Title: Antitrust: Special Edition
Region: One
Genre: Thriller
Stars: Ryan Phillippe, Rachael Leigh Cook, Claire Forlani, and Tim Robbins
Writer: Howard Franklin
Director: Peter Howitt
Feature length: 1 hour and 48 minutes
Extras: Feature Length Audio Commentary By Director Peter Howitt And Film Editor Zach Staenberg, "Antitrust - Cracking The Code" Documentary, Deleted Scenes With Optional Director's Commentary, "When It All Goes Wrong Again" Music Video By Everclear, Theatrical Trailer
Languages: English, French, and Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround
Subtitles: English Closed Captions and French and Spanish Subtitles
Packaging: Alpha Keep Case
Chapter Stops: 16
Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound
Year of Theatrical Release: 2000/DVD Release: 2001
Theatrical Distributor: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures
Home Video Distributor: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Home Entertainment
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Reviewer: Mark A. Rivera
"Antitrust" came and went from the theaters rather quickly. I remember seeing a trailer for the film late last summer, but I never had the chance to check it out. The premise of the film is extremely timely. Ryan Phillippe is a young engineer fresh out of college that is quickly hired by N.U.R.V. CEO Gary Winston, (Tim Robbins), a man whose company is so huge and powerful that the justice department is constantly trying to break his organization apart and he has been accused of manipulating, monopolizing, and cloning the technology market with his inferior products that everyone never the less has to use because his brand name in software, telecommunications, and just about every form of technology is in constant used by the majority of the world. The seduction of Phillippe's character is simple and before he knows it he is a part of the team that is working on a project that will enable complete global telecommunications in real time on every single telecommunications device regardless of how old the technology is. This much power in one company's hands has it's price as in addition to what little corporate competitor outcry there is, there is also a movement that believes that all information should be shared freely with everyone.
The questions the film raises are actually quite interesting. Can we afford to be altruistic with our developing technology and who should be responsible for it if the public cannot be trusted? Unfortunately the film strays away from these timely issues and aims for a sort of "Generation Y" version of "The Firm" with computers instead of lawyers. The cast is pretty good, especially Tim Robbins, but the melodramatic portions of this thriller dumb down the premise to the point of cliché.
MGM has seen fit to deliver a special edition DVD version of "Antitrust" I guess to give the film a second chance on home video. The DVD features a pristine anamorphic (2.35:1) widescreen transfer with well-rounded English, French, or Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Soundtrack options. The image quality and sound are among the best MGM has released this year. English Closed Captions and French and Spanish Subtitles are also encoded on to the dual layered DVD.
There is also a feature length audio commentary track by Director Peter Howitt and Academy Award® Winning Editor Zach Staenberg that is screen specific in it's discussion of the actors and the set ups as well as the film's pacing. There are seven deleted scenes that can be viewed individually and with or without the director's commentary. These scenes include an extended sequence and an alternate beginning and ending and collectively the explanation for the scenes not be included in the final film is clearly defined and agreeable. The scenes are presented in a non-anamorphic (2.35:1) aspect ratio with the editing numbers present on the screen.
There is a great documentary produced exclusively for this DVD entitled "Antitrust: Cracking The Code" that includes cast and crew interviews that shed light on the true nature of the software and technology industry and the hiring methods used by the companies, which are portrayed however fantastically in the film, but are generally quite accurate. I had a friend I knew in high school, who after completing his engineering degree in college was recruited by a large computer chip manufacturing firm before he graduated and provided with a place to live with rent paid, a car, grad school tuition paid as well and special incentives included and probably more in addition to a high starting salary. Another interesting element mentioned in the documentary according to one of the actors, basically four huge companies own and run just about everything worldwide. Scary, isn't it?
The music video "When It All Goes Wrong Again" by Everclear is presented in a clear (1.33:1) aspect ratio with Dolby Surround 2.0 sound and the theatrical trailer is presented in an anamorphic widescreen (2.35:1) aspect ratio with English Dolby Surround 2.0 sound.
The main menu is animated with full motion images from the film integrated with computer animation that makes your television look like the desktop of a PC. The transitions are animated as well and the other interactive menus are standard still frames that are easy to navigate.
"Antitrust: Special Edition" will debut on DVD from MGM Home Entertainment on Tuesday, May 15, 2001.
© Copyright 2001 By Mark A. Rivera
All Rights Reserved.