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    WSR Detailed DVD Review
    Defender, The


    Genre: Action Adventure

    Reviewed In Issue 53 (Oct 2001) Of Widescreen Review®

    Stars:
    Jet Li, Christy Chung, Kent Cheng & Ngai Sing

    WSR Review Scores
    WSR Picture Rating: 2.5
    DD Sound Rating: 3.5
    DTS Sound Rating: NA
    Download WSR Review
    Reference Systems
    Critics' Composite Score: 3
    Internet Links
    http://www.dimensionfilms.com
    Special Features
    None.


     DVD General Information

    (Studio/Distributor): Dimension Home Video
    (Catalog Number): 20708
    (MPAA Rating): R
    (Rating Reason):
    (Retail Price): $29.99
    (DVD Type): Single Side, Single Layer (DVD5)
    (Widescreen Edition): Yes
    (Full Screen Edition): No
    (Anamorphic Widescreen): No
    (Running Time In Minutes): 93
    (Color Type): Color
    (Chaptered/Scene Access): Yes
    (Closed Captioned): Yes
    (Regional Coding): 1
    (Theatrical Year): 1994
    (Theatrical Release): Yes
    (Direct-To-Video Release): No
    (DVD Release Date): 08/15/00
    (THX® Digitally Mastered): No

     Credits Information

    (Director): Corey Yuen
    (Screenplay/Written By): Subscribe Now!
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    (Director Of Photography): Subscribe Now!
    (Production Designer): Subscribe Now!
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    (Costume Designer): Subscribe Now!
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    (Supervising Sound Editors): Subscribe Now!
    (Re-Recording Mixers): Subscribe Now!
    (Executive Producers): Subscribe Now!
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      DVD Picture Information

    (Principal Photography): Subscribe Now!
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    (Measured DVD Anamorphic Aspect Ratio): Subscribe Now!
    (Measured DVD Letterbox Aspect Ratio): Subscribe Now!

      DVD Sound Information

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    (WSR Superb Sound Qualities): Subscribe Now!

      WSR Narrative Review
    Story Synopsis:
    The Defender of a young woman named Michelle (Cheung), Hoi (Li) is an elite, highly trained martial artist, hired by her rich boyfriend after she witnesses a gangland murder. Of course, the gang wants, at all costs, to keep Michelle from testifying, but Hoi

    DVD Picture:
    The 1.85:1 DVD is not anamorphically enhanced and exhibits a picture that is generally sharp, but wanting in fine detail and clarity. Colors are fully, if not slightly oversaturated at times, with orange fleshtones, but exhibits good balanced, considering. Contrast seems a bit low, but shadow delineation is satisfactory. Aliasing problems, pixelization and edge enhancement all create distractions within the picture. The source element is revealing of film grain and artifacts throughout. (Suzanne Hodges)

    Soundtrack:
    The Dolby Digital 5.1-channel soundtrack is adequately immersive, but also limited in dimensional scope. Front soundstage imaging is amply wide and deep, but the surrounds, though occasionally prominent, are very limited in terms of stereo separation, suggesting that this soundtrack is a remastering of the original four-track or Dolby matrix mix. The sense of spatial coherence is also reserved as well, and the soundstage overall sounds somewhat fragmented and unnaturally-integrated. The sonic character is noticeably veiled in terms of midrange detail. Deep bass is delivered with ample distinctiveness, along with notable .1 LFE activity. The English-dubbed dialogue is inherently compromised in terms of spatial integration. This is a fairly satisfactory listening experience but is also noticeably below its full potential. (Perry Sun)

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