Plot: What’s it about?
Walter Sparrow (Jim Carrey) seems to have a normal life, he has a beautiful wife Agatha (Virginia Madsen), a son Robin (Logan Lerman), and a job with the local Animal Control Department. As he approaches his thirty-second birthday, he has an unusual encounter with a dog who bites him, one whose tags say his name is Ned. He tries to shake off the incident, but an eerie feeling stays with him afterwards. As a present, his wife buys him an unusual book, titled The Number 23, a worn and beaten up manuscript that looks more homemade than published. Walter is consumed by the book and soon sees parallels between himself and the main character, strong ones he can’t overlook. Those around him tell him its in his mind, but is there more to The Number 23 than anyone ever imagined?
As soon as I saw the preview for this movie, I had high hopes for The Number 23, until I saw that Joel Schumacher sat in the film’s director’s chair. The concept of cursed numbers or a buried numerical code within our lives is quite interesting, if only for the great paranoia potential. But The Number 23 fails to make the concept work, thanks to Schumacher’s weak direction, a thin script, and the casting of Jim Carrey, which was a terrible decision. Carrey has dramatic skill, no doubt, but this was not his role and since he is the lead, he is like an albatross around the film’s neck. The story is not that good either, as writer Fernley Phillips settles for cheap twists, instead of trying to innovate and create a unique vision. This should have been a tense, paranoia filled thriller, but sadly The Number 23 just doesn’t add up.
Video: How does it look?
The Number 23 is presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen. This movie has very dark visuals, which can be tricky on DVD transfers, but New Line has given us an excellent presentation. The contrast is superb, so black levels are dead on and even the darkest scenes reveal all the intended detail. No unwanted murkiness or obscured detail to be mentioned, which in this case, is quite impressive. The colors are sometimes bright, sometimes muted, but they’re well replicated throughout. I found the print to be in great shape, as expected, so New Line has delivered, as usual.
Audio: How does it sound?
This movie is driven by dialogue, but the Dolby Digital 5.1 EX soundtrack is still potent. The tense atmosphere is enhanced through the surrounds, so you’ll feel like you’re as trapped as our main character. The audio isn’t always in your face, but its the subtle touches that make all the difference and this mix hits all the right notes. The music sounds good, while dialogue is crisp and never hard to understand in the least. This disc also includes a 2.0 surround option, as well as English subtitles.
Supplements: What are the extras?
New Line has served up a generous portion of extras, starting off with Joel Schumacher’s director’s comments. He offers some nice tidbits from time to time, but seems to think this movie is a masterpiece. So he is delusional, but he is a good speaker, so at least there is that to be said. The 23 Enigma runs just under half an hour, touching on the real life numerology issues, with interviews with Schumacher, Phillips, and some number experts. If this were done in the style of an A&E documentary, it could have been great, but this is too corny and the gimmicks lessen the worthwhile content. Other featurettes include a look at the film’s fantasy sequences, a guide to finding your own number to obsess over, and a brief promotional piece. This disc also includes deleted scenes (with an alternate ending), as well as the film’s theatrical trailer.
