One of the best films of 1996, 'Courage Under Fire', has made its way to laserdisc from Fox Home Entertainment. Starring Denzel Washington and Meg Ryan, the story opens with the final push of the Persian Gulf War. Washington is an Army Colonel commanding a company of tanks in a ground assault. During a fierce firefight, one of Washington’s tanks is mistakenly identified as an enemy and destroyed. Later, while the Army is attempting to cover-up this incident, Washington is assigned to review the posthumous nomination of a female helicopter pilot (Ryan) for the Medal of Honor. Washington’s investigation becomes a quest for a truth that has been kept hidden. A truth that forces him to face his own inner demons.
'Courage Under Fire' is an emotionally powerful film, not in some political or patriotic sense, but for the human qualities it explores. Courage, honor, truth, justice. Some of the qualities we hold most dear.
Fox’s tranfer for this disc edition is simply immaculate. Colors are rich and deeply saturated with only the barest hint of chroma noise. Otherwise, the image is clear and smooth with exceptional detail. Contrast and brightness are excellent. The framing on this letterboxed transfer is 1.85:1. My copy of this Japanese pressing is quite nearly flawless, exhibiting only a speckle or two at the side break.
The soundtrack is suprisingly energetic for what is, essentially, a dramatic film. The battle sequences are very dynamic with numerous directional effects and an aggressive surround presence. The disc also includes a terrific Dolby Digital track with very deep bass extension and numerous split surround effects. I would bet that the opening battle sequence will find its way to more than a few demos.
The film runs 116 minutes and contains 29 chapters. The side break is at a scene change and is probalby as good as it can be given the time constraints. No trailer or other extras are included. List price is $39.99.
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