True Lies: The DVD
By Sherril Steele-Carlin
Who can you trust?
This engaging comedy may be an action-adventure, but it's also a sweet and romantic love story between Harry Tasker, played by Arnold Schwarzenegger, and his wife, Helen, played quite admirably by Jamie Lee Curtis. True Lies incorporates spectacular special effects along with comedy and romance, and it's a winning combination.
I'm not a real Arnold Schwarzenegger fan, most of his films are too violent for my tastes. This film has its share of shoot-em-up for sure, but it is tempered by the wise-guy relationships and clear attraction between the Taskers. Sidekick Tom Arnold is just smart-mouthed enough to keep Harry in line and under cover. Director James Cameron has worked with Schwarzenegger in many films, and they all have familiar feel to them. Bill Paxton (think Titanic and Twister) as the sleazy used car salesman is also a Cameron regular, and perfect for the part. Northern Nevadans will recognize some of the scenery in the winter opening scenes, they were filmed at Donner Lake, just outside Truckee, CA, and only 30 minutes west of Reno.
DVD Features
A Fox release in anamorphic widescreen, includes a Dolby 5.1 Surround sound track, and captioned subtitles in English and Spanish. You'll also find a French or English sound track. The sound and picture are both excellent.
DVD Additional Features
The biggest disappointment with this DVD is the lack of special features. On the original DVD, the only bonus footage is the original theatrical trailer. There are no bios, documentaries, or even out-takes in this release, and the absence is especially lacking in relation to some of the other releases which include so much extra footage. A "making of" feature would truly add to the DVD experience, as would just about any other additions to the trailer. True Lies is an excellent film, but the lack of special features is a detriment to this release.