Search - Homicide: The Movie

Some six months after the cancellation of the popular, hard-hitting TV cop series Homicide, most of the cast members were reunited for a two-hour TV movie, which deftly (and somewhat surprisingly) combines stark, raw realism with Sartre-esque flights of fantasy. Several members past and present of the Baltimore Police Department's homicide squad are brought back together when their former skipper and current mayoral candidate, Al "G" Giardelli (Yaphet Kotto), is gunned down by a would-be assassin. As former partners Frank Pembleton (Andre Braugher) and Tim Bayliss (Kyle Secor) conduct their own personal search for the perpetrator, the comatose "G" discovers that not all police review boards are conducted by the living. Like its weekly predecessor, Homicide: The Movie was co-produced by Baltimore native Barry Levinson. The film made its first NBC network TV appearance on February 13, 2000. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Daniel Baldwin - Beau Felton
Ned Beatty - Stan Bolander
Ed Begley, Jr. - Doctor McElduff
Richard Belzer - Det. John Munch
Andre Braugher - Frank Pembleton

=Homicide: The Movie utilizes a 2.0 channel Dolby Surround audio transfer that is surprisingly effective. This track contains plenty of force and moves the sounds well throughout the sound field. The theme song has never sounded better, and it really draws the audience into the story. Also, the poignant soundtrack springs from the speakers with power. Even without the complexity of a 5.1 channel transfer, this disc succeeds in creating an above-average presentation. This full-frame visual transfer nicely conveys the colors of Baltimore in a clear and bright fashion. In the opening scene, the striking red bricks of the city's homes appear impressively. However, =Homicide: the Movie's television origins do limit the picture slightly and keep it below the top-notch releases. The presentation works well, but does contain a minor layer of grain at times that probably springs from its source. In terms of extras, this Trimark release fails miserably and misses a chance for insight into this reunion of the heralded series. The only supplement is the film's video trailer, which can be accessed by clicking the Trimark logo. They could have included interviews with the cast and crew, behind-the-scenes footage, or television spots with this release. This disc does have impressive menus, with quick moments from the telefilm, and several subtitle options, but it's not enough for this release. ~ Dan Heaton, All Movie Guide

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