Plot: What’s it about?
In a time when the American countryside was pristine and beautiful, a war ravaged through the lands and left behind a shattered realm. The lands hold forces from Britain and France who are in battle, as well as the Native Americans who dwelt there before either of these outside teams. The Native Americans might be in the middle of the all the conflicts, but they often provide aid to the others, but not always the same side. As the wars plague the countryside and leave behind a land strewn with damage, an unlikely romance begins to take root. Hawkeye (Daniel Day-Lewis) is a master of the frontier and an adopted member of the Mohicans, who meets and falls in love with a beautiful woman, Cora Munro (Madeleine Stowe). This might sound romantic and all, but since Cora is the refined daughter of a British Colonel. So as the battle rages on all fronts around him, Hawkeye tries to survive the onslaught, prevent his culture from being decimated, and pursue his love for Cora, even if all the odds stand against him.
This film was released on DVD some time back, but the disc was non anamorphic and lacked supplements of any kind. This disc solves the anamorphic issue and adds a new DTS track, but at director Michael Mann’s request, no bonus materials have been included. I would love to hear a commentary track or view the film’s trailer, but Mann is the final word and since he made the call, I can’t complain too much in end. Just like the previous disc, this release contains Mann’s expanded version of the film, which equates to a definitive director’s cut. But where most director’s cuts simply add material, this one adds new scenes and also removes old ones, which leaves us in a strange place. Now, I am always in favor of a director’s vision being fulfilled, but when this type of removal is involved, I think the choice between cuts is in order. We’ve watched this film for some time now and some prefer the original version, but that edition is unavailable on our beloved format. But, I suppose this is the cut Mann wants, so no real hard feelings in the end, though the theatrical cut would make a nice release down the road. This is still a wonderful film overall and thanks to the new audio/video shine, this disc is well worth another purchase of the title, in my opinion.
Although his resume is a brief one, Michael Mann has helmed some fantastic films in his career, with this being one of them. But then again, within his little more than a handful of films, it is hard to find a weak link, as they’re all excellent examples of cinema. Here Mann shows once again why his track record is so solid, providing a gorgeous backdrop, touching storyline, terrific performances, and above all, an entertaining movie. Amid the tapestry of characters and storyline here are some very well done action pieces, which add a lot to the flow and pace of the film. Mann has shown he can direct action and never is that more apparent than here, as he guides some excellent and tense sequences. If you want to see more from Mann, I recommend The Insider, Manhunter, Heat, and The Keep. The cast here is brilliant and includes Madeleine Stowe (Twelve Monkeys, Blink), Pete Postletwaite (The Usual Suspects, Jurassic Park: The Lost World), Russell Means (Natural Born Killers, Pocahontas), Wes Studi (Mystery Men, Street Fighter), and of course, Daniel Day-Lewis (The Boxer, In The Name Of The Father).
Video: How does it look?
The Last of The Mohicans is presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. The first release of this title was lacking in many respects visually, but this new anamorphic transfer solves all those problems and then some. This is an eye popping new transfer and to be honest, this bright and crisp image improves the film itself, thanks to the intense visuals on screen. The lush natural images come off very well here, the greens and browns especially seem dead on and effective. No issues with flesh tones or the other hues either though, it all seems in order here. I am also impressed with the black levels, which are well defined and layered, detail is high at all times also. This transfer also eliminates the frequent compression errors found in the original transfer, which leaves us with what is, in my opinion, a nearly reference level visual presentation.
Audio: How does it sound?
As if that sparkly new anamorphic transfer wasn’t enough, this disc also includes dual 5.1 surround tracks in Dolby Digital and DTS. This film offers some nice chances for audio presence and in the end, both tracks take good advantage of those chances. The surrounds are well used and draw the viewer into the film’s events, which is vital in my opinion. No problems with dialogue at all, as vocals come across in crisp form and volume flaws are absent. I think the tracks pull up dead even in the end, but then there’s the musical score, which is better handled by the DTS edition. So given the choice, I’d pick the DTS option, but both tracks are well done and effective. This disc also includes 2.0 surround tracks in English and French, as well as subtitles in English and Spanish.
Supplements: What are the extras?
Aside from the DTS sound and anamorphic transfer, this disc contains no bonus materials.
