The Kite Runner
April 2008 Reviewed by: Josh Barber Format: DVD	(all ratings out of 5): Overall Enjoyment Picture Quality Packaged Extras Sound Quality

When watching The Kite Runner, it's important to remember that this is ultimately a story of redemption. So if you find yourself disliking the main character for the entire middle section of the film, that's OK. You're supposed to.

Before the Russian invasion of Afghanistan, Amir (Zekeria Ebrahimi) and Hassan (Ahmad Khan Mahmidzada) are good friends living in the city of Kabul, and they love participating in kite fights. Amir flies while Hassan runs to collect the trophies. When Hassan is attacked for his ethnicity, Amir silently allows it to happen, and his shame eventually drives a wedge between the boys. Fleeing the Communists, Amir's father Baba takes the family to America, but years later Amir is called back to Afghanistan by a family friend who promises him "There is a way to be good again." There he must confront not only his own past, but the way the once-beautiful country has been decimated under Taliban rule.

Though the movie is set in Afghanistan, current strife forced the filming to move to China, but the effect remains the same. The Kite Runner looks beautiful, and the amount of detail to be seen on the mountain faces and the various Afghani buildings is incredible. A few scenes are somewhat grainy, but it's not too distracting. The colors are vibrant and saturated, and the shadows are just dark enough. The aerial views of the land during the kite fights are stunning. It would have been supremely disappointing if the disc hadn't presented them well, but thankfully that isn't a concern.

The disc includes English, French and Spanish audio options, but they don't really change very much: The majority of the dialogue is subtitled Dari, and that remains the same throughout. The audio presentation isn't flashy or overwhelming, instead focusing on the simple clarity of the dialogue, but there are a few times when things really jump up -- as you might imagine, fleeing the Taliban is not a calm, silent affair. The score adds to the film's authentic feeling, and it blends well with the presentation.

The Kite Runner's primary bonus feature is the commentary track with director Marc Forster, novelist Khaled Hosseini and screenwriter David Benioff. The three do a good job of discussing the adaptation of the novel, what it was like making China double for Kabul, and providing more information about what life is (and was) like in Afghanistan. There are some throwaway references and bits of insight and cultural trivia that make the commentary fully enjoyable.

"Words from The Kite Runner" is a 15-minute featurette with the same three participants, focusing on the story's journey to the screen. It's not just about how Forster and Benioff became interested in the story, but also how Hosseini, a doctor, decided to become a writer. "Images from The Kite Runner" is a longer production short that goes more into the technical details and difficulties faced during the shoot.

The brief "A Public Service Announcement with Khaled Hosseini" serves both as an introduction to the film and a call for awareness about the current state of Afghanistan, directing viewers to visit www.takepart.com to learn more and get involved. The disc is rounded out by the theatrical trailer and a few previews.

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