Blood Diamond (HD DVD)

The big fuss being made over the HD DVD release of Blood Diamond is not that it is one of 2006's best movies (that is apparently my reason for wanting it), but because it is the first HD DVD to take advantage of HD DVD's online access feature. Along with all of the special features included on the 2-Disc DVD edition of the film the Blood Diamond HD DVD also includes an In-Movie Experience as well as an online feature allowing viewers to access maps and online polls straight through their HD DVD player's Internet connection. However, this little Internet feature is not enough to outweigh the fact that you are getting a spectacular movie and when it comes to director Ed Zwick you can guarantee it is going to look even better in high-definition.

Like Ed Zwick's Last Samurai, which was part of the initial wave of HD DVD releases, Blood Diamond looks brilliant in high-definition. Zwick's films always take full advantage of the environments they are shot in, making them a piece of the story. The vibrant colors of Africa's landscape simply pop off the screen making this story of the illegal diamond trade even that much more immersive. I never quite understood why Blood Diamond performed so poorly at the box-office, but I have yet to talk to someone that did not actually enjoy the film.

For a review of all the special features included on this disc see my review of the 2-Disc DVD as they are all the same and most of them are quite good, especially the “Blood on the Stone” documentary led by Sorious Samura who served as the film’s consultant and overall inspiration. It really is good. As for the In-Movie Experience I had a hard time concentrating on it as I just wanted to watch the movie while it played. It had a few interesting tidbits, but nothing the special features didn't really cover.

As the list of HD DVD releases grows there haven't been a ton that I have felt are must owns as of late, but I would definitely suggest you add Blood Diamond to your collection as it is a film that truly takes advantage of the new media format.