Plot: What’s it about?
This film, which was created to be shown in IMAX theaters, chronicles the most dominant player in basketball history, Michael Jordan. While this is a look at the Michael Jordan persona as a whole, it focuses on the 1998 Chicago Bulls season, which would serve to be Jordan’s final season. As the Bulls charge toward yet another league championship, led by Jordan, this film offers a glimpse into Jordan’s life and career, through candid interviews with all sorts of folks. The interview subjects include Dean Smith, Johnny “Red” Kerr, Bob Costas, Spike Lee, Bill Murray, Doug Collins, Phil Jackson, Deloris Jordan, and a host of others who have known and respected Jordan. I liked the interviews with Jordan’s former coaches a lot, as it showed that while Jordan was the focus of the team, he always remained a team player, which I think says a lot about him. In this film you’ll also hear from Jordan himself, as he discusses his career and his outlook on life and the sports world. And of course, there’s a wealth of footage with Jordan on the court, which is a lot of fun to watch as well. Whether you are a sports fan or not, Michael’s story here is a good one, more than worth a look.
I admit, when Jordan was active and in the prime of Chicago’s dominance, I wasn’t much of a fan of his. This was because he was usually trouncing my Knicks, but even so, I always knew he was the best player on the court, although I wouldn’t always admit it. I haven’t watched much basketball of late, but I was still looking forward to this release, as I think Jordan’s career is well worth a tribute like this one. I was pleased to find a blend of court footage and interviews, which allowed the audience to see both sides of Jordan’s life. We all know him best as an athlete of course, but Jordan is also a person like all of us, so it was nice to hear some comments on his persona off the court also. It was a treat to hear from Dean Smith, Doug Collins, and Phil Jackson, all of whom had interesting things to remark about Jordan here. I think the best sequences were the moments with Jordan himself, where he talked about his look on basketball, baseball, and life as a whole. In the end, this was a very entertaining piece and though on the short side, still very recommended. I also commend Fox for giving this release such a nice disc, very impressive on all fronts and worth the cash, in terms of rental or purchase.
Video: How does it look?
Michael Jordan: To The Max is presented in a 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. I have no complaints here in the least, as this is a sharp and almost flawless presentation. The colors stream across the screen here, even the richest red hues come off without a hitch. I saw no problems with flesh tones either, which look natural and warm here. The contrast is solid as well, no signs of detail loss and black levels are well balanced too. I did see some grain at times, but aside from that, this is a terrific overall visual transfer.
Audio: How does it sound?
The included Dolby Digital 5.1 track is a good one, providing a rich and immersive audio experience. There is usually music present and while it isn’t always powerful, it sounds great in this mix. Whether as a subtle underscore or as the main focus, the musical soundtrack is well balanced and sounds very full here, really adding a lot to the film’s presentation. The vocals seem to be at the heart of this mix though, from interviews to commercials to announcers at the game, all of which sound crisp and clean here. No volume issues either, as the elements seem in check and always in the proper ratio. This disc also includes a 2.0 surround track, a French 5.1 track, and English subtitles.
Supplements: What are the extras?
I was pleased to find a nice selection of extras here, including an audio commentary track with directors James D. Stern and Don Kempf, as well as producer Steve Kempf. These three have a lot to say, usually discussing their thoughts on Jordan, as well as the others that appear. This isn’t a technical track by any means, but it is still worth a listen if you liked the feature. This disc also includes a very informative behind the scenes featurette, two theatrical trailers, a teaser trailer, a television spot, some talent files, and a brief featurette that showcases the bullet time slam dunk, which is very cool.
