The Yards (2000)
Buena Vista Home Entertainment
Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Charlize Theron, Joaquin Phoenix, Faye Dunaway, James Caan, Ellen Burstyn
Extras: Commentary track, Featurette, Still Gallery, Trailer
Rating:

Featuring an impressive cast that consists of some of the hottest new stars in Hollywood – including the ever-present Charlize Theron, of course – alongside movie veterans such as Faye Dunaway and James Caan, ’The Yards’ is a promising film from the get-go, and indeed, viewers will not be disappointed. Although the premise of the film – prisoner is released, tries to live a regular life and is sucked back into the abyss of crime – is hardly original, the performances and some interesting plot twists make for a truly enjoyable movie experience.

Buena Vista Home Entertainment is releasing ’The Yards’ in its original 2.35:1 widescreen aspect ration on this DVD in a transfer that is enhanced for 16×9 TV sets. The transfer is pristine and without any blemishes. Colors are very strong and well saturated, painting a beautifully atmospheric picture of New York’s underbelly. Blacks are solid and deep, and yet, shadows always maintain very good definition. The compression is without flaws and compression artifacts of any sorts, making ’The Yards’ a picture-perfect presentation.

On the audio side, the disc boasts the original theatrical 5.1 channel Dolby Digital audio track that is extremely dynamic. Making aggressive use of the surround channels, the audio track is engaging, throwing the viewer right in to the action. Deep rumbling basses and crystal clear high ends make it a pleasure to experience, although the dialogues are occasionally drowned out by the massive attack on the sonic senses.

Buena Vista has also added some exciting supplements to this release, such as a commentary track by director James Gray, which is thoroughly informative and enjoyable. A featurette, trailer and a still gallery round out this great DVD that fans of action-heavy mystery stories should not miss.