Disc Details
Special Features:	Audio commentary with Director Bill Paxton Audio commentary with Director Bill Paxton, Producer David Kirshner, Composer Brian Tiler, and Editor Arnold Glassman Audio commentary by Writer Brent Hanley Deleted Scenes Sundance Channel presents "Anatomy of the Scene" The Making of Frailty Still Photo Presentation by James Hamilton Theatrical Trailer
Video Format:	Anamorphic Widescreen (1.85:1) [SS-DL]
Languages:	English (Dolby Digital 5.1)
Subtitles:	English, Spanish.
Captions:	Yes
Casing:	1-Disc Keep Case

“Frailty” deals with the dark world of religious fanaticism through a Texas widower (Paxton) who, in a haunting vision, believes God has commanded him to destroy demons sent down to earth for the final battle. These demons he seeks take the form of humans, though at the touch of his hands, he claims to be able to see their true identity. His two young sons are enlisted, by default, to assist in his call to “justice,” witnessing first hand a series of horrifying ax murders of these so-called demons.

Mathew McConaughey plays one of the now-adult sons, who recalls – through flashbacks -- his real-life childhood nightmare to an FBI agent (Powers Boothe), who is investigating a string of recent “Hand of God” murders in the small Texas town.

Paxton weaves Bent Hanley’s unsettling script into a subtle, yet fully effective nightmare of reality, playing off the idea that the Texas widower could in fact have been right. The disturbing significance of this truth or fallacy is at the heart of “Frailty,” and gives the film a suspenseful weight. Gloomy, but suspenseful nonetheless.

Though Paxton’s acting has been better, McConaughey and Boothe fly on all cylinders. An intense sequence between the two of them in a car near the film’s end is one of the most memorable and menacing scenes I’ve seen in a long, long time.

“Frailty” is definitely not for everyone, but if you can stomach the dark world of murder masked in the name of spiritual devotion, “Frailty” is a particularly memorable journey.

Picture Quality: 8/10
The film's cinematography is intentionally dark and gloomy, but the film still comes across as a little too dark on the small screen. Other than that, the transfer is top notch. Very little grain and no visible artifacting throughout the picture (this seems to be the case with most films featuring darker cinematography; maybe a compression secret?). The picture itself is very sharp, and the colors (though dark) are accurate. Solid job from Lion's Gate.

Sound Quality: 9/10
The 5.1 Dolby Digital transfer is extremely effective, accurately setting up the front three-channels, and using the surrounds when needed. Dialogue is extremely crisp, and the front channels are well-balanced.

Menu: 8/10
Easy to navigate menu system.

Easter Eggs:
Trailers for "Dead Zone" and "Liberty Stands Still"
--On the main menu screen, hit the "right" control button on your remote 5 times.
You will see the "Lion's Gate" logo appear out of nowhere on the bottom of the screen. Click on it will play two trailers, one for the TV-show "Dead Zone" and the other for Wesley Snipes' "Liberty Stands Still."

Extra Features: 8/10
Three commentary tracks headline this feature-loaded disc. The Bill Paxton commentary is the most insightful and entertaining of the three, though screenwriter Bent Hanley’s commentary track is also interesting (if a bit more pedantic). Bill Paxton, Producer David Kirshner, Composer Brian Tiler, and Editor Arnold Glassman all get together for the third commentary track, and their insights are also worth a listen for those who have time.

The Sundance Channel's fascinating "Anatomy of a Scene" is included on the disc, discussing Frailty's incredible carshot scene near the end of the film. A must-see for anyone who enjoyed the film.

The "Making of Frailty" documentary is a short, generic featurette.

Deleted scenes (with optional commentary), a still photo presentation and theatrical trailers complete the disc.

The Final Word:
Budgeted at $11 million, the film managed just $13 million domestically at the box office. It's a shame, since the film deserved more accolades than it received during its theatrical release. The film's dark subject matter is likely at the heart of the problem, but anyone with a stomach for some of this darker stuff will likely be impressed with this Bill Paxton directorial debut.

The disc itself is a surprisingly feature-loaded one from Lions Gate. Three commentary tracks, Sundance's "Anatomy of a Scene" (one of my favorite features on any disc), deleted scenes (with optional commentary) and solid audio/video make this one of the best discs released this year. For fans of the film, a must-buy.

Stephen Wong