The
DVD release of this film has some quite positive bits that lift it above many other DVD packaging jobs. The
menu system and incidental art is unexceptional but well integrated; the front cover is busier than the original movie poster and contains more information as well. Some will think that a problem, but with the need for tight secrecy about the movie's contents over with theatrical release, the cover is remarkably restrained and still fits in well.
Technically, the transfer is quite good; although a couple of artifacts were noticeable in my viewing, none were center-screen and none took place during important moments. I had to go back through it a second time looking, and while a couple occurred, I still couldn't tell you precisely when - in order to find them, you have to be looking carefully, and not at the film.
Sound is in Dolby Digital and DTS (5.1 channel) on the Region 1 release. The surround mix is adequate but spotty; in some places, the surround offers a magnificent addition to the ambiance of the story, with echoes, slight noises, pursuit sounds, shrieks, gunfire and the like occurring quite convincingly just offscreen, locatable via sound. The cast's reactions match the soundfield's 'direction' perfectly. Unfortunately, a large part of the movie has either a slight echo, or takes place amidst blasting noise, or deliberately confuses the viewer as to direction in the visuals, all of which render a good surround mix moot. What's there, however, is well done. The dialogue is clear, and the soundtrack (an excellent component of the whole experience) is presented beautifully.
The best part of the DVD release, in my opinion, is that we get not only the original ending to the film and the 'theatrical alternative' ending (which was added to the theater release after a few weeks, playing after the credits) we also get another 'alternative ending' which was not offered in the theater, and a 'radical alternative ending' option in addition! This latter was not actually filmed, and is presented as storyboards with Danny Boyle and Andrew McDonald doing a script and stage direction reading over it. It's actually quite effective; given how much we've seen of the characters by this point, superimposing them in ones' mind is easy.