DVD Corner

The Fugitive 4K UHD Review

“The Fugitive” still thrills 30 years later. 

Based on the hit 1963 TV series, 1993’s “The Fugitive” revolves around a surgeon named Dr. Richard Kimble who has been wrongfully accused of murdering his wife. After being sentenced to prison to await execution, Richard gets a new lease on life after the bus transporting criminals ends up crashing. Richard manages to escape, but finds himself being pursued by Deputy U.S. Marshal Sam Gerard. While on the run, Richard sets out to prove his innocence, find the one-armed man responsible for the murder and discover why his wife was killed. 

Directed by Andrew Davis, the Oscar nominated “The Fugitive” is the gold standard of a film adapted from a television series. The script by writers Jeb Stuart and David Twohy manages to stay true to the show’s origins all while telling an intense big screen action-thriller with epic action set pieces (the bus and train crash and dam jump). It doesn’t hurt that the film features 2 of the finest actors in Harrison Ford and Tommy Lee Jones (more on that in a bit). While the middle act sags a bit as the manhunt lingers on while Richard investigates the case himself, there’s still never a dull moment here as you’re rooting for Richard to find a way out of his predicament as time runs out for him. 

Harrison Ford gives a quality performance in the lead role here, but make no mistake, Tommy Lee Jones steals the movie. His personable performance as the dedicated Gerard was so captivating that the actor won an Oscar for his role. Tommy Lee Jones even went on to reprise the character in the forgotten “U.S. Marshals.” Other memorable performances here include Andreas Katsulas of “Babylon 5” fame as the one-armed man Fredrick Sykes and Joe Pantoliano as Deputy U.S. Marshal Cosmo.

Video/Audio:

Presentation:1.85:1  2160p. How does it look? Sometimes the image quality looks super crisp, but there are many instances in which the picture is too soft for 4K standards. It’s a solid transfer, but it never wows like other Warner 100 releases.

Audio Track: Dolby Atmos. How does it sound? The audio fares much better with a dynamic Atmos track.

Extras:
* Digital copy
* An intro by Andrew Davis and Harrison Ford.
* Theatrical trailer
* “The Fugitive: Thrill Of The Chase”- A 28 minute extra that contains interviews, set footage, discussions about the characters and how the project came about, etc.
* Commentary by Andrew Davis and Tommy Lee Jones.
* “On The Run With The Fugitive”- A vintage 23 minute featurette.
* “Derailed: Anatomy Of A Train Wreck” explores how the exciting sequence was made.

November 21, 2023 - Posted by nicklyons1 | 4K UHD Review | 90's Movies, Harrison Ford, Oscars, The Fugitive 4K, The Fugitive 4K UHD Review, Tommy Lee Jones, Warner Bros.