"THE BEACH" has been released as a "Special Edition" from Fox, and it lives up to its name.  This dvd is loaded with extras!  Dicaprio stars as a young tourist filled with angst and other problems, but basically just bored.  After hearing about a secret paradise, he takes the dangerous trip there with a young couple he meets.  The tropical destination does seem paradise, but there's a real catch to it that we won't give away.  Director Danny Boyle does a great job at making the film "somewhat" comprehensible, not an easy task when reading the novel.  He also did a great job with complicated translations in the past, e.g. "Trainspotting".  While the film has an interesting premise, it actually becomes sluggish during its last third, when it should be building suspense for its climax!  Still, it's unique enough, and innovative enough in its approach to surely delight many viewers.

    The dvd transfer is one of the best from Fox yet.  To begin with, the 2.35:1 aspect ratio is also enhanced for 16:9 viewing, really boosting the depth and clarity to an already sharp looking picture.  The exotic locations almost seem three dimensional due to the stunning clarity and strong color values achieved here.  There are no artifacts and fleshtones are perfect.  The dolby digital 5.1 sound mix is extremely active, offering non-stop directional effects, as well as a wonderful score.  Even the opening Fox logo with upcoming release tidbits is offered in dolby digital 5.1(hooray!). 

Director Boyle offers an optional commentary.  He speaks in an entertaining manner, offering technical information about the film's production, as well as thoughts concerning the film's thematic structure.  However, there are long passages wherein nothing is said at all. 

The deleted scenes are all interesting, however we're extremely disappointed FOX chose to present them with a hideous "property of" stamp along the entire sequences!  Their quality isn't nearly as good as the rest of the film either.  A music video and featurette are also offered.