The controversial film from director Ang Lee has reached store shelves in DVD form. Little needs to be explained of the discussion surrounding the movie and just about everyone has heard of or participated in these discussions already. That being said, the movie has earned its fair share of attention both in terms of recognition and ticket sales at the theaters, however the DVD version of the movie doesn’t really contain anything outstanding in terms of bonus features or materials.

Brokeback Mountain stars Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger and takes viewers through an engaging tale of two cowboys who fall in love and the obstacles they must overcome as they try to hide that love and later deal with the fallout of their love for one another. The movie is a journey through the human heart that has left movie-goers with a variety of different opinions and feelings as they watched. Needless to say, there are countless numbers of different meanings that the movie has to different people.

The groundbreaking theme and the excellent acting on the part of Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal combined to earn the movie three Academy Awards including Best Director for Ang Lee. Brokeback Mountain’s themes can be criticized and debated over, but the quality of the film as a whole has been largely recognized and rewarded by film institutions worldwide.

The DVD version of the movie, however, doesn’t offer the same quality as the movie itself. Four short and uninspired featurettes accompany the DVD and most viewers probably won’t take the time to view them. By themselves, the bonus material does not warrant a purchase for those who have already seen the movie.

Despite the lackluster DVD release, Brokeback Mountain is still a DVD that is recommended to those who are interested in seeing the movie for the first time or even for repeat viewers. The extras offered by the DVD aren’t enticing by themselves but the DVD still does offer the same meaning and message behind the movie itself that the big screen version contained.

Chris Shelton
http://www.cashbackers.co.uk/