When I was 12 I rode my 10-speed down a huge hill and crashed down a concrete stairwell into a brick wall. I survived. The bike didn’t. If only I had known there was a career in this stuff it might have hurt a little less. Of course, in those days there was no such thing as X games. With this DVD, perhaps the X Games have arrived…with highlights from X Games VII in Philadelphia.
Audio
Ultimate X contains solid Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS 5.1 tracks. Except for a bit of a bottom boost on the…DTS they are pretty much interchangeable. The BMX clips appear to be the only place where aggressive surrounds are present. There is plenty of action-related music that comprises most of the audio. The sound is clean for the most part.
Video
Ultimate X is presented in the “Standard” or “Full Screen” format. The footage is pretty much ESPN Sports coverage quality. Expect a good TV signal.
Special Features
There are a few extras on this disc… which I expect is intended to counter the short 39 minute running time of the feature. The disc is loaded with short sound bites from most of the marquee names in the business. There is a collection of music video-like productions.
My major complaint is a menu system that requires an index to interpret. Instead of labeling your options, a collection of icons is used. There’s an on-screen index which you will need to check out to be able to navigate. The menu system also requires you to go through various sub-directories to get to a clip you want which averages just less than two minutes.
Final Thoughts
The feature begins with interviews of fans waiting the announced hour and a half necessary to get inside. The film ends with a montage of the wrecks, which I suspect is what many of the fans came to see. Basically it’s like going to a concert, “but you can’t get hurt playing guitar”.
Special Features List
- Sound Bites
- Music Videos
