The Core [DVD] [2003]

I went to see this at the pictures and left listening to the chatter thinking I was the only person in the entire world who liked this film. It was slated by the critcs, slumped at the box office, and DVD sales have been poor. I am left asking myself why??

This is pure fantasy. It's a fictional story based on Pseudo-science for the purpose of entertainment. Yet the biggest gripe people seem to have is that it is "unbelievable". Can you imagine the reaction if you sat watching "Lord of the Rings" and then announceed to everyone that you thought it was rubbish because it was "unbelievable". You would be ridiculed.

The special-effects are slick and very well-made. This is one of those films where the Special-Effects crew were the biggest stars. But is that such a bad thing occasionaly?

This was a highly enjoyable, tongue-in-cheek, special-effects film. Just because the storyline includes some impressive sounding Physics, doesn't mean it is trying to become a deadly serious "This could really happen" prophetic disaster film such as "Deep Imapct". It isn't. It's pure science fiction. It's suppose to be entertaining. Those people who whinge about it being "unbelievable" would do well to remember that.

Often compared, wrongly, ARMAGEDDON, THE CORE remains an exceptional disaster movie, with an ultra-dramatic story (reactivate the core of the earth with atomic bombs, delirium total!) and special-effects sometimes unbelievable.

Of course it does not avoid certain clichés of the genre, some shortcuts scriptwriting easy and good feelings.

But at least this feature film has the distinction of taking the subject seriously. There never dark in parody, action overdose, crappy humor or stupid. In short, the opposite of the ultra-enjoyable ARMAGEDDON.

In addition, THE CORE has action scenes original anthology (the Space Shuttle in perdition, the geode, the "climax" final in the core...), a excellent cast (AARON ECKHART "DARK KNIGHT", Hilary SWANK "MILLION DOLLAR BABY" Stanley Tucci "HUNGER GAMES" and Tcheky KARYO "THE PATRIOT") doped with a realization mastered by Jon Amiel (COPYCAT, ENTRAPMENT)

He previously enjoyed a very good quality DVD from 2004 (very good definition, brilliant colors and perfect contrast).

But here I draw your attention to the fact that Blu-ray UK was released in September 2012.

Let me explain:

- The image is just beautiful and ultra contrast (the "climax" final at the heart of core melt is amazing!) With vivid colors. This film was a real HD remastering. The definition sometimes reaches levels of detail exceptional but has absolutely no pity for the SFX. But nothing really alarming, I assure you. This is often impressive!

- The sound he has restored explosive VO DTS HD 5.1 which provides an unprecedented scale to the beautiful music of the film and various "impressive" sound effects of the film (the chain explosion of atomic bombs in the heart of the core, to shake walls!). Exceptional!

- Bonus: absolutely nothing. Not even a trailer. Disappointing. Especially since the dvd was full, so keep it.

The HD is not even out yet in the United States or even announced yet, amazing!? European exclusive!

In short, this edition remains a safe and secure shopping for all fans who want to have the best picture and the best sound available for this movie.

See for yourself.

Technical Specifications:
Blu-ray "All Zones" - IMPORT UK / SPAIN / GERMANY - Time : 135mn.
Image: Widescreen 2.35 - 16/9 / HD 1080P
Sound: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 / French Dolby Digital 5.1 / German Dolby Digital 5.1 / Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1.
Subtitles: English, English for the hearing impaired, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Norwegian, Spanish and Swedish.

The Earth's core has stopped turning! Crikey! So that's why all those people's pacemakers stopped and why all the pigeons went crazy in Trafalgar Square? So what are we going to do about it? Well, in the normal world, there's nothing we could do - we'd all fry and that would be the end of planet Earth! But this being movieland, some boffin has already been working on a machine that can bore through rock and so a cunning plan is hatched to send a team to kickstart the Earth's core!

So, before you can say "Hang on, there isn't enough time to do all this!" a team is assembled, a huge boring machine is built (Virgil) and scientists have devised a way to get the core rotating again by setting off a huge explosion. So off they jolly well go!

There are some huge, glaring plotholes in this movie. First and foremost, no one actually knows what the Earth's core is like, even if we could find a way to get there. Also the subject of the pressure that would be present the deeper Virgil went is simply explained away by a throwaway one-liner - "Well, at least the suits can take the pressure!" And why on Earth has A Very Important Switch been put in the Impeller Shaft?! This just seems to be an excuse to set up a character's death later on in the movie.

If you put your brain on hold and ignore all the glaring plotholes - and there are quite a few! - 'The Core' is actually quite an entertaining movie and some of the scenes are visually stunning. For example, what about the destruction of Rome, and the scene inside the geode? The emergency landing of the space shuttle is pretty impressive too!

Shame about the ending though! We're meant to believe that it took several days to get to the core, yet they make it back to the surface in just hours? And without the Impeller?! See what I mean about plotholes?

All things having been said, 'The Core' isn't a terrific movie, but it is an enjoyable one, as long as you don't want your movies to be scientifically correct. But then, movies were originally intended to take us to a land of make believe - to allow us to suspend belief for a while, and 'The Core' manages this very well!