Columbia TriStar Home Video presents

The Sixth Day (2000)

"My daughter's inside. I don't want her exposed to any graphic violence, she gets enough from the media."- Adam Gibson (Arnold Schwarzenegger)

Stars: Arnold Schwarzenegger
Other Stars: Tony Goldwyn, Michael Rapaport, Robert Duvall, Wendy Crewson, Michael Rooker
Director: Roger Spottiswoode

MPAA Rating: PG-13 for language, violence, and one brief scene of sexuality Language, violence and one brief scene of sexuality
Run Time: 02h:4m:32s
Release Date: 2001-03-27
Genre: action

Style Grade	Substance Grade	Image Transfer Grade	Audio Transfer Grade	Extras Grade
B-	C+	A-	A	C

 

DVD Review

If there is one thing that angers me about Hollywood it isn't the inflated budgets or the weaker than gas station coffee screenplays, it is the fact that they just can't leave well enough alone. It seems as though that every time a news story breaks and captures the attention of the world, a movie about the subject can be sure to come. With The Sixth Day the subject is cloning and its effects on the common man...oh yeah the common man just happens to be Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The Sixth Day takes place in the not too distant future (a popular place in films lately), when cloning of pets is available at the local mall...yet human cloning is outlawed. To break the law and clone a human is to cause a "Sixth Day Violation," a crime that constitutes punishment in the form of a prison sentence and destruction of the clone. But a man named Drucker (Goldwyn), one of the most successful men in the nation, has a secret lab where human cloning is a specialty. The head scientist, Dr. Weir (Duvall) is the world's leading geneticist, who has the process down so perfectly that a new human can be created in two hours.

On the other end of the spectrum is Adam Gibson (Schwarzenegger), an ordinary guy morally against cloning, who, while minding his own business gets mixed up with Drucker. He owns a helicopter company by the name of Double X Charters with his partner Hank. At the start of the film Drucker hires them to fly him to an out-of-the-way ski resort and all seems to be going to plan. But after things go wrong on the trip, Adam's home life is turned upside down when he discovers that a clone has taken his place there. Soon Drucker's hit men are trying more and more to make sure that there is only one Adam Gibson walking the earth.

The term high concept belongs in an Arnold Schwarzenegger movie like I belong at a Backstreet Boys concert. Yet The Sixth Day does require a bit more thinking than some of the big guy's more recent pictures. The problem remains that while the film does make us think about cloning, it is more interested in laser guns and making things blow up real good than it is about the societal effects of cloning.

On the other hand, the numerous action sequences in The Sixth Day are well done. Director Roger Spottiswoode (Tomorrow Never Dies, Stop or my Mom Will Shoot&8212no I am not kidding) crafts an entertaining ride for most of the film, although the tedious middle section of the film isn't as enjoyable, with more than an ample amount of chase sequences. Too many jokes seem repetitive the more that they are executed and some painfully unfunny one liners fall flat. My biggest problem with the movie is that while there is a high body count in the picture, it isn't veryshocking to see a villain be killed but know that he will be cloned in the next scene.

It can be said that no one ever went to an Arnold Schwarzenegger film to see high caliber acting, and The Sixth Day proves not to be the exception. Arnold is likeable, but there is never much more to his character. Tony Goldwyn makes an uninteresting villain, although it is nice to see that the bad guy in a Schwarzenegger picture isn't a megalomaniac. Robert Duvall seems to be sleepwalking towards his check here, and Michael Rooker is as usual over the top. Michael Rapaport is the token best friend and he does a nice job for the short amount of time that he is on screen.

Rating for Style: B-
Rating for Substance: C+

 

Image Transfer

	One
Aspect Ratio	2.35:1 - Widescreen
Original Aspect Ratio	yes
Anamorphic	yes

Image Transfer Review: The 2.35:1 anamorphic transfer by the good people at Columbia Home Video is at times perfect. While devoid of much color the film is vibrant especially in the opening scenes featuring the bright colors of the XFL football uniforms. Sharpness and detail are always of the highest quality and pixelation is never a problem. The many darkly lit and nighttime scenes are clean, with very little grain and deep blacks. Neither edge enhancement nor shimmering are present. Overall this is a very good transfer.

Image Transfer Grade: A-
 

Audio Transfer

	Language	Remote Access
DS 2.0	English and French	yes
Dolby Digital 5.1	English	yes

Audio Transfer Review: For anyone with his or her DVD's arranged by sound quality, you will be happy to know that The Sixth Day is another disc that you can add to the collection. Anyone expecting a tame sound mix from a Schwarzenegger film needs to have their hearing checked. Dialogue is clear with no problems while Trevor Rabin's musical score comes across with nice definition and clarity. The surround speakers, much like the .1 LFE channel come alive on more than one occasion with the viewer feeling every gunshot as if it were happening in their living room. A Dolby 2.0 channel mix is also available in English and French.

Audio Transfer Grade: A 

Disc Extras

Full Motion menu
Scene Access with 28 cues and remote access
Subtitles/Captions in English, French with remote access
Cast and Crew Biographies
Cast and Crew Filmographies
1 Original Trailer(s)
Production Notes
Isolated Music Score with remote access
1 Feature/Episode commentary by Composer Trevor Rabin
Packaging: Amaray
Picture Disc
1 Disc
1-Sided disc(s)
Layers: RSDL

Extra Extras:

1. Re-Pet commercials

Extras Review: Originally expected to be a feature packed special edition DVD, Columbia missed this opportunity and what is left in the aftermath is presented here. Perhaps the most exciting feature is an isolated score with commentary by composer Trevor Rabin. While not entirely interesting, Rabin does have some nice words for the film as well as information on how he came up with the theme and tone of the score.

Rounding out the extra features are two Re-Pet television spots as well as theatrical trailers for not only The Sixth Day but also Final Fantasy, Hollow Man, and the terrific Gattaca. Talent files for the cast and crew are also available.

Extras Grade: C
 

Final Comments

As much as I wanted it to, the Sixth Day just didn't involve me. The video and audio portions of the disc are certainly nice, but not enough for this to be an across the board recommendation. Rent it and you might like it, I for one don't have a problem owning it, but I can't see it getting much repeat viewing at my house.

Kevin Clemons 2001-03-26