Miami Vice

If you're looking for pastel T-shirts under sportcoats, or loafers without socks, you're stuck in the '80s. This is Miami Vice for the new millennium—for 2006, to be precise. But don't fret, Tubbs (Foxx) and Crockett (Farrell) are still detectives, still in Florida (hence the title), and they're still kicking butt and taking names...and struggling to keep on the right side of the law. Based on the television series created by Anthony Yerkovich. Special features on the DVD version include commentary with Writer/Director Michael Mann, 13 minutes comparing undercover police work from the film to that in real life, a 10-minute look at shooting in Miami, 13 minutes of Mann's artistic vision, a three-part behind-the-scenes featurette, and an up-front ad for HD DVD. Special features on the hi-def side of the HD DVD include U-Control with picture-in-picture, production photographs, tech specs, cast bios, and GPS; and the same commentary as on the DVD. On the standard-definition side, you will find the same features as, um, on the standard-definition DVD.JK
(Jack Kelley)

Special features on the DVD version include commentary with Writer/Director Michael Mann, 13 minutes comparing undercover police work from the film to that in real life, a 10-minute look at shooting in Miami, 13 minutes of Mann's artistic vision, a three-part behind-the-scenes featurette, and an up-front ad for HD DVD. Special features on the hi-def side of the HD DVD include U-Control with picture-in-picture, production photographs, tech specs, cast bios, and GPS; and the same commentary as on the DVD. On the standard-definition side, you will find the same features as, um, on the standard-definition DVD.

The gritty stylization of the anamorphically enhanced 2.40:1 DVD matches the storytelling well, but night scenes can look overly grainy, especially when considering this was filmed digitally in high-definition video, not on film. Apparently, the inclusion of grain in some scenes was an artistic choice by Michael Mann, but it often distracted me from the movie. Details are captured well, however, and blacks can be deep in most scenes. Colors are slightly muted, but fleshtones do look healthy. The HD DVD's VC-1-encoded picture is a marked improvement over the DVD, with more natural colors and the requisite improvement in resolved details. Fine details, however, are not rendered as well as the best high-definition releases. There are times when the HD DVD's picture looks superb, but, unfortunately, it is not consistently superb. (Danny Richelieu)

The DVD's Dolby® Digital 5.1-channel soundtrack has a broad front stage with good surround envelopment, constantly used even if only for low-level atmospheric effects. Bass is deep and tight, and dialogue is recorded well. Music is mixed well across the front stage with basic extension into the surrounds. Subtle background noise clouds the sonics throughout, which really only becomes a distraction if you start listening for it, so I'll apologize now for mentioning it. The HD DVD's Dolby Digital Plus 5.1-channel encoding sounds slightly more natural than the DVD's encoding, although differences between the two are not terribly easy to discern. (Danny Richelieu)