6.4 | / 10 |
Users | 4.5 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
A failed American businessman looks to recoup his losses by traveling to Saudi Arabia and selling his idea to a wealthy monarch.
Starring: Tom Hanks, Omar Elba, Sarita Choudhury, Sidse Babett Knudsen, Tracey FairawayDrama | 100% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
English, English SDH, Spanish
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
UV digital copy
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A (locked)
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 2.0 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
A Hologram for the King sports one of the most distinctive titles in recent memory, but like its titular apparition, the film’s message is perhaps a bit diaphanous at times. The ever dependable Tom Hanks portrays Alan Clay, a salesman who has seen better days and in fact comes off a little like the hapless Gil Gunderson of The Simpsons fame, always sure the “next big thing” (i.e., sale) is right around the corner. Alan’s life is in a bit (and maybe more than merely a bit) of a tailspin, as the film begins detailing in a series of vignettes and flashbacks. Once a guiding light at Schwinn bicycles, Alan’s decision to have the bikes manufactured in China led to the demise of the American institution. Alan is currently working for a high tech firm which is seeking to install a holographic messaging system at a new city being built on a deserted (in both senses of the term) coastline in Saudi Arabia, hence the “king” of the film’s title. But Alan is also dealing with the after effects of a far from amicable divorce, as well as the fallout his declining career arc has created for his college age daughter, who now finds her studies on hold until Alan can afford tuition again. A Hologram for the King is an intentionally whimsical outing that has a lot going for it, not the least of which is Hanks’ assured presence, but the film veers wildly in tone and never seems to find a completely sure footing in the arid sands of Saudi Arabia.
A Hologram for the King is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Lionsgate Films with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 2.39:1. The IMDb lists this as having been shot with Arri Alexa and Arriflex gear with both digital capture and traditional film evidently being used, which was then finished at a 4K DI, but the film has been tweaked in post to more resemble a homogeneous 35mm outing, and there's therefore a bit more "texture" involved in this presentation than might be expected. A slightly roughhewn appearance adds nice depth to the image and overall this offers an organically "filmic" look. The palette is a bit blanched due to the desert setting, but there's a nice accounting of the various shades of beige and white that tend to greet Alan on his treks. Nothing has been overtly color graded and detail levels generally remain quite high, even with some scenes shot almost directly into light or, later in the film, actual underwater sequences. There are some minor but noticeable issues that tend to imbue a lot of scenes with what almost look like yellow chroma anomalies that I'm ascribing to either compression or native capture, as the overall palette looks natural aside from these passing tendencies.
A Hologram for the King features a nice sounding lossless DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix that gets an occasional workout when, for example, Yousef pumps up the car radio playing 1970s or 1980s era music. Otherwise, this tends to be a fairly subtle sound mix, one which achieves nuanced but noticeable immersion due to rather quiet ambient environmental effects (a slight breeze, the gentle lapping of waves, etc.) rather than any in your face (ears?) bombast. There is one crazy party scene that offers a riot of activity, at least when compared to the generally tamped down sonic ambitions of the bulk of the film. Fidelity is excellent and there are no problems of any kind to report.
Despite what may seem like a laundry list of reasons not to, I rather enjoyed A Hologram for the King, though I kept wishing Tykwer had tried to dig beneath the surface a little more (though some who have seen the film will know that Alan's "digging" beneath his growth's surface provides the film with a squirm inducing moment or two). The film coasts genially on the charisma of Hanks and its unusual setting, but anyone trying to extract a degree of profundity from the goings on will probably come away largely empty handed. Still, with expectations set at a reasonable level, A Hologram for the King is an enjoyable, sometimes goofy, and even occasionally moving film. Technical merits are generally strong, and A Hologram for the King comes Recommended.
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