'True Lies', the summer of '95's action extravaganza from director (and writer and producer) James Cameron, has been released in an outstanding laser disc from Fox Video. The film opened to generally enthusiastic audience response and decidedly mixed critical response. I even heard critics use terms like "mean spirited" and "misogynistic" when describing 'True Lies'. Well, maybe a little of both, but hey, so what. Others complained about certain "shoddy" special effects. Not in the movie I saw. And then there was the knock about unflattering racial stereotypes. Hello, McFly. These were the BAD GUYS! They're not supposed to be sympathetic. We are supposed to want to see them get their butts kicked. Of course, they do get their butts kicked. And that's the bottom line with this picture. 'True Lies' never attempts to be anything it isn't. Cameron delivers exactly what is promised, a high spirited action film with liberal doses of comedy and romance.
If there is a suprise in 'True Lies', it's Schwarzenegger's co-star Tom Arnold. This guy should have been charged with grand theft. He absolutely steals every scene he's in (who woulda thunk it). Serving to balance out the macho shenanigans of Arnold and Tom is a terrific performance by Jamie Lee Curtis as Arnold's unsuspecting wife and a hilarious supporting role filled by Cameron regular Bill Paxton. Filling in the gaps are Tia Carrere as the 'other' woman and Art Malik as the wild-eyed (literally) terrorist.
James Cameron is well known as being heavily involved in the transfer of his films to video. The collector's editions of 'The Abyss' and 'Terminator 2' are generally considered among the best looking transfers ever. 'True Lies' is sure to take it's place beside, if not above, these outstanding discs. The video transfer for this disc is stunning. Thanks to a bad print at the cinema where I saw 'True Lies' (it had a strange fuzzy look), this disc is actually better than what I saw at the theater. The colors might at first seem a bit pale but I find the slight bluish lighting consistant with previous Cameron projects. What is most remarkable here is the incredible clarity and detail. This transfer has a depth rarely seen in video. For 'True Lies', Cameron utilized the same film format previously used on The Abyss' and 'Terminator 2', Super 35. This transfer has a matted ratio of about 2.35:1, the same as the anamorphic theatrical prints.
When 'Jurassic Park' made it's laser debut, it seemed a new level of audio quality had been attained. The recent disc release of Paramount's 'Clear And Present Danger' at least equaled that rare achievment. You can now count 'True Lies' in to that select group of discs with 'super' soundtracks. From the opening logos the sound on this disc reaches out and grabs you by the throat and never lets go. The dynamics in this soundtrack take full advantage of the digital capabilities of the laser format. From bone jarring explosions to the most subtle foley effects, every nuane of this soundtrack is faithfully reproduced. The terrific Brad Fiedel score is rendered with excellent depth and clarity. Through all the effects and music, the dialog is always clear and understandable. Important because Tom Arnold was given some snappy throw away lines that might have been lost in a less masterful mix. This disc was the second to carry Dolby AC-3 digital audio.
'True Lies' runs 141 minutes and is spread to 3 sides in CLV. The disc contains 46 chapters. Fox has also been good enough to include both the theatrical trailer as well as the terrific teaser trailer following the film (and after the FBI warning). This disc also carries the THX certification. Another little treat for those that care about such things is the inclusion of the Dolby Digital 'train' logo at the beginning of the disc (the first I have seen). List price is $49.95. A bit on the high side, perhaps, but in fairness to Fox it should be pointed out that this is their standard price for a new release on three sides and, unlike certain other companies, they seem to be sticking to their word not to raise the price of a disc for THX certification. And now it would seem AC-3 as well.
'True Lies' is a fantastic disc. Easily one of the best I have ever seen. At least in this case, well worth Fox's premium pricing. Highly recommended.
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