Mercury Rising (HD DVD)

Universal | 112 minutes | 1998 | R | Directed by: Harold Becker |
HD DVD reviewed by: Fusion3600

The United States government has worked for decades on codes that couldn't be cracked, but without fail, each one was broken down and translated. But now a new encryption code has been created, one that has been deemed unbreakable, even by high level code experts. The code is named Mercury and with this invincible encryption system, the government can communicate with no concern for spies or traitors. The only problem is that the code has been cracked, though not intentionally, by a nine year old boy named Simon. He doesn't even know the code's purpose, he can just read it as if there was no encryption, which sends government agents into a spiral. Rather than lose the billion dollar encryption system, the decision is made to eliminate Simon, but a renegade FBI agent named Art Jeffries (Bruce Willis) decides to interfere. Can Jeffries protect Simon and even if so, can they ever truly be safe from those in the Mercury program?

This isn't one of the movies I expected Universal to release to help HD-DVD sales, but I suppose it is Bruce Willis, so perhaps that is why Mercury Rising is available in high definition. I'd seen this movie before and while it is by no means great, it isn't as bad as some of its critics proclaim. Bruce Willis is passable in the lead, lending some star power to the production, but Alec Baldwin has the best role of the lot. Baldwin fires on all cylinders here, giving us a memorable villain that is over the top, but this movie needed the boost, so I won't complain. The story is mediocre, with some attempt to add a unique spin through the autism angle, but it is never explored in depth. Mercury Rising is a middle of the road thriller, nothing about it stands out as must see, but if you're in the rental store, you could do a lot worse. This HD-DVD version sports an improved transfer and all of the substantial extras from the Collector's Edition DVD, so it is the definitive release of the movie.

Mercury Rising is presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen. Universal has been inconsistent with their catalog title transfers, but this one falls on the positive side of the fence. The visuals have a dark tone, with a lot of shadows, but this transfer keeps things in order and looks quite good. The image has good detail and improved clarity, though a few scenes do seem softer than they should be for HD-DVD. The film's color scheme is rather dull, so don't expect vivid hues, but that is intentional. No trouble with contrast at all, which is crucial with these kind of darker visuals. This is not a transfer you'll do back flips over, but it is a nice improvement and fans should be pleased.

I have good and bad points to make about this Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 option. The good is that the surrounds are active and have good power, which helps the action driven scenes. The tense chases and gun shots all come across with great presence, a few scenes would even make seasoned surround sound owners jump a little. The bad is that when the sound needs more low key, subtle atmosphere, the track chokes. So when the action heats up, its all good, but in the calmer scenes, the immersion just isn't there, which is a let down. At least dialogue remains crystal clear throughout, right? This disc also includes a French language track, as well as subtitles in English and French.

The good stuff from the Collector's Edition DVD is back, starting off with director Harold Becker's audio comments. The track begins well, with some good stories about the shoot, but Becker loses his momentum as time passes. So toward the middle of the film, he has minimal insights to share. Watch the Mercury Rising is a look behind the scenes that runs a little under forty minutes and has some cast and crew interviews. This is a well made, informative piece that is much more insightful than the commentary track and has very little promotional fluff. This disc also includes some deleted scenes, as well as the film's theatrical trailer.