CAST: Vin Diesel, Larenz Tate, Timothy Olyphant, Jacqueline Obradors, Geno Silva, Juan Fernandez, Steve Eastin, George Sharperson
SYNOPSIS: A drug enforcement agent (Diesel) battles a Mexican cartel that murdered his wife. The film was shot two years before Diesel's breakout success in XXX and The Fast and the Furious.
WHAT WE SAID: St. Petersburg Times correspondent Philip Booth, who gave the film a C, said it started with lots of sociopolitical commentary about the drug wars, but then quickly segued into "blowing up stuff. Bye-bye, tough, honest police work. Hello, breaking all the rules in the name of revenge. . . . Diesel is watchable, as usual, but the action heroics this time are less extreme and more mundane."
MPAA RATING: R for violence, nudity, profanity
RUNNING TIME: 110 min.
Identity
DIRECTOR: James Mangold
CAST: John Cusack, Ray Liotta, Amanda Peet, Alfred Molina, Clea DuVall, Rebecca De Mornay, John C. McGinley, John Hawkes, Jake Busey, Pruitt Taylor Vince, William Lee Scott, Bret Loehr
SYNOPSIS: Ten strangers find themselves at a remote Nevada motel, and then they start dying in grotesque ways.
WHAT WE SAID: Persall gave the movie a D in his April review. "Perhaps if Identity were populated by unknown, aspiring actors, the clumsy tension would be excusable, or even a bit of fun. Watching actors such as Cusack, Liotta and even Peet who should know better is a puzzling letdown. The first 70 minutes of Identity is just an all-star slasher flick containing every cliche the Scream trilogy ridiculed. . . . The last-reel solution is at first confusing, then absurdly illogical and finally tasteless."
MPAA RATING: R for graphic violence, harsh profanity, sexual situations
RUNNING TIME: 96 minutes
DVD FEATURES: Commentary by Mangold, theatrical trailers, alternative ending and additional scene, deleted scenes with director's commentary, storyboard comparisons, On the Set of Identity, full-screen and widescreen formats.
TV SHOWS ON DVD
There aren't many new theatrical releases this week, but a number of television series are issuing DVDs:
Alias: The Complete First Season, includes the pilot production diary, deleted scenes, A Mission Around the World, Marshall Finkman's gadget gallery, auditions, gag reel, audio commentaries, a preview of the second season, a sneak peak at the Playstation 2 game, DVD-ROM Web puzzle, script link, a Season 3 preview link and widescreen format. Six discs.
Angel: Season Two, includes commentary by Tim Minear on Are You Now or Have You Ever Been, commentary by Fred Keller on Over the Rainbow, scripts for Darla and Disharmony, featurettes, a still gallery, blueprints and widescreen format. Six discs.
C.S.I. Crime Scene Investigation: The Complete Second Season, includes all 23 episodes, commentaries on three episodes, five behind-the-scenes featurettes and widescreen format. Six discs.
Futurama: Volume 2, includes all 19 episodes from the second season, commentary on all episodes, 15 deleted scenes, animatics for Why Must I Be a Crustacean in Love?, Easter eggs, Futurama video-game trailer, still gallery and concept art. Four discs.
Saved by the Bell: Season 1 & 2, includes all episodes. Five discs.
Stargate SG-1: Season 4, includes 22 episodes with commentary, Secret Files of the SGC: Enhanced Visual Effects, Secret Files of the SGC: Alien Species: Friend & Foe, Stargate SG-1: Timeline to the Future-Legacy of the Gate, part one of a three-part documentary and widescreen format. Five discs.
Xena Warrior Princess: Season Two, includes all 22 episodes, commentary by Lucy Lawless, photo gallery and trivia. Seven discs.
