Director Tom Tykwer has made some great films(RUN LOLA RUN, PRINCESS AND THE WARRIOR)and some total crap(Perfume), and his latest, "THE INTERNATIONAL," while not among his best, is still quite entertaining. From the film's opening sequence, revolving around a murder, the audience is thrust into a seemingly complex plot involving Interpol detective, Louis Salinger(Clive Owen) and his investigation into the Internatilan Bank of Business and Credit(IBBC) and ties with arms dealing, African regime changes, money laundering and assassinations.  With the help of New York D.A. Eleanor Whitman(Naomi Watts, Salinger continues his investigation while it and their lives are in constant peril. 
 
As the film continues and numerous characters are introduced, the narrative comes close to becoming derailed under the weight of too much information. However, tight direction, great acting and an ultimately successful script, keep things on track, for a thriller that offers many "edge-of-the-seat" moments and a satisfying conclusion.
 
Enough fine things can't be said about the cast. Everyone is perfect! Owen has had his share of miscast parts in the past, but his performance here is flawless. Finally, we're not watching Owen but his character and he keeps Louis interesting and believable, when exposition doesn't. 
 
There are the typical thugs and assassins one expects to find in this film genre, but they never appear silly or cliche'd. Again, the casting is flawless.
 
SONY has provided the correct 2.35:1 aspect ratio for this 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 encoded blu-ray and 16:9 enhanced dvd. 
 
Tykwer has given many scenes a cold design, wherein colors are intentionally restrained, as in the opening dreary moments. However, even in these scenes, detail is wonderful, with jump-off-the-screen impact(at least on blu-ray!). Detail is still impressive on dvd, but obviously notably inferior to the resolution of HD. The five 'o clock shadow of Owen's tired face is evident on both formats with impressive depth, but the blu-ray makes one feel as if they're right up there beside his character rather than just watching him from afar. Grain is present on both formats, however, it serves the blu-ray in a notably better manner, creating a film-like experience, whereas on the dvd, it feels more like a minor imperfection. In scenes where color is pushed, the vibrancy is spectacular, and the image becomes even more impressive and vibrant in both formats. The dvd image is impressive, but in side-to-side comparisons, even this fine dvd image appears substantially flawed by the beauty of this blu-ray.
 
SONY has provided a Dolby TrueHD 5.1 mix for blu-ray and standard Dolby Digital 5.1 for the dvd.  Both mixes are aggressive and even minor nuances are impressively handled. However, the lossy mix offers notably superior fidelity, as is evident in the opening sequence, where subtle effects build the intensity of the sequence at hand. The same sequence with the dvd's dolby digital mix, while entertaining, isn't nearly as impactful. There are a number of scenes wherein almost hushed dialogue is perfectly intelligible on the TrueHD mix. However, on the dolby digital mix, these same scenes necessitated an increase in center channel volume.
 
SONY has included some nice extras for this release on both formats. An audio commentary with Tykwer and the screenwriter, allow for an entertaining yet intellectual discussion, which fans of the film and film students will enjoy and appreciate. Never a dull moment!
 
A featurette, "MAKING THE INTERNATIONAL," offers some great behind-the-scenes footage, and execution distinguishing it from most "fluff-piece" featurettes. The stars offer insight into their roles and the film's development and construction is explored. (standard on dvd, and HD on blu-ray!)
 
Another featurette, "Shooting at the Guggenheim," is a brief but interesting look behind the sequence.(standard on both formats)
 
"The Architecture of The International" is a brief look at the film's production design.(HD on blu-ray)
 
"THE AUTOSTADT" is a brief, interesting look at how the shooting at Volkswagon Headquarters was implemented. (HD on blu-ray!)
 
An Extended Scene: "SALLINGER AND WHITMAN," is a great scene that arguably should've been reinserted into the final film. The two main characters create heightened levels of sexual intensity in a well-crafted, restrained manner, and dialogue with Sallinger's daughter(not appearing at all in the final film)adds more depth to his character.
 
Theatrical trailers are included, all in HD on blu-ray.