Compelling 'Atonement' gets worthy treatment on DVD

"Atonement"

"Atonement," based on Ian McEwan's brilliant novel, has everything you'd want in a British period drama: lush countryside estates, arch dialogue, class friction and sexual tension. A sluggish middle act keeps it from greatness, but it's a well-acted, compelling film that should please fans of the book.

The opening (and best) section of "Atonement" takes place just before World War II. The beautiful and rich Cecilia Tallis (played by Keira Knightley, whose cheekbones look like they could cut rock) realizes that she loves Robbie (James McAvoy), the son of one of her family's servants. The two engage in a clumsy courtship, much of it under the watchful eyes of Cecilia's preteen sister, Briony (Saoirse Ronan, nominated for an Oscar). Briony, old enough to be interested in what Cecilia and Robbie are doing but too young to understand it, views Robbie's pursuit of Cecilia as predatory, if not criminal. Her faulty perceptions ignite a family crisis that separates Robbie from Cecilia, perhaps forever. The rest of the film, which spans World War II and ends in the present day, explores the ramifications of Briony's actions and documents her efforts to set the record straight. Director Joe Wright keeps the pace crisp in the opening act, expertly re-staging scenes from different points of view (first Briony's, then Cecilia's) to show how easily a simple gesture can be misunderstood. Once the film moves into the war years, though, the material gets away from him. Thankfully, Wright gets back on track in the final scenes, when Briony is a novelist in her late 70s (now played by Vanessa Redgrave). "Atonement" ends on a suitably haunting, emotional note.

Universal has put together a nice DVD for this film. It comes with a commentary from Wright, deleted scenes and two informative featurettes (which include comments from McEwan). (R; Universal, $29.98)

"Enchanted"

"Enchanted" is a sweet, funny film that pays tribute to the old Disney animated classics while also poking affectionate fun at them. The movie begins in the traditional Disney animated world (before computers took over), where an evil queen (voiced by Susan Sarandon) is trying to keep her stepson, the prince (James Marsden) from marrying Giselle (Amy Adams). The queen pushes Giselle into a magical portal that sends her to present-day (and nonanimated) Manhattan! Now flesh-and-blood, Giselle forms a friendship with a cynical divorce lawyer (Patrick Dempsey) and waits for her prince to come rescue her. Adams, who's quickly becoming one of my favorite actresses, is fantastic as Giselle. The songs are excellent, the humor is witty, and there are enough winks and nods to previous Disney films to keep adults amused as well as children. The DVD comes with deleted scenes and behind-the-scenes featurettes. It's hard to see how anyone won't be enchanted by this great family film. (PG; Buena Vista Home Entertainment, $29.99)

"I Am Legend" (two-disc special edition)

In this sci-fi thriller, Will Smith plays a military scientist who is the lone human survivor of a viral plague that killed most people in the world and turned the rest into vicious man-eating killers. By day, he walks the eerily vacant streets of Manhattan (already covered by weeds) with his dog, hunting for food and trying to contact other survivors. By night, he stays holed up at home, trying to develop a cure, while the infected, who only come out after sunset, run wild outside. The first half of "I Am Legend" is moody and scary, the highlight being a scene where Smith has to enter a dark abandoned building to find his dog. But when the rubbery, generic, computer-generated zombies enter the picture, some of that mood is lost. Still, "I Am Legend," with a nicely understated performance by Smith, is smarter and more thoughtful than most fright flicks. The two-disc DVD comes with an alternate cut that has a much-less-satisfying ending and animated comics that flesh out the story. (There's also a link to additional content online.) (PG-13; Warner Home Video, $34.99)

"Bee Movie" (two-disc special edition)

As one of the few people in America who isn't a fan of Jerry Seinfeld, I wanted to dislike this film. But "Bee Movie" is a lively and funny animated adventure with the right mix of Looney Tunes-style antics and the observational humor that's a Seinfeld trademark. It doesn't rank with Pixar's greats like "The Incredibles," but it's a solid effort. The two-disc DVD, which came out last week, comes packed with bonus features, including a commentary with Seinfeld and the filmmakers, deleted scenes and plenty of behind-the-scenes material. (PG; Paramount, $39.99)