Murph: The Protector [DVD] [2013]

On June 28th, 2005, during an infamous mountainside battle with Taliban forces, Lieutenant Michael P. Murphy was killed while trying to protect his Navy SEAL team. In 2007, he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his bravery, the first ever given for combat in Afghanistan. This powerful documentary features interviews with LT Murphy's friends, family and teammates, and reveals the remarkable life of the son, brother, neighbor and warrior known to all as 'Murph'; a man who made the ultimate sacrifice for his country and the cause of freedom to become a true American hero. This is the story and legacy - of MURPH: THE PROTECTOR.

Expected to bring in both big box office and Oscar nominations (it did neither), White Oleander is the kind of film that generally goes further on home video than in the theaters. The DVD is a mix, though, as the image, framed at 1.85:1 and anamorphic (there is a full-frame version also available) lacks good detail. It's soft, but not a horrible distraction, since the actual transfer is nearly perfect. Colors are somewhat muted, though possibly intentional for effect. As for the 5.1 Dolby Digital soundtrack, it's nothing to get to excited about. Surrounds are basically nonexistent, though dialogue is clear and distinguishable. Fortunately, giving it some life, the bass does go into effect at very appropriate times, creating a deep sonic result. Though far from a special edition, Warner has included a number of extras. First off is a scene-specific commentary track from director Peter Kosminsky, producer John Wells, and author Janet Fitch. Next is a standard Hollywood PR piece, entitled "The Journey of White Oleander," which means you get as many scenes from the film as actual interviews. It doesn't amount to a whole lot. In addition to this is another brief featurette, called (excitingly enough) "The Making of White Oleander." There's little variation between these two though, and seems odd to need both. Also included are six deleted scenes, along with some cast and crew information, and the theatrical trailer.