Not Rated

Running Time: 172 minutes

Starring: Colin Farrell, Christopher Plummer, Christian Bale, August Schellenberg, Wes Studi, Q'Orianka Kilcher

Written and Directed by: Terrence Malick

Studio: Warner Bros./New Line

Retail Price: $20.98

Features: None

Specs: 2.35:1 Anamorphic Widescreen, English Dolby Digital 5.1, English Dolby Surround, English Subtitles, Spanish Subtitles, English Closed Captions, Select A Scene (27 Scenes)

Released: October 14th, 2008

This new extended cut of "The New World" is presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen, and it's a pretty stunning image. I'll get the chief flaw over with, and that is that contrast is a bit on the high side: noise is apparent at times, as are edge halos and even some shimmering. Other than that though, this is pretty sparkling, with a very clean print to boot. The gorgeous Emmanuel Lubezki cinematography looks quite splendid on the disc, as color saturation is vibrant and really stands out: the blues of the ocean, and the lush greens of the new world, all without smearing. Detail is phenomenal, be it in the vast fields or the village. Fleshtones also hit the mark, black levels are detail and shadow detail is excellent. Now, maybe a Blu-ray version in the near future, please?

"The New World" features an English Dolby Digital 5.1 track that is nothing short of glorious. This is a powerful and triumphant mix, that certainly captures the epic scope of the film. James Horner's deep and spirited score is mixed beautifully through the channels, where you can't help but feel overtaken by it. Dialogue is clear and very crisp, while the sound effects are remarkably discrete: even the most subtle ones, such as drops of waters and birds chirping, make an impression. And while this film is known for its exploration of nature, there are some more action-oriented moments that bring some heft. Subwoofer use is excellent, dyamic range is fantastic, fidelity is high and despite all the power, the mix feels pretty balanced, where each sound element comes across and does it job, without being overpowered by the others. This is a near-reference quality track.

An English Dolby Surround track is included, plus subtitles in English and Spanish. English closed captions are available through your television.

Nothing (except for a digial copy you can download with the included code, but who wants to watch such an epic film on a tiny screen?). Maybe we'll get a definitive version with all the film's cuts one day, and more in the supplements department?

This is now the third cut of "The New World," but only the second to be released on DVD. (The original theatrical cut, which was only in theaters briefly before a new Malick cut took its place, remains to be seen on home video.) This is another Malick epic, and fans of the filmmaker and the movie will surely will want to see this extended version that runs nearly 3 hours. The retail price is thankfully on the low side, and while it's nice that the disc is entirely devoted to the film for maximum bitrate and audio optimization, I wish there was some kind of supplement. I assume a purchase is in order for the Malick faithful, but this should make a satisfying rental for the rest who want to spend the time.