NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

ADDITION: Criterion Blu-ray (May 2024): Criterion have transferred Karyn Kusama's Girlfight to Blu-ray. It is cited as being from a "New 4K digital restoration, supervised by director Karyn Kusama and director of photography Patrick Cady". The 1080P transfer on a dual-layered disc with a max'ed out bitrate, shows the film textures beautifully. Grain has a consistency and colors are rich and true, contrast sublime. It's pristinely clean with plenty of depth and looks flawless. 

NOTE: We have added 54 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-ray, Criterion use a DTS-HD Master 5.1 surround track (24-bit) in the original English language. Girlfight has plenty of boxing jabs and power-packed punches that carry a heavy crispness with a few notable separations in the spectator responses. The score is credited to Gene McDaniels (his Compared to What) and Theodore Shapiro (Tropic Thunder, Blades of Glory, State and Main) plus there is plenty of other music samplings by performers like Andy Bey, Ness Bautista's Ghetto Mambo, Dilated Peoples, K-OS, Santana's Olympic Festival, Cybershadow, Fat Joe, ¡Cubanismo!, Adam Hamilton, Coati Mundi and his Rhumbaphonic Band, Jimmy Bosch, Queen Latifah. The audio is clean with effective fidelity. Criterion offer optional English (SDH) subtitles on their Region 'A' Blu-ray.

The Criterion Blu-ray includes the 2001 commentary by director / writer Karyn Kusama originally on the Sony DVD (HERE) where she talks about the production, cinematography, budget constraints (only 1 million USD allocated), funding by producer John Sayles (Lone Star) pointing out his cameo as the science teacher (she met him working as a nanny), Michelle Rodriguez - her evolution to the project and much more. I found it interesting. There are 45-minutes worth of new interviews with Kusama, editor Plummy Tucker and composer Theodore Shapiro recalling their contributions and details of the filmmaking process. Included is a 7-minute storyboard-to-film comparison with commentary from Kusama, a trailer and the package has a liner notes booklet with an essay by author Carmen Maria Machado (It Came from the Closet: Queer Reflections on Horror.)    

Karyn Kusama's feature debut Girlfight subverts the classic pugilist yarn with a female protagonist. She's angry and determined even boxing against males. It's part gritty sports film - part character evolution overcoming adversity as Diana (Michelle Rodriguez - launching her acting career) 'wants'; satisfaction for her brother, relief from her abusive father, and... respect. More Rocky than Million Dollar Baby, Girlfight has positive themes of female empowerment, discipline, circumventing the gender barrier and overcoming physical challenges. The Criterion Blu-ray has their high quality a/v, a director commentary, new interviews, and a booklet. It's quite an entertaining film. Certainly recommended.

Gary Tooze