Cita:The Jackal Blu-ray, Video Quality

The Jackal makes its high definition debut with a stocky 1080p/VC-1 transfer; a somewhat dated presentation reminiscent of those that graced many a Blu-ray and HD DVD catalog release in 2007. First, the good. Overall color and clarity are stronger than they've been before (a visit with the DVD version of the film reveals just how much), black levels are deeper, and textures are sharper and more refined. Grain, though slightly soupy, is intact as well, and the image doesn't show signs of over-processing. Detail isn't beyond reproach, mind you -- softness rears its head, several establishing shots show signs of wear, and some slight, intermittent smearing raises a few red flags -- but edges are generally crisp and clean. Moreover, serious aliasing, artifacting, banding, and unintentional source noise are nowhere to be found. Which leads us to the... let's just say not-so-good. Crush sometimes thwarts Mulqueen's efforts (especially in the first half of the film), delineation is inconsistent, skintones are occasionally flushed, nighttime sequences are a wee bit murky, ringing appears here and there, and sporadic print damage is apparent in several shots. Whether the majority of these issues trace back to the original print or a hit-or-miss master is unclear (although I suspect the chief culprit to be the former rather than the latter). My advice? Wait a few weeks, pick it up on sale, and try to focus on the transfer's more noteworthy traits. This is the best treatment anyone is likely to see for a long time.