Plot: What’s it about?
In the middle of a normal drive with his wife and daughter, Hatch Harrison (Jeff Goldblum) had no idea within a few minutes he would be dead. But after an automobile accident involving a massive truck, a steep cliff, and a wild river, he passes into the realm of the dead. His wife, Lindsey (Christine Lahti) manages to pull him out of the water and to shore, but it seems as though time has run out for Hatch. He is pronounced dead on arrival when he is brought in and that was that, until he returned from the other side. In a miracle, Hatch is able to recover from the accident and return to his home, but things wouldn’t be the same after this trauma. He begins to notice strange visions and dreams, but he shrugs them off as simple after effects of the accident he was in. But when these visions turn violent and brutal, he begins to rethink the issue and when he starts to see real people dying, he knows something is strange inside his head. As it turns out, Hatch is linked to the mind of a serial killer who feeds on young women, such as Hatch’s daughter, Regina (Alicia Silverstone). Soon enough, the killer has used this link to get closer to Regina and Hatch is forced to react fast, or lose his daughter forever.
I’ve been waiting for this movie to be released on DVD for some time and now, thanks to the folks at Columbia/Tristar, it has finally arrived. I know this one isn’t the highest profile flick out there and all, but I think a lot of people have been looking forward to this disc also. Hideaway isn’t a great movie by any means, but somewhere along the lines, it seems as though something clicks and it all makes sense to me. I like the special effects and the storyline a lot, but this one wanders around a little too much to be considered a top notch supernatural thriller. The story comes from the novel by Dean Koontz, but this screenplay takes tremendous liberties with it and the end result doesn’t have a whole lot in common with the book. The premise is the same, but it seems everything else gets a twist or turn in direction. The actors give much better performances than this screenplay deserves and I think that holds the film together, keeping it from slipping down the drain. All in all, I don’t know that this one will strike a chord with everyone, but I think suspense/thriller fans will want to give this one a look. The disc is business as usual for Columbia/Tristar, which means your money is well spent with a rental or purchase.
At the helm of this film is Brett Leonard, who seems to be too content to just let this one land wherever it might. This film seems under the control of the actors, who turn in more than sufficient performances, but with a little more steady handiness, this could’ve been a great thriller. I don’t think Leonard has done a bad turn behind the camera here, but I do think he should have stepped up and worked harder to deliver a better overall film. Had he done that, perhaps this one would have been lifted beyond mid range status and found a wider audience. Other films directed Leonard include Virtuosity, The Dead Pit, and The Lawnmower Man. This movie features several major roles, but I think Jeff Goldblum (Jurassic Park, Nine Months) and Christine Lahti (Running On Empty, Gross Anatomy) work the hardest to make this turn out good in the end. Both handle their roles with just the right blend of seriousness and self awareness to make them work. The rest of this gifted cast includes Rae Dawn Chong (Commando, The Principal), Jeremy Sisto (Clueless, Suicide Kings), Alfred Molina (Maverick, Boogie Nights), and the ever lovely Alicia Silverstone (Blast From The Past, Batman and Robin).
Video: How does it look?
Hideaway is presented in a 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer, with a full frame version also included on the disc’s flip side. Aside from some minor grain in the darker scenes, this is a top notch transfer and looks much better than previous editions of the film. This movie uses some unique color schemes, which include oversaturated blues at times and as such, there’s no need to worry about it. When the colors need to sharpen up, they do and when they need to be more rich and such, they come across well also. I found no bleeds or smears in even the most rich hues, which is impressive to me. The contrast is sharp too and I found no serious problems, as detail seems high and no murkiness is evident. We’ve come to expect a lot from Columbia/Tristar and once again, they’ve delivered the goods.
Audio: How does it sound?
I’d never heard this film in 5.1 surround sound before, so I had no idea what to expect, but I am impressed with the results. I figured the included Dolby Digital 5.1 would be good, but I had no clue it would sound this outstanding. The musical soundtrack is loud and active, which means the speakers all kick in to create an immersive sound. The music is important to this film and sets the tone & mood at times, so I am pleased it sounds so good here. It never becomes too powerful though, the other elements never get buried or muffled. The sound effects are tremendous and this mix uses all the speakers throughout the film to create a terrific atmosphere. I heard so many directional effects and sound movements in this one, I can’t even begin to count them all. Also in good shape is the dialogue, which sounds clean and distinct all the way from start to finish. This disc also includes 2.0 surrounds tracks in English, Spanish, French, and Portuguese, as well as subtitles in English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Chinese, Korean, and Thai.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc isn’t a special edition release, but there’s still a couple nice extras tacked on. Some basic talent files have been included, as well as an alternate ending. In a film like this, you know there had to be one and I am pleased Columbia/Tristar slapped on this disc. A five minute promotional featurette is next, which contains some interviews and footage from the set. This is a brief piece, but I am glad some form of behind the scenes piece was included. The final supplement is an audio commentary track with director Brett Leonard, who has a lot to say about the film and the production. I was surprised to hear him so active, as his style here seems so reserved when compared to his other films. But I won’t look a gift commentary in the mouth, so I will suffice it to say it makes for an interesting listen.
