The Fugitive: Special Edition

Details

Dr. Richard Kimble appears to have the perfect life until he returns home one evening to discover his wife Helen being attacked by a mysterious one-armed man. Despite desperately trying to save her, Helen dies from her injuries and the only clue Kimble can offer the police is the identity of her unknown attacker.

Unfortunately for Kimble, the evidence paints a very different picture. As Helen's husband and sole beneficiary, he quickly becomes the prime suspect. His insistence that a one-armed man committed the murder is dismissed as a desperate attempt to avoid conviction, and after a highly publicised trial he is found guilty and sentenced to death.

Fate intervenes when the prison bus transporting Kimble is involved in a spectacular crash following an escape attempt by another prisoner. Seizing his only chance of survival, Kimble disappears into the surrounding countryside before embarking on a dangerous mission to clear his name and uncover the truth behind his wife's murder.

Assigned to recapture the escaped prisoner is U.S. Marshal Samuel Gerard and his experienced team. Gerard has little interest in whether Kimble is guilty or innocent - as far as he is concerned, his job is simply to bring a fugitive back into custody. This creates a fascinating cat-and-mouse chase, with both men displaying intelligence, determination and resourcefulness as they continually stay one step ahead of each other.

Whilst avoiding the authorities, Kimble secretly retraces the events surrounding his wife's murder, using his medical knowledge and contacts to uncover evidence that was ignored during the original investigation. As the conspiracy slowly begins to unravel, Kimble realises that finding the one-armed man may be the only way to prove his innocence before Gerard finally catches up with him.

Picture & Sound

The picture is perfectly respectable throughout, maintaining a consistently healthy bit-rate and a pleasing level of detail. Night-time scenes fare particularly well, producing deep blacks and impressive shadow detail, although some of the brighter daytime sequences appear a little washed out with slightly excessive contrast. Fortunately there are no noticeable compression artefacts or edge enhancement to distract from the film.

The soundtrack is excellent from beginning to end. Dialogue remains crystal clear, whilst the surround channels are used extensively to build both atmosphere and suspense. The spectacular train crash early in the film remains one of the finest practical stunt sequences ever committed to film and still provides an outstanding demonstration of any home cinema system, with debris, explosions and screeching metal filling every speaker. James Newton Howard's tense musical score ties everything together beautifully.

Menu & Extras

The menus remain disappointingly static, although they are at least accompanied by the film's memorable score. Warner have added a selection of new material for this Special Edition, including documentaries examining both the famous train crash and the making of the film. Whilst these features are enjoyable, they are not especially in-depth and occasionally feel as though they have been divided into multiple segments simply to make the package appear more substantial than it really is.

The commentary by director Andrew Davis and Tommy Lee Jones contains some worthwhile production anecdotes, although fans hoping for an energetic discussion may find themselves slightly disappointed. Jones contributes only sporadically throughout the track, leaving Davis to carry much of the conversation. It is still worth a listen, but never becomes the definitive commentary this superb film really deserved.

Overall

The Fugitive remains one of the finest thrillers of the 1990s and a textbook example of how to build suspense without relying on endless explosions or elaborate special effects. Harrison Ford gives one of his strongest performances as the desperate Richard Kimble, making him both believable and instantly likeable, whilst Tommy Lee Jones deservedly won an Academy Award for his portrayal of the relentlessly determined Samuel Gerard.

One of the film's greatest strengths is that Gerard is never portrayed as a traditional villain. He isn't corrupt, malicious or driven by revenge; he is simply a professional doing the job he has been trained to do. This makes the pursuit between Kimble and Gerard all the more compelling, as you genuinely find yourself rooting for both men throughout the film.

Director Andrew Davis keeps the pace moving at an impressive rate, balancing action, investigation and character development so effectively that the film's two-hour running time flies by. From the unforgettable train crash to the tense finale, there is barely a wasted scene, and the mystery surrounding the one-armed man remains gripping even after repeated viewings.

As for the DVD itself, this Special Edition is something of a mixed bag. The improved extras are certainly welcome, but they never quite justify the "Special Edition" label and existing owners of the original release may struggle to warrant the upgrade. Nevertheless, if you don't already own the film, this is still the version to buy.

Brilliantly acted, tightly directed and still every bit as exciting as it was upon release, The Fugitive has lost none of its appeal. It remains one of those rare thrillers that improves with every viewing and deserves a place in every serious DVD collection.

Special features

• "Derailed : Anatomy of a Train Wreck" Documentary
• "On the Run with the Fugitive" Documentary
• Commentary by Tommy Lee Jones and Director Andrew Davis
• Introduction to the Film's Stars and Creators
• Cast and Filmmakers Profiles
• Theatrical Trailer