Patriot Games DVD Review

We get a brand new enhanced 2.35:1 anamorphic transfer for this re-release, and it certainly improves on the previous letterboxed R1 edition of the movie. The image is certainly sharper and more defined than the original DVD, with only a few scenes looking a little softer than the rest of the print. Colour reproduction is very good, appearing natural and well saturated. There are no signs of any noise at all, nor does the print suffer from colour smearing, instead Blacks are stable and shadow detail is very good indeed. Considering this is an eleven year old production, the clean up makes things look very good indeed, with not a hint of any artifacting or pixilation problems. Paramount has done a good job with this re-release and it does look very good indeed, just not quite up to the same standard as newer transfers.

Paramount continues with their support for dts with this re-release disc. Both the Dolby Digital and dts tracks are effective and the movie benefits from the new 5.1 remixes. Both tracks show reasonable dynamics and good use of the surround channels to build believable sound fields. Dialogue is strong and clear and always intelligible, with good use of panning effects were required. There is not a great difference between the Dolby and dts tracks, but the dts track does sound a little cleaner and has a slightly more refined bottom end. The soundtracks are enveloping and add to the action on the screen rather well, a good effort.

The extras for this re-release are enlightening, but sadly all we get are a 25 minute retrospective Documentary and a Trailer. I can't help but feel there should be plenty of extra footage and behind the scenes material in existence, but sadly it has not appeared on this so called Special Collectors edition.
Patriot Games is an intelligent and action packed thriller which is hugely entertaining, presented here with very good sound and vision, pity about the extras then.