Three featurettes, commentary track featuring the director, co-screenwriter, producer, executive producer and casting agent; trailer

Edward Norton got his big breakthrough with a stunning performance in “Primal Fear” a terrific court room thriller that also features Richard Gere in a strong performance. Gere plays Marty Veil a defense attorney who thrives only when he’s in the spotlight. After winning a big settlement for one of his clients (Steve Baeur), Veil latches on to a career making case; Aaron (Norton) a boy accused of the brutal murder of an archbishop needs to be represented and Marty NEEDs to be that person. Going head-to-head in court against his former lover and co-worker Janet (Laura Linney), Veil discovers that he has more than he can handle when he discovers more and more incriminating evidence and a complication about his “guilt”. ***

A well made thriller with enough twists and turns to keep you on your toes, “Primal Fear” remains a strong thriller even after you’ve seen it and know how the movie ends. ---

Image & Sound:

Paramount presents “Primal Fear” on Blu-ray with a mixed transfer. Detail is strong in some scenes while other scenes appear a bit indistinct lacking the sharpness that one would expect from a top notch Blu-ray transfer. The film varies from very good to mundane within a matter of minutes. *** Audio sounds extremely good with a solid TrueHD 5.1 soundtrack. Dialog is upfront throughout the film and perfectly clear. The 5.1 mix is nicely used during the few action scenes in the film. ---

Director Gregory Hoblit isn’t afraid to dive into the details of making the film on his commentary track. He’s joined by co-writer Ann Biderman, executive producer Howard Koch, casting director Deborah Aquila and producer Gary Luccheshi. It’s a love fest between the three of them. They clearly admire and like each other and miss working together. They share tidbits from the paring down of the final jail room scene between actors Richard Gere and Edward Norton, how they changed it (fairly radically)to the casting decisions. ***

“Primal Fear: The Final Verdict” allows the same cast of characters involved in the commentary track to reflect on the making of this film which proved pivotal for Edward Norton since it was his first film and Gere who gives a terrific performance and is often overlooked. ***

“Primal Fear: Star Witness” features a new interview with Edward Norton discussing his casting, the experience and how he saw other terrific actors that were bypassed making him think he didn’t have a chance at the role. He shares a very funny story about how it appeared EVERYONE in New York went in to read for the role. ***

“The Psychology of Guilt” and the original theatrical trailer round out the extras. ---

Final Words: