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    • WSR Detailed LaserDisc Review

    Big Hit, The
    Genre:Comedy

    Reviewed In Issue 31 Of Widescreen Review® Stars:
    Mark Walberg, Lou Diamond Phillips, Christina Applegate, Avery Brooks, Bokeem Woodbine, Antonio Sabato, Jr., Lainie Kazan, Elliott Gould, Sab Shimono, Lela Rochon

    WSR Review Scores
    Picture Rating: 4.5
    Sound Rating: 4.5
    Download WSR Review
    Reference Systems
    Critics' Composite Score:
    Internet Links

    Supplementals
    Includes audio commentary.

    DVD General Information
    (Studio/Distributor): Columbia/TriStar Home Video
    (Catalog Number): 02720
    (MPAA Rating): R
    (Retail Price): $34.98
    (Running Time In Minutes): 91
    (Color Type): Color
    (Chaptered/Scene Access): Yes
    (Closed Captioned): Yes
    (Theatrical Release): 1998
    (LD Release Date): 10/98
    (THX® Digitally Mastered): No

    Credits Information
    (Director): Che-Kirk Wong
    (Screenplay/Written By): Ben Ramsey
    (Story): NA
    (Music): Graeme Revell
    (Director Of Photography):
    (Production Designer): Taavo Soodor
    (Visual Effects):
    (Costume Designer):
    (Editor): Robin Russell & Pietro Scalia
    (Supervising Sound Editors):
    (Re-Recording Mixers):
    (Executive Producers): John Woo, Terence Chang & John M. Eckert
    (Co-Producers): Craig Perry, Victor McGauley & Roger Garcia
    (Producers): Warren Zide & Wesley Snipes

    DVD Picture Information
    (Principal Photography): Academy Standard Flat
    (Theatrical Aspect Ratio): 1.85:1
    (Measured LaserDisc Aspect Ratio): 1.85:1

    DVD Sound Information
    (DVD Soundtrack): Dolby Digital Surround
    (Theatrical Sound): SDDS Digital
    (Theatrical Re-Issue Soundtrack):
    (Remastered Dolby Digital): No
    (Remastered DTS Digital Surround): No
    (Additional Languages):

    WSR Narrative Review
    Story Synopsis:
    The Big Hit follows the professional and romantic misadventures of Mel (Mark Wahlberg), a beleaguered hitman who is drawn—along with his professional associates (Lou Diamond Philips, Bokeem Woodbine, Antonio Sabato, Jr. and Robin Dunne)—into a quick and seemingly easy weekend kidnap job that goes sour.

    LaserDisc Picture:
    The LaserDisc matted at 1.85:1, exhibits good color fidelity with generally natural fleshtones, rich colors and deep blacks. Sometimes fleshtone rendering appears a bit yellow. Images are generally sharp with nicely rendered fine detail, though some scenes appear a bit soft. There is virtually no noise or artifacts.

    LaserDisc Soundtrack:
    The Dolby® Digital discrete 5.1 soundtrack is dimensionally exciting and spatially delineated with split surrounds that are aggressively and often directionally energized. The LaserDisc’s matrix PCM version is likewise spatially dynamic and better resolves low level ambience. The music score is a bad mix and sounds at times veiled and weakly integrated with the other sound elements. Bass extension is deep and at times powerful and is often .1 LFE enhanced. Dialogue is a weak element, sounding virtually all ADR-processed and poorly integrated.
    (Surround Bass Below 50Hz): Yes
    (Aggressive System Surround): Yes
    (Intense 25Hz Bass): No
    (Deep Bass Challenging): No
    (Aggressive 0.1 LFE):
    (Holosonic Soundfield): No
    (Aggressive Split Surround): Yes
    (Center Back Surround Imaging): No
    (Directionalized Dialogue): No
    Superb Sound Effects Recording Quality:
    Superb Music Score Recording Quality:
    		 No
    Superb Special Visual Effects Quality:
    		 No
    Superb Color Fidelity:
    		 No
    Superb Cinematography:
    		 -
    Reference LaserDisc:
    		 No
    Collector Edition:
    		 No
    DVD To LaserDisc Comparison:
    The LaserDisc matted at 1.85:1, exhibits good color fidelity with generally natural fleshtones, rich colors and deep blacks. Images are generally sharp with nicely rendered fine detail, though some scenes appear a bit soft. When compared to the anamorphically enhanced DVD, also 1.85:1 anamorphic and letterbox, the LaserDisc appears overly yellow in color balance. The DVD’s colors are more vibrant and clear, with rosier fleshtones and better depth. Interior colors are occasionally oversaturated and stylized. Images are extremely sharp and detailed with superb clarity and naturally rendered textures. Resolution is exemplary as are contrast and shadow delineation. There is virtually no noise or artifacts on either version. The Dolby® Digital discrete 5.1 soundtrack on both the DVD and LaserDisc is dimensionally exciting and spatially delineated with split surrounds that are aggressively and often directionally energized. The LaserDisc’s matrix PCM version is likewise spatially dynamic and better resolves low level ambience. The music score is a bad mix and sounds at times veiled and weakly integrated with the other sound elements. Bass extension is deep and at times powerful and is often .1 LFE enhanced. Dialogue is a weak element, sounding virtually all ADR-processed and poorly integrated.