DVD Review: Primal Fear: Hard Evidence Blu-ray Edition

By Gary Frisch -- Video Business, 3/9/2009

PARAMOUNT
Street: March 10
Prebook: now
> Blu-ray is a great excuse to revisit Edward Norton’s breakthrough performance.

The supplements on this disc make much of the fact that an unknown, Edward Norton, was essential for making the surprise ending work in this taut courtroom drama. But only the filmmakers could have known then that Primal Fear would launch a terrific movie career, and Norton’s presence would eventually overshadow that of Richard Gere. The casting of the young “nobody” is grist for its own featurette, “Star Witness,” but the other materials—all in standard definition—are worthwhile as well. Most notable is a look at the insanity defense, featuring some high-profile lawyers and forensic psychiatrists. A group commentary with seemingly all the key behind-the-scenes personnel is congenial and interesting, even if there’s some overlap with the documentaries. The video looks good, but not phenomenal as there are visible artifacts. Dolby True HD delivers the dialog clear as a bell throughout.

Shelf Talk: Gere was the marquee name here, but the producers surrounded him with an uncanny “Who’s Who” of now-familiar faces: Norton, Laura Linney, Frances McDormand, Terry O’Quinn and Andre Braugher to name a few. The disc artwork is very cool, resembling a police evidence pouch (the standard version also comes inside the same kind of pouch).

Drama, color, R (mature themes, sexual situations, violence, language), 130 min., BD $29.99, reviewed on Samsung BD-P1500 on Samsung 63-inch DLP with HDMI connection
Extras: commentary, featurettes
Director: Gregory Hoblit
First Run: W, April 1996, $55.6 mil.