DVD Verdict: While this movie can't be considered a long music video, it is essentially filmed in the Hype Williams music video style. There are numerous slow motion shots, and also present are the rich Hype Williams background textures. However while this works for four minutes of booty shaking, it works to hurt a feature length film! Also, the textures used in the film are cool in themselves but end up giving the film a surreal feeling, and given the gritty nature of the issues dealt within 'Belly', I think that surrealism wasn't the way to go. For example, in the opening scene Williams uses light to give the characters eye's a neon hue, while the rest of thier bodies appear black. While this looks great for Busta Rhymes in a video, it serves no purpose in 'Belly'. Why are their eyes like this? Is it because it helps to tell the story? Or is it just to show off? Hype is obviously talented, but just because he makes great music videos doesn't mean he can make great movies. After all, just because Michael Johnson can sprint with the best doesn't mean he can excel at marathons right? It's a different animal, and this one devoured Hype Williams. Here's hoping he can improve. This is a Widescreen Presentation (1.85) enhanced for 16x9 TVs and comes with the Special Features of:
Newly remastered;
Commentary by director Hype Williams;
Multiple spoken-word featurettes;
"Grand Finale" music video with DMX, Method Man, Nas, and Ja Rule;
Deleted Scene;
Original Theatrical Trailer;
Music CD: 'Story to Tell' (Ja Rule), 'Top Shotter' (DMX/Sean Paul/Mr. Vegas), 'Crew Love' (Jay-Z/Beanie Sigel/Memphis Bleek), 'Two Sides' (Hot Totti), 'Sometimes' (Noreaga/Maze), 'Tommy's Theme' (Made Men/The L.O.X.), 'Windpipe' (Wu-Tang Clan/RZA/Ghostface Killah), 'I Wanna Live' (Braveheart).
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