Nominated for three Academy Awards®, The Fugitive is one of the most exciting and thrilling action movies ever made. When Dr. Richard Kimble (Ford), falsely convicted for the murder of his wife, escapes from prison, an intense manhunt begins under the unrelenting Sam Gerard (Jones in his Oscar®-winning role). (Gary Reber)
Special features include audio commentary with director Andrew Davis and star Tommy Lee Jones; a 2001-created two-minute introduction with Davis, Jones, and actor Harrison Ford; a 23-minute On The Run With The Fugitive featurette; a nine-minute Derailed: Anatomy Of A Train Wreck featurette; and the theatrical trailer. Once again, Warner's descriptive menus far surpass menus from competing studios.
The high-definition 1.78:1 HD DVD picture exhibits a slightly dated, but nicely rendered picture. The color scheme is nicely balanced, with accurate fleshtones and deep blacks. Details are quite impressive, perhaps revealing more than was ever intended to be seen, as shots of the bus crash clearly show driver substitutes (like a shiny plastic relative of the crash test dummy) with crystal clear definition. Contrast and shadow delineation are well balanced. As smoke blows and dust settles from the crash, these details are presented smoothly and realistically, with virtually no noticeable VC-1 compression problems. Edge enhancement, though still apparent, is not nearly as obtrusive as on the previous DVD version. (Suzanne Hodges)
While each of the 5.1 channels are used frequently to deliver deep bass throughout the Dolby® Digital•Plus encoding, it is not the hard-hitting, articulate bass that is needed for a really good soundtrack. Hints of distortion can be heard from time to time throughout, and the age of the recording can definitely be heard in the overall fidelity. Surprisingly, the surround channels can be all but ignored, even in outdoor and densely populated scenes, which is a disappointment. Background noise can be heard from start to finish, but it only becomes a distraction in the more timid scenes. In the more aggressive scenes, picking out distinct effects is borderline impossible, as the entire soundstage collapses into a barrage of sound. (Danny Richelieu)