All That Breathes Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		1.0
Overall		4.5

All That Breathes Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman June 22, 2024

There's an old maxim that states you can tell how a person is going to treat another human by how well (or badly) they may treat animals, and if that's true, there's little doubt that brothers Mohammad Saud and Nadeem Shehzad would be the sort of men you'd want to count on if you needed some kindness or emotional support. These siblings are the focal humans in a documentary about saving Delhi's threatened kite (as in bird species) population, one that has been challenged by the almost insane levels of pollution and other hazards in and around the urban center. Co-producer and director Shaunak Sen is on hand in a supplementary interview on this disc talking about how he wanted to craft a "cinematic documentary", and as such, despite the often horrifyingly squalid living conditions in the city that are rather dramatically depicted, there's a visual sweep to this piece that is quite evocative, if often also troubling.

Even those who may tend to disbelieve dire warnings about climate change or the impact Mankind is having on this planet may be downright shocked at some of the imagery and content on hand in All That Breathes. Suffice it to say that Delhi does not come across as very hygienic (to say the least), and the fact that even the focal siblings have their own health issues aside and apart from the wounded or distressed birds at the center of the story indicates how perilous the environment in this area can be. Despite Shaunak Sen's assertion in the interview included on this disc that he wanted to eschew making an overtly "political" statement with this documentary, coming to some kind of conclusion about what's going on in this region is virtually unavoidable. There's another old maxim about "canaries in a coal mine" being the potential harbinger of disaster, and it's hard not to think of kites providing the same kind of cautionary information to humans, if only they'd be smart enough to pay attention.

All That Breathes Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

All That Breathes is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion's Sideshow imprint with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.90:1 (the back cover incorrectly lists a 1.85:1 aspect ratio). There's some interesting information on what was an extended shoot for this film, one lengthened by Shaunak Sen's decision partway through to forsake handheld cameras in favor of what he calls a more "cinematic" approach, and the result is incredibly powerful in both positive and negative ways. The IMDb lists a Canon camera and what looks like a 4K DI. While there are some definite variances in clarity due to some "fly on the wall" filming locations (even without handheld "jiggliness"), on the whole detail levels are excellent and the palette very nicely suffused. That said, the scenes of unbelievable polluted carnage can be decidedly unsettling. There are some minor issues with shadow definition in some nighttime or otherwise minimally lit scenes.

All That Breathes Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

All That Breathes features a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track that supports all of the spoken material perfectly well, and which also offers some maybe slightly whimsical sounds of birdcall and the like. A glut of outdoor material offers the most noticeable surround activity, as some of the bustling sounds of the crowded urban environment can spill into the side and rear channels. Optional English subtitles are available.

All That Breathes Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Meet the Filmmakers (HD; 17:40) offers a really interesting interview (and overview) with Shaunak Sen.


• Trailer (HD; 2:19)

Additionally a two (interior) page insert offers a good essay by Michael Joshua Rowin.

All That Breathes Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

I have been a vegetarian for virtually all of my adult life, and in fact have been one for so long I can quite easily remember when it was well nigh impossible to find any meat free offerings at restaurants and the like, so I may be intrinsically more attuned to the plight of our planet's non-human cohabitators than some, but I can't imagine even diehard carnivores and/or hunters (including those who may hunt birds) not being moved by the story told here. This is an exceptional documentary that offers both a moving personal story and a "wider" tale of environmental peril. Technical merits are solid and the included interview excellent. Highly recommended.