Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.0
Overall		3.5

Anthropoid Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman October 31, 2016

World War II's smaller stories could fill volumes of history texts -- and they have -- and they've also begun filtering into cinemas, too. Beyond the big, sweeping wartime epics like Saving Private Ryan, tales of larger-than-life individuals like Patton, stories of survival like The Bridge on the River Kwai, and recounts of key battles like Stalingrad, filmmakers have slowly begun to find, and recreate, the more individualized, smaller-scale, but no less fascinating tales from the war. Hacksaw Ridge looks to be a winner. Defiance was met with some praise. Now comes Anthropoid, a movie that might sounds like a budget Sci-Fi movie-of-the-week but that's actually the story of a plot to assassinate a feared Nazi leader at the height of World War II. The film serves as a good example of the validity of how the less popular and widely known moments from the war can make as much of a dramatic impact as those key events that turned the tide for history but might not have been possible without the background maneuvers that were as much a driving force during the war as the bullet point highlights taught in school.

World War II is in full swing. Hitelr has sent his third in command, and the architect of the "Final Solution," Reinhard Heydrich (Detlef Bothe), to Czechoslovakia to oversee military production at the nation's factories in support of the war effort. Jozef Gabčík (Cillian Murphy) and Jan Kubiš (Jamie Dornan) are Czech soldiers sent on a secret mission to assassinate Heydrich. They're aided by several rebels, including Jan Zelenka-Hajský (Toby Jones), Marie Kovárníková (Charlotte Le Bon), and Lenka Fafková (Anna Geislerová). The mission is time critical and carries great importance for the war effort, but at what cost to the country and themselves, should they be discovered or the mission go awry?

Anthropoid is very deliberately paced, taking its time to evolve, set the story in motion, and explore the ramifications of the assassination attempt. It's a critical thinking film, one that's shaped by ideas and the slow-burn execution thereof rather than run-and-gun action and quippy dialogue. It is, in many ways, the antithesis of the typical War film, making the war the driving force and critical backdrop but refusing to sell itself short by simply throwing bullets along the arc. Some in the audience may understandably find it too much of a sloth -- and the movie does struggle with pacing and accomplishing enough to maintain the peak of audience interest -- but the reward is in the patience, of allowing the film to evolve on its own timeframe rather than simply push ahead in the crudest fashion possible. The film finds success in the exploration of ideas and the world around them, in finely tuning its key driver pieces and more subtle background details alike. What it lacks in rat-a-tat action it more than makes up for with a carefully constructed narrative.

The story's attention to detail certainly helps set it apart, even beyond its nontraditional wartime structure that leaves the blazing guns at home, save for a few key moments. Writers Sean Ellis and Anthony Frewin, the former of whom also directed, build a fairly compelling image of the greater war and world around the characters, both near and far, and take the time to fully explore the consequences of their actions, moving beyond the "he needs to die" mantra and finding the inherent pros and cons of their would-be assassination. The cast is fluent in the language of wartime planning, manipulation, and action as well. The lead tandem of Jamie Dornan and Cillian Murphy absorb the parts with an inner knowing and outer command that enhances the film's deliberate pacing and accentuates the action when it comes. Supporting cast is quite good, too, and the film's grainy, 16mm-sourced imagery enhances the period feel while its grittiness accentuates the primary narrative pieces that build throughout the film.

Anthropoid Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Anthropoid was shot on 16mm film. Universal's transfer is well-versed in the movie's wares, and it looks amazing. It's nice to see a movie play to its tone and setting, visually, rather than settle for digital that would seem to only betray the texture a movie like this deserves. The 1080p presentation is excellent all around. Grain is thick but hardly intrusive. It's very evenly layered and builds a handsome filmic veneer. The image may be a hair soft and detailing may not be ripe for nitty-gritty examination, but texturally, and for film fans, the movie is a wonderland. Fabrics and faces show just enough definition to impress, while overall clarity is quite good. Colors are held in check, with the image favoring a slightly desaturated and mildly bronzed look. A few bright primaries make a splash, like red Nazi bannering, but for the most part the palette is held back to give the movie a decided period feel. Black levels and flesh tones are fine within the movie's context. A speck of white or two may be seen throughout, but no other signs of source or encode imperfections are evident. This is a terrific presentation from Universal.

Anthropoid Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Anthropoid features a quality DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack that's generally reserved and nuanced but more aggressive when the situation demands. The scattered action scenes present very well, with gunfire that's crisp and pops with immersive positioning around the stage. Shots seem to emanate from every speaker and the listener will feel completely immersed into the gunfight. An explosion packs a fair enough wallop, not the foundation-shaking variety but enough oomph to define the moment. Atmospheric effects are effectively surrounding, whether public address announcements via loudspeaker or church bells ringing in the background. Musical clarity and detail are fine. Dialogue is clear and focused with natural center placement and always impressive prioritization, even during more hushed conversations.

Anthropoid Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Anthropoid contains two extras. A DVD copy of the film and a voucher for a UV/iTunes digital copy code are also included with purchase.

• The Making of Anthropoid (1080p, 30:15): Key cast and crew discuss their draw to the project, research for the film, production details and the process of making various scenes and elements for the movie, work on the set, Director Sean Ellis' work behind the camera and preparations for the shoot, and more.
• Storyboard to Film Comparisons (1080p): An interesting, and too brief, look at the unique storyboarding done for the film using scale models rather than digital or hand-drawn two-dimensional depictions. Included are Church Battle Scene (9:17), Assassination Scene (4:17), and Opening Scene (1:24). It would have been fascinating to have the opportunity to see the entire movie contrasted against these storyboards via picture-in-picture.

Anthropoid Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Anthropoid isn't a war movie for everyone. Favoring a slow-burn cadence rather than a Tarantino-esque barrage of violence and ballet of language, the picture demands its audience become absorbed in finer-point narrative structure rather than watch the screen explode and turn red from afar. The film boasts several good performances and a look that perfectly captures the tone. Universal's Blu-ray features excellent video, good audio, and a couple of strong supplements. Recommended.