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Nathan Muir (Robert Redford) is a senior field agent for the CIA. He's a seasoned pro with outstanding instincts and an unerring sense of survival. Having put in his thirty year, he's retiring. Muir has saved for years, and has accumulated just enough money to be able to buy a little place in the Caribbean to spend the rest of his days in tropical tranquility. On his last day in Langley, when he was planning on cleaning out his desk, he learns that Tom Bishop (Brad Pitt), a field agent he recruited after the Vietnam conflict, has been captured by the Chinese and has been accused of spying. He's to be executed the next day.

Bishop is a sharp shooter and a straight shooter. He volunteered for the Army and became an accomplished sniper. He and Muir meet when the CIA needed a North Vietnamese general assassinated. Muir interviews Bishop and finds him idealistic, patriotic, oddly wholesome (he learned to shoot in the Boy Scouts), and a bit arrogant. When Bishop fulfills his mission despite being made by the opposition, Muir decides that Bishop might be suitable for the agency. Muir manipulates Bishop's Army assignments to disgruntle him, then draws him in. Muir will become Bishop's trainer, mentor, and handler.

Bishop's idealism will get in the way as Muir has him sacrifice assets - people seemingly willing to cooperate with the CIA - when Bishop is put at risk. During one operation in particular, Muir isn't forthright about Bishop's assignment, which is actually a sting to expose a mole in the American Embassy in Germany. When Bishop is sent to Lebanon to pose as a photojournalist, he develops an intimate relationship with Elizabeth Hadley (Catherine McCormack), an aid worker caring for displaced people in a refugee camp. She is utterly neutral, accepting funds from any organization willing to help the refugees, even terrorist organizations. Her connections allow her to survive and have more free access than others in the region might have. When Muir arrives to direct Bishop in a dangerous operation, Bishop's relationship with Hadley poses a serious security threat. This sets into motion a series of circumstances that will provoke a break between the two agents. Bishop goes rogue, only to be caught and condemned by the Chinese.

As Muir manipulates his bosses at Langley, we sense that he's violating his own rules; he risks his own future to save the protege with whom he's become estranged. He uses all his skills for deceit and misdirection and manipulation to save Bishop, all from within CIA Headquarters, and all within a twenty-four hour period. After the film's opening sequences, the story is told in flashbacks. We come to understand the bond between the two men and Muir's compulsion to save Bishop. Guilt is a powerful motivator. Redford and Pitt work well together. Each projects a strong self- assurance and competency. Each is a bit of a rogue; perhaps you have to be to survive in the field, armed with little more than your wits.

Video: How Does The Disc Look?

The film's 2.35:1 theatrical aspect ratio is presented in anamorphic video, with the compression work handled by Ritek Digital Studios. This is a fine transfer with modest edge halos that rarely intrude. Color rendition is quite good, with natural skin tones and a total absence of smearing and chroma noise. Viewers should be aware that director Tony Scott manipulates the palette during flashbacks. Current day is quite neutral, but Germany, for example, has a decidedly blue emphasis. Some of the scenes look like the film had been bleached. So please don't attribute these changes to a flaw on the DVD. Blacks are deep and rich; brightness and contrast have a broad dynamic range. Some of the film seems a tad dark, and shadow detail during those sections is less than it could have been. I noticed no blocking or mosquito noise.

Audio: How Does the Disc Sound?

There are three 5.1 tracks on this disc: English and French in Dolby Digital; and, English in DTS. These are very dynamic tracks with great sound effects that have little compression, aggressive surrounds that envelop the viewer with both overt and subtle noises, and very deep bass. Harry Gregson- Williams' score uses entirely too much electronic synthesis mixed into the orchestral passages to judge its fidelity with any reliability. Dialog remains clear throughout, but some sequences are tarnished by an audible grittiness that I suspect was caused by using location sound rather than looping. After gain equalization, the DTS track seems to have a bit more bass authority and a slight edge on the timbre of voices that had been looped.

The audio is supported by English and Spanish subtitles.

Supplements: What Goodies Are There?

Universal has lavished quite an array of extras on this DVD. To enjoy them all, you'll have to watch the film three or four times: once as a film, twice more for the commentaries, and perhaps once again to take advantage of a feature called Clandestine Ops. In this optional mode, like the white rabbit of Matrix fame, an icon will occasionally pop up on the screen. Hit Return or Enter on your remote or PC keyboard and be whisked to a behind the scenes vignette or an alternate scene version. For those who may be impatient, you can access this content by performing a title search. Unfortunately, these supplements are in non-anamorphic video, so either be prepared for geometric distortion or frequently change the mode of your display.

The first of the two commentaries is by director Tony Scott. I've enjoyed his work before, most notably Crimson Tide, Enemy of the State, and Top Gun, but somehow I had completely missed the fact that he's director Ridley Scott's brother. His commentary focuses on the film's background, the casting, production, artistic decisions, and places a particular emphasis on locations and the impact those sites had on the filming process. The second commentary is by producers Marc Abraham and Douglas Wick. They discuss casting and the interactions of the players and the filmmakers, but spend perhaps a bit too much time discussing the plot. We learn about the time constraints of filming - Pitt was scheduled to leave the shoot to begin his work on Ocean's Eleven - and the impact of escalating Mid East violence on locations. Informative, but slightly dry.

There are five deleted scenes and four alternate versions of existing scenes. They may be played individually or sequentially, both with and without an optional director's commentary. The last is an alternate ending. I liked these scenes, but I can fully appreciate why the changes were made. One aspect in particular, a relationship, paints a very different (and less appealing) picture of one of the main characters. Sensitivity to 9/11 motivated editing a building destruction sequence, but I think American audiences would now tolerate the original sequence.

Script-to-Storyboard Process (2:51) is a little featurette featuring Tony Scott. He bookends the short in which we see his sketches in a 4:3 window over a second 4:3 window of the film. He explains that he storyboards each day's shoot before breakfast, making all the drawings himself. He narrates the process as we watch examples from various sequences in the film.

Think you've got what it takes to work for the Central Intelligence Agency? Requirements for CIA Acceptance is five screens of text that define what the agency requires. Apparently, I'm too damn old. Next is the film's theatrical trailer shown in non-anamorphic widescreen. Production Notes offers eleven screens of text that are slightly duplicative but fill in some gaps that were missed in the commentaries. Cast and Filmmakers provides very brief biographies and filmographies for six of the players and for Tony Scott. Spy Game Soundtrack is a commercial for the CD. Universal Showcase offers only one theatrical preview, The Bourne Identity, shown in non-anamorphic widescreen. There are twenty-two chapter stops.

DVD-ROM Exclusives: What do you get when you pop the disc in your PC?

For the first time ever with this DVD, Universal has introduced a new online experience called Total Axess. After registration, you'll have access to an extensive wealth of additional supplements, perhaps the most ever offered via a DVD- exclusive website, including several streaming video featurettes. Unfortunately, the site wasn't fully up and running in time for this advance review, so we will follow up when we've had a chance to thoroughly explore this new portal. When it is, you'll be able to enjoy the following, and watch for an updated after street date:

The Spy Game World Premiere - an exciting look at the starry, red carpet event in Los Angeles, an Additional Exclusive Interview with Redford and Pitt, Choosing the Right Director - an interview with producers Marc Abraham and Douglas Wick, The Toughest Scene - director Tony Scott shares his insight on the most difficult scene, Tony Scott Directing Brad Pitt - more exclusive behind-the-scenes footage, CIA training - Tony Scott shares some fascinating information from his research, Operatives and Assets - the actors discuss their characters, and Working with Redford, with candid remarks from the actor and director.

The site also contains exclusive production and behind-the-scenes photos, and downloadable photos that can be used as screensavers or wallpaper. Director Scott's screenplay will be available with notes, annotations, and sketches. And a Spy Game trivia contest will be changed every two weeks. Stay tuned...

Parting Thoughts