Transfer:
With Columbia handling the DVD, a lovely transfer was expected, and a lovely transfer was had. SO CLOSE will never look better (unless they somehow work in a US Superbit DVD down the line). Colors are right on and the Black levels are extremely solid. There is absolutely no grain, dirt, or annoying specks. I applaud Columbia on a job well done.

Sound:
Let me first start off by saying the Dolby Digital tracks are good, but I have a problem with the sound in the film that is not at fault with the Dolby. The problem is that no matter which track you switch it to, someone will end up being dubbed. Listen to the Cantonese track, Shu Qi and Zhao Wei are dubbed. Listen to the Mandarin track, Everyone else is dubbed but Shu and Zhao. I always like to hear the original actor's voices so what I did was switch the audio tracks back and forth seeing as how Shu and Zhao have scenes together speaking Mandarin, and the rest have scenes together in Cantonese. This worked until the end, when I got exhausted and let it sit on the Cantonese track because I decided I liked Karen Mok's voice better. What really should have been done was putting together a multi-lingual track. Sure, in reality they'd be speaking different languages to each other, but at least it's genuine. That being said, the Dolby Digital is good enough, but could have used more bass and more surround action. A DTS track would have been greatly appreciated.

Extras:
This should have been a 2 disc set packed with behind-the-scenes material, but seeing as how the DVD's audio/video presentation is so crisp, I had no problem with the lack of extras. There are trailers for SO CLOSE, CHARLIE'S ANGELS, CHARLIE'S ANGELS: FULL THROTTLE, and the creepy looking American/Chinese joint production, DOUBLE VISION, starring Tony Leung (Tall Tony, not Tiny Tony) and the talented David Morse.