Search - Evolution on DVD

MPAA Rating: PG-13 Content Advisory: Mild Violence, Brief Nudity, Questionable for Children, Sci-Fi Violence, Scatological Humor, Suitable for Teens Movie Release: 2001 DVD Release: 12/26/2001 Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV Edition: Dual Layered Audio Tracks: English, French Subtitles: English, French, Spanish SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 1 hrs 42 mins Studio: DreamWorks Total Copies: 45 Genres: Comedy, Science Fiction, Alien Film, Sci-Fi Comedy

The spirit of the mega-hit Ghostbusters (1984) is intentionally recalled with this effects-heavy sci-fi comedy from the same director, Ivan Reitman, co-starring Dan Aykroyd and debuting on the 17th anniversary of the earlier film's release. When a meteor bearing single-celled organisms crashes to the Earth, the life forms are initially confined to a cave. Before long the creatures are evolving at an exponentially rapid rate, resulting in fearsome aliens running amok and possibly spelling mankind's doom, or at least the end of man's domination over life on Earth. Investigating the phenomenon is a community college professor, Ira Kane (David Duchovny), his geologist friend Harry Block (Orlando Jones), wannabe fireman Wayne Green (Seann William Scott), and government scientist Allison Reed (Julianne Moore). Evolution also stars Ted Levine, Ethan Suplee, and Katharine Towne. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide

David Duchovny - Dr. Ira Crane
Orlando Jones - Harry Block
Seann William Scott - Wayne
Julianne Moore - Allison
Ted Levine - Gen. Woodman

Ghostbusters meets Aliens in Evolution, a sci-fi comedy about ever-evolving extraterrestrials trying to take over planet earth. Dreamworks has done a great job on this 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. The detail in the image is crisp, the colors bright, and the black levels very well-rendered and even. No digital artifacting, edge enhancement, or excessive imperfections are spotted anywhere on this transfer. The audio is presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 in English, French, and Spanish, as well as DTS Surround and Dolby 2.0 Surround. Both the DTS and Dolby 5.1 soundtracks are very good, utilizing the surround feature to its fullest extent. Creatures and slime swoop and ooze around the viewer as if they are right in their living room. With all aspects of the dialogue, music, and effects sounding clear and distortion free, this is an excellent soundtrack for home theater systems. Also included on this disc are English, French, and Spanish subtitles. Evolution features a very nice section of supplemental materials, starting off with a commentary track by director Ivan Reitman and actors Orlando Jones, Seann William Scott, and David Duchovny. This is a fast and funny track that includes lots of production stories as well as goofy quips and jokes from the actors. "The Evolution of Evolution" is a 15-minute featurette that takes a look at the making of the film and includes interviews with much of the cast and crew. Sadly, this featurette is interesting though all-too-brief. Six deleted scenes and an alternate ending are included in anamorphic widescreen which are very funny, though it's obvious why they were cut from the final film. Finally, there are some storyboard comparisons, a small photo gallery, a few production notes, and some biographies on the principal cast and crew members from the film. This is a great edition of Evolution, and a perfect addition to any science fiction-comedy collector's DVD shelf. ~ Patrick Naugle, All Movie Guide