The FugitiveThe Fugitive
Catch him if you can. The Fugitive is on the run! Harrison Ford and Tommy Lee Jones race through the breathless manhunt movie based on the classic TV series. Ford is prison escapee Dr. Richard Kimble, a Chicago surgeon falsely convicted of killing his wife and determined to prove his innocence by leading his pursuers to the one-armed man who actually committed the crime. Jones (1993 Academy Award and Golden Globe winner as Best Supporting Actor) is Sam Gerard, an unrelenting bloodhound of a U.S. Marshal. They are hunted and hunter. And as directed by Andrew Davis (Under Siege), their nonstop chase has one exhilarating speed: all-out. So catch him if you can. And catch an 11-on-a-scale-of-10 train wreck (yes, the train is real), a plunge down a waterfall, a cat-and-mouse jaunt through a Chicago St. Patrick’s Day parade and much more. Better hurry. Kimble doesn’t stay in one place very long!This highly entertaining update of the 1960s television series stars Harrison Ford as Dr. Richard Kimble, a man wrongly convicted of the murder of his wife, and Tommy Lee Jones as the federal marshal who pursues him after Kimble escapes during a train wreck. Director Andrew Davis (Under Siege) oversees some dazzling stunts and effects: the train accident alone makes the film worth seeing. But the real draw is the film’s complement of strong personalities in Ford and Jones, each playing intrepid characters out to get their man. This is one of those rare films where everything completely clicks. The DVD release includes optional full-screen and widescreen presentations, cast bios, Dolby sound, optional French soundtrack, and optional French, Spanish, or English subtitles. –Tom Keogh Do you know anyone who hasn’t seen this movie? A box-office smash when released in 1993, this spectacular update of the popular 1960s TV series stars Harrison Ford as a surgeon wrongly accused of the murder of his wife. He escapes from a prison transport bus (in one of the most spectacular stunt-action sequences ever filmed) and embarks on a frantic quest for the true killer’s identity, while a tenacious U.S. marshal (Tommy Lee Jones, in an Oscar-winning role) remains hot on his trail. Director Andrew Davis hit the big time with this expert display of polished style and escalating suspense, but it’s the antagonistic chemistry between Jones and Ford that keeps this thriller cooking to the very end. In roles that seem custom-fit to their screen personas, the two stars maintain a sharply human focus to the grand-scale manhunt, and the intelligent screenplay never resorts to convenient escapes or narrative shortcuts. Equally effective as a thriller and a character study, this is a Hollywood blockbuster that truly deserves its ongoing popularity. –Jeff Shannon
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(out of 220 reviews)
Review by SamC for The Fugitive
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I’ve noticed various reviews here have stated that the video quality was impressive. Personally I was quite disapointed.
This was the first Blu-ray I purchased and frankly I was disappointed with the video quality. I realize the film is never going to look as sparkling and clean as more recent films, but the image quality seemed lacking.
It has a soft, washed out ‘milky’ look and the detail is off and on. Sometimes the close-ups on faces are impressive, but then it will cut to a city shot at night and I really noticed the lack of definition.
Of course much of this flatness comes from the fact that the photography was fairly dull in the first place (the whole film has a ‘grey’ look), but I still expected something more impressive on the Blu-ray format.
Also the sound is not HD or PCM. It comes with the same audio as the previous DVD.
So my advice, if you only want to collect Blu-rays with superb video & audio quality, this is NOT one of them. But, if you are simply a fan of the film and want the best quality version available, then this is still your best bet.
Review by Zagnorch for The Fugitive
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When I first saw ‘The Fugitive’, I was hoping that it didn’t fall into the trap of silliness that most TV-show based feature films have fallen into (remember ‘Car 54′, or ‘Wild Wild West’?). Needless to say, I was more than pleasantly surprised to see that it went WAY beyond my low expectations! Great moments of suspense, action, and plot twists galore!
Harrison Ford’s been knocked for not putting much ‘feeling’ into some of his roles. But if there are emotions he does do well, it’s desperation and determined stoicism with a touch of sarcasm… a perfect fit for a fugitive out to clear his name. As well, Tommy Lee Jones is a lock as U.S. Marshal Sam Gerard- he plays the character’s somewhat cocky and no-nonsense attitude to perfection. He also gets the best lines, and a pretty good supporting cast playing his U.S. Marshal Service cohorts (including the recently- recognized Joe Pantoliano). It’s scenery-chewing at it’s best, and definitely an Oscar-worthy perfomance.
Their performances of the two main characters and antagonists is so compelling that, like my fellow reviewers have stated before, I was rooting for the both of them throughout the presentation. It’s two ‘good guys’ against each other, with one helping lead the other to the same end!
When I heard about the Special Edition DVD release, I was kinda bummed. I’d already spent a few bucks on the original release, and never anticipated the possibility of an enhanced version. But, thanks to those wonderful buyers on eBay, I got a good return on my original disc at a minimal loss, and grabbed a copy of the new one.
The new disc isn’t half-bad, but doesn’t quite match up to the standards of other fully-loaded DVD fare as `T2 Ultimate Edition’ or `The Abyss’. It features teasers, trailers, and a few behind-the-scenes bits, including the setup & shooting of the train wreck. Davis even discusses a `flub’ following the wreck that was cut out of the original video version, but was then digitally corrected and restored in this DVD release! And no, I’m not gonna tell you about it- you’ll have to see it for yourself!
The commentary track by director Andrew Davis and Tommy Lee Jones was not one of the better feature-length commentaries I’ve experienced. There are parts where neither of them speak for a couple minutes on end, almost like they didn’t have that much to say about the movie in the first place. Jones’ commentary was minimal, with mostly throwaway-type observations that didn’t really add much to the track.
And now, my biggest gripe: Warner is STILL using cardboard snap cases for their digital discs! You’d think they’d've gotten out of the DVD Stone Age by now…
‘Late
Review by S. Bradford for The Fugitive
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Although this movie is fantastic, sadly it is one of Harrison Ford’s last good performances (other than perhaps “Clear and Present Danger” in 1994). Ford plays Dr. Richard Kimble, a man wrongly accused of killing his wife. He escapes prison and then sets out to not only avoid recapture, but also prove his innocence. As good as Ford’s performance is, this movie is really carried by Tommy Lee Jones who plays Marshall Samual Gerard. His humor and intensity are outstanding. The plot is intriguing with lots of action. This is the first movie I’ve had the pleasure to see in the theater, on laserdisc, on DVD, and now on HD DVD. The HD DVD transfer is quite good and the sound is improved over the DVD version as well. Highly recommended.
Review by Michael Dyckman for The Fugitive
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One of the greatest thrillers of all time, The Fugitive is a textbook example of a thriller that keeps its audience glued without insulting their intelligence. Dr. Richard Kimble (Harrison Ford), a Chicago surgeon, is wrongly convicted of killing his wife (Sela Ward), escapes from prison and heads back to his hometown in search of the real killer, a mysterious one-armed man that Kimble struggled with in his house after his wife’s murder. U.S. Marshal Sam Gerard (Tommy Lee Jones, in his Oscar-winning role) and his deputies relentlessly pursue Kimble in and around Chicago, always staying a few steps behind.This movie works on so many levels, but it begins with the actors. Harrison Ford, is one of his best roles, perfectly portrays the dignity and righteous indignation that Kimble feels. He should have received an Oscar nomination for the sheer physical and emotional effort that he put into this character. Jones is a perfect choice for Gerard: He is relentless, shrewd and sarcastic in his quest to track down Kimble. He always projects a smarmy, superior quality that attracts the viewer, yet makes us want him to lose his prey. The terrific supporting cast includes Joe Pantoliano, Andreas Katsulas, Daniel Roebuck, and Jeroen Krabbe.Director Andrew Davis takes the audience along for the chase, and uses Chicago as his landscape, including a busy St. Patrick’s Day Parade for one scene. These locations enhance the film by using the city as a maze through which this chase occurs. Another terrific feature is James Newton Howard’s score, which manages to add color and tension to scenes, even when there is no dialogue. Perfect all around, from acting, directing, composing and screenplay, The Fugitive should remain a classic.Vote: 10
Review by T. Coleman for The Fugitive
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warner continues to issue all of their products with the Nasty, NASTY VC-1 codec because it was easy for them to do it both in Blu-ray and hd-dud. And I can see the differences in their releases and other companies who use the FAR more superior AVC. They even stick only to the antiqued douby-digital! Never have I seen a release with a DTS track in any of warners stuff, and it rubs me raw because I usual see the DTS mark at the end of the credits in most of the movies!!!