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

Image-wise there is a huge difference between the two format releases as the screen captures below will indicate. The DVD seems beset with poor compression and haziness - regardless of it being on a dual-layered disc. I suspect the extensive extras should have been moved to a 2nd disc. The Blu-ray has almost 8 times the bitrate of the DVD and is improved in every visual area with detail being the standout superiority. Colors appear warmer on the Blu-ray while the DVD shows probable boosting in some segments. In this case, comparatively, the DVD is quite a mess in terms of image quality and the disparity shows one of the highest upgrades for such a relatively modern film.

NOTE: the Blu-ray tends to show a shade more information in the frame - mostly on the edges.

Audio-wise the DVD's 5.1 track is eclipsed by the more robust DTS HD-Master on the Blu-ray. The film is fairly passive with no gunplay and only some moans of ecstasy, wind and rain being about the only extravagance to the mix. While not a demonstrative improvement - I noticed the cleaner sound in the music track - suffice to say it's comforting to know 20th Century Fox has made it better even if we don't hear dramatic examples throughout the film. I'm a firm believer that the more pure the audio - the better the mood can be instilled - creating the intended aura. Both editions have English subtitles but the Blu-ray offers more options.

Both discs offer the same extras - really quite stacked. The film's commentaries (especially Lynes') tend to push Unfaithful to a bit higher artistic level than it probably deserves. He has a Brit accent but it is easy to discern. It is fairly professional and interesting. I never really felt it was much of an homage to Charbol's 69' film La Femme Infidele but rather its own Hollywood-esque approach - which is fine. But if you did like this - you should see the original one day. The alt-ending on Blu-ray this is in HD. I think the extras and trailer spoil the film giving away far too much information - but that is marketing these days. The featurettes and interviews (Charlie Rose etc.) are pretty standard stuff, but it was nice to see Diane Lane and Gere talk about the experience of making the film with Lyne.

The film doesn't have as much of Lyne's (who, by the way, started his career doing commercials) usual kind-of 'subversive MTV' feel - Fatal Attraction (1987), Nine 1/2 Weeks (1986), Flashdance (1983) etc. - and leads are played very well.  So the Blu-ray is definitely the best way to go for home viewing and makes the DVD a perfect give-away to my sister. One can't ignore Diane Lane's abundant sexuality in Unfaithful - or, I suppose, Olivier Martinez for that matter - which is appropriately matched by her strong performance. She seems to be literally 'glowing' throughout the entire 2 hours. The film has more depth than you might initially expect but is still bogged down with some superficiality - but as basic entertainment goes - it is fairly engaging... and the Blu-ray is, obviously, the best to view it.    

Gary W. Tooze