First, I'm going to be frank with you.
I'm a massive war movie junkie, and my walls have the scars to prove it.
From the trenches of Saving Private Ryan, to the Polish neighbourhoods of The Pianist, to even the abysmal machismo of Pearl Harbour, I've been there, and done that. Although not physically, of course.

But if I would have to recommend the best of the lot to any ill-informed bloke, I'd really have to tip my hat to HBO's Band of Brothers. Alright fine, it isn't technically a movie. But for the right of all that is righteous and beautiful, for me to not recommend it is downright wrong. Sacrilegious even.

Produced by the legendary Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks, this 10-part miniseries first aired back in 2001 stole the hearts of critics and audiences worldwide. It bagged numerous awards at the Golden Globes ceremony, including Best Miniseries or Movie made for Television, which in my opinion is such a small honour for a GREAT cinematic epic.

So, up to this point, you probably can guess what my review is shaping up to be: A driven, enthusiastic attempt to make you convinced that you should shell out wads of cash to watch this series. However, this review is not going to focus solely on the movie as a piece of entertainment, but the DVD package as whole.

Thus, it is only fair that I divide this article into three sections: The Movie, The Quality of Product, and Bonus Material.

1. The Movie

Based on interviews with real-life war veterans, transcripts and historical logs scattered in various archives, the series chronicles the lives and operations of the men in the Easy Company of the US Army Airbourne Paratrooper division, chiefly through the exploits of the regiment under the command of one Cpt. Richard Winters.

The biggest plus point for the series, of which there are many indeed, truly has to be the sheer authenticity surrounding the entire experience. Everything from the jargon to the location to even the markings and insignias found on the soldier's uniform are pin-point accurate, recreating an era in time in such spectacular fashion.

Everything about the movie drips excellence. The cinematography is top-notch, following the action closely but never losing the grip of the audience's gaze, which is important due to the pure frenetic pace the series falls into sometimes. The directorial sequencing is nothing short of impressive, with each episode throwing something new into the mix due to the multiple directors helming them. Just about everything is awesome: the scripting is truly authentic, yet again, the sound effects are amazing, the visual special effects are...suitably spectacular yet stomach-irking, and to top it all off is a magnificent orchestral soundtrack that truly emotes the screen when used, although you don't get much of that during tense scenes.

But when it happens, you really get drawn in to the experience. The screenplay was crafted in such a manner that it connects the audience with the men in uniform onscreen, forming a subtle bond between the two. Because of this, when the time comes for your favourite character to bite the dust, you really feel it.

However, it is apparent that this series is not for everybody. Those with a weak heart probably should do well to stay away from it. There are some truly gruesome moments where the screen goes free-for-all on the gore, showing the brutality of war and fragility of life without any sympathy.

And it should also be mentioned that those without sympathy for soldiers and those who are a tad bit too personal concerning the happenings of today's political condition won't like it either.

Regardless, I still hold this as a spectacular event that should not be missed by anyone who calls themselves a self-respecting movie lover, or by anyone not in the groups above for that matter.

It's just that good.

Rating : *****


2. The Quality of Product

The copy of the DVD package I purchased was released by a locally-based distributor somewhere in the middle of the year 2003. It is marginally better than the bare-bones edition that was pushed out in 2002, containing six discs and a pretty nifty cover to boot.

The first five DVDs contain two episodes each, both about 60-minutes or so in length. You get the entire deal here, from the pre-show interviews with the real-life war veterans to the full-length credits. The only thing missing, I suppose, would be those "On The Next Episode" clips you get when it was showing on HBO over at Astro. But honestly, that is hardly a drawback.

The sixth DVD, however, will be discussed in the third and final section.

Moving on, the settings you get for all ten episodes are pretty much run-of-the-mill. You have your English Stereo, English for DTS 5.0 Surround Sound (if I'm not mistaken), as well as two foreign language selectors (Spanish and French).
The variety of subtitle types is varied indeed, ranging from English (though not recommended, due to major alterations at some point) to German to Spanish to even Chinese. I'm not entirely sure, but I think if you went out and got yourself the pirated copy, you would probably be able to get Bahasa Malaysia as well. Such is the power of pirates.

All in all, the package is formidable if not standard, with nothing really spectacular to commend.

Rating : ****


3. Bonus Material

The sixth disc contains two items: A 30-minute "Making Of" documentary as well as an 80-minute featurette showing interviews and historical analysis concerning the events of World War 2 and those depicted in the series.

Both are really, really good; although the latter tends to drag on at some points, which may leave some of the lesser-patient audiences feeling itchy in their seats. However, if paid close attention, not only will the featurette liven your knowledge of the war against the Axis faction, but probably score you some valuable marks in A-levels History class.

Also included is a nifty little feature called the "Field Guide Manual", that holds within itself rather interesting information concerning the actual soldiers depicted in the series, as well as other tidbits of information like the Hierarchy of Rank, Locations, so on so forth. This goes beyond textbook content.

All in all, the extra material found here is above average, if not bountiful. Really, you absolutely do get more bang for your buck here.

Rating : ****