check out the Urban Legends Reference link below.

In the director's chair, Mel Gibson seems fairly comfortable, as the directing is competent in most all regards. Supporting actors pull out universally good performances (especially the young Stahl, who is sadly most remembered for his role in Terminator 3). At just under two hours, The Man Without A Face never overstays its welcome, and the beautiful New England settings will stay with you long after the movie closes. In any case, this first directorial effort by Gibson is successful in many ways. After The Man Without A Face, Gibson would return to the helm for 1995's Braveheart, and again for this year's much-anticipated The Passion of the Christ.

While the timing of this DVD would suggest a coy marketing strategy on the part of Warner Bros., they serve up a great technical presentation of The Man Without A Face, hindered only by a lack of extras. In any case, let's see how this one stacked up:

The video quality is very fine indeed. Presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen, I can say without reservation that The Man Without A Face looks fantastic. Colors, blacks, and details are very sharp and well-defined, and the print is very clean and clear. In fact, the only minor imperfection I could spot was a few hints of grain here and there, but it's most likely due to the source material. Needless to say, this is an excellent effort by the ever-dependable Warner Bros., and I don't think any fan of the movie will be disappointed in the least. Awesome job here!

Given that The Man Without A Face was a milestone in the career of Mel Gibson (and also a fairly late arrival to DVD), you'd think we'd at least get a commentary track or a more substantial behind-the-scenes featurette. Sadly, the lack of extras makes The Man Without A Face seem like another churned-out DVD for a movie that deserved more (although it's a great technical presentation).

Well, there were some good and bad points to the disc, but there's still a lot to like about The Man Without A Face. It's not the most perfect movie you'll see, but the simplicity and timelessness of the story really work to its advantage. Although by no means a perfect movie, The Man Without A Face was a good first effort by director Mel Gibson. On the technical front, this DVD by Warner Bros. is about as good as you're going to get in the audio / video department, but the extras are sorely lacking. If you're looking for a great movie-only disc, consider this one Recommended, but it's a solid rental at the absolute worst.