Review:
This is an impressive DVD. Other DVDs have maybe only a trailer and even the
menu is boring. Whereas this DVD was put
together
with care. The menus are well-done and worth watching from the introductory
film clip to the animated transitions between menus. Some of the menus themselves
are animated with smoke or gunfire. There are different bits (rather than the
same clip) of John Williams' music from the soundtrack spread throughout the
menus and presentations.
No single feature on the DVD is extraordinary, but the sheer number of extras
adds up. The best features are the deleted scenes, which include commentary
from Director Roland Emmerich where he explains why the scenes were omitted.
The full film commentary by Producer Dean Devlin and Emmerich is also surprisingly
candid in response to some criticisms made toward the film. The other features
are a compilation of the usual publicity information that comes out prior to
a film, but at least it is all included on the DVD for easy recall.
My only disappointment is that the deleted scenes don't include footage from
expanded scenes of Yorktown that included General
George Washington. I think this footage was at one time teased as being
included on the DVD as an Alternate Ending. I guess they are holding a few things
back for the next Special Edition DVD.
