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PLEASE NOTE: Michael D's is currently in READ ONLY MODE. Anything submitted will simply not be written to the database.
Lots of stuff is still broken, but at least reviews can now be looked up and read.
The Final Cut (2004)

The Final Cut (2004)

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Released 7-Feb-2005

Cover Art

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Details At A Glance

General Extras
Category Science Fiction Trailer-Steam Boy, Raise Your Voice, The Forgotten
Main Menu Audio & Animation
Rating Rated M
Year Of Production 2004
Running Time 90:39
RSDL / Flipper No/No Cast & Crew
Start Up Menu
Region Coding 4 Directed By Omar Naïm
Studio
Distributor

Sony Pictures Home Entertain
Starring Robin Williams
Mira Sorvino
James Caviezel
Mimi Kuzyk
Stephanie Romanov
Thom Bishops
Genevieve Buechner
Brendan Fletcher
Vincent Gale
Casey Dubois
Liam Ranger
Joely Collins
Michael St. John Smith
Case ?
RPI $39.95 Music Robert Elhai
Brian Tyler


Video Audio
Pan & Scan/Full Frame None English Dolby Digital 5.1 (448Kb/s)
Widescreen Aspect Ratio 2.35:1
16x9 Enhancement
16x9 Enhanced
Video Format 576i (PAL)
Original Aspect Ratio 2.35:1 Miscellaneous
Jacket Pictures No
Subtitles None Smoking No
Annoying Product Placement No
Action In or After Credits No

NOTE: The Profanity Filter is ON. Turn it off here.

Plot Synopsis

    Imagine being told by your parents that prior to your birth they paid for an implant that will record your every word, everything you see and hear for your entire lifetime. How would it affect you? Would you feel obliged to live your life as a Samaritan? Would your character be inhibited, robbed of your freedom to act as you please? These are the questions posed in this intriguing piece of science fiction, written and directed by Omar Naïm.

    Alan Hakman (Robin Williams) earns a living as a cutter, an editor who uses complex equipment to sieve through the incalculably vast amount of footage that is captured during an individual's lifetime. When the subject's memories are edited into a manageable and viewable length, the footage is shown at a funeral ceremony, referred to as a rememory. Opinions in society are split, however. While there are many loved ones who gain great comfort from the rememory service, there are those who dispute the invasion this implant poses to individuals. The organic implant is attached in utero, grows with the carrier and cannot be removed by surgery. The only means of inhibiting the recording is by tattooing the skin with electronic-inhibiting ink. Those with the distinctive body art form an underground movement against the implants, staging violent pro-choice protests at funerals and plastering the streets with posters that cry conspiracy, claiming that the implants are the government's tool of control. His occupation isn't a secret, and Alan is the subject of frequent threats to his livelihood.

    You can scarcely imagine the disturbing sights one would find in Alan Hakman's line of work. Countless lives laid bare for your viewing pleasure, day after day. Combine this with Alan's willingness to take on assignments that others reject for fear of their content, and you have the potential for serious problems. Not surprisingly, Alan has an unhealthy obsession with his job and finds it extremely difficult to make contact with any living people on a human level. His working relationships are shallow and trivial. His lovers are infrequent and superficial. That is, until he finds a girl at a local bookstore (Mira Sorvino). The relationship is strained from the outset, as the loner and workaholic within him struggles to find definition between reality and the consuming details of his occupation.

    Ironically, Alan is haunted by disturbing memories of his own. He is perpetually occupied by the accidental death of a friend in his childhood, a loss of life that he knows he could have prevented. While working, sitting at his elaborate editing suite, Alan believes he sees the adult face of his lost childhood friend and embarks on a dangerous quest to discover the truth. Can we trust our own memories? How reliable are our long-term recollections, and do they compare to what would be recorded in an implant? To find the truth, Alan must break the codes he has upheld his entire career and risk everything he believes in.

    The performances are first rate, in fact Robin Williams is outstanding as the disturbed loner Hakman. Jim Caviezel, who portrayed Jesus in The Passion of the Christ, makes an appearance as Fletcher, a rival cutter and approaches the bad-guy role with an admirable intensity.

    This is a first class sci-fi thriller, in the vein of Strange Days or Minority Report. The direction by Naïm is engaging and fluid, although I must say that the film feels as though it is condensed somewhat. Many of the characters are only viewed on the surface, with little depth explored. It is possible that this is the writer's intention, highlighting the plight of the main character, however I can't help feeling that this film has the potential to be fleshed out a lot more. So many story angles are touched on, but not developed in any way. A director's cut of this film would be most interesting indeed. I recommend this one fairly highly.

    I might also mention some of the official websites related to this film. The film's official site includes a layout similar to the complex editing suites used by cutters in the film, and is worth a look. A fictional site promoting the benefits of the implant can be found here.

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Transfer Quality

Video

    This video transfer is as good as we have come to expect from recent productions such as this.

    The transfer is presented in its original theatrical aspect ratio of 2.35:1, complete with 16x9 enhancement.

    The level of sharpness is good, with a great deal of detail visible. The transfer exhibits some examples of fine textures such as skin close-ups and fabrics. Shadow detail and black levels are solid, with steady, reliable contrast. There was no low level noise evident in the transfer.

    Colouring is bold and realistic, with no signs of blooming or oversaturation. Some digital grading is evident, most obviously in the film's opening scenes, serving to apply a washed-out, almost sepia effect. Skin tones appear true.

    MPEG artefacts are nowhere to be seen, and film artefacts are absolutely minimal. I did notice a couple of very minor specks during brightly lit scenes, however these are in no way obtrusive. I didn't note any examples of aliasing at all.

    There are no subtitle streams provided.

    This disc is single layered (DVD5 format).

Video Ratings Summary
Sharpness
Shadow Detail
Colour
Grain/Pixelization
Film-To-Video Artefacts
Film Artefacts
Overall

Audio

    There is only one soundtrack available, a serviceable English Dolby Digital 5.1 stream encoded at 448Kb/s.

    The English dialogue is crystal clear at all times and the film's ADR is seamless and natural. Audio sync appears to be problem free.

    The use of the surround channels is restrained, but effective. The rear channels are active, usually with echoes and some pieces of the score. Dedicated usage occurs on several occasions, most notably the disorienting effect at 33:55 that sees voices approaching the viewer from all angles. A train passes from the front to the rear left at 44:17, and this is the extent of the rear activity.

    The score by Robert Elhai is sweeping and orchestral, flowing with the film and transporting the viewer. It feels natural and memorable, and is very well done.

    The subwoofer is utilised to accent gunshots and even the score on some occasions. Like the rear channels, the activity here is minimal, but effective all the same.

Audio Ratings Summary
Dialogue
Audio Sync
Clicks/Pops/Dropouts
Surround Channel Use
Subwoofer
Overall

Extras

Menu

    The main menu page is 16x9 enhanced and animated with some stills from the film and includes three options; Play Feature, Scene Selections and Trailers. An excerpt from the film's score is looped in the background.

Trailers (3)

    Trailers are included for the anime adventure Steam Boy, Raise Your Voice and The Forgotten.

R4 vs R1

NOTE: To view non-R4 releases, your equipment needs to be multi-zone compatible and usually also NTSC compatible.

    This title is yet to be released in other regions. More details will be posted here when they come to light.

Summary

    The Final Cut is an intelligent and thought-provoking sci-fi thriller that will reward the thinking viewer. The story is let down a little by the film's brevity but is worthwhile viewing nonetheless.

    The video transfer is good.

    The audio transfer is decent.

    There are no extras to speak of.

Ratings (out of 5)

Video
Audio
Extras
Plot
Overall

© Rob Giles (readen de bio, bork, bork, bork.)
Monday, February 28, 2005
Review Equipment
DVDDenon DVD-3910, using DVI output
DisplaySanyo PLV-Z2 WXGA projector. Calibrated with Video Essentials/Digital Video Essentials. This display device is 16x9 capable. This display device has a maximum native resolution of 720p.
Audio DecoderBuilt in to amplifier/receiver. Calibrated with Video Essentials/Digital Video Essentials.
AmplificationDenon AVR-2802 Dolby EX/DTS ES Discrete
SpeakersOrpheus Aurora lll Mains (bi-wired), Rears, Centre Rear. Orpheus Centaurus .5 Front Centre. Mirage 10 inch sub.

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