Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		2.5
Overall		4.0

Belfast Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman April 9, 2022

Belfast is a passion project from acclaimed filmmaker Kenneth Branagh (Thor, Death on the Nile) who grew up in Belfast during the same socially tumultuous years he depicts in the film, a film which he also wrote. The picture was nominated for seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best director, and taking home the stature for Best Original Screenplay.

Young Buddy (Jude Hill) experiences life in 1960s Belfast. He lives in the midst of political turmoil, social upheaval, religious clashing, and the complexities of family, burgeoning adulthood, and young love. Buddy's father (Jamie Dornan), who routinely works in England, dreams of moving his family overseas to either Australia or Canada. Buddy also lives with his mother (Caitríona Balfe), grandfather (Ciarán Hinds), grandmother (Judi Dench), and older brother (Lewis McAskie). Buddy does his best to maneuver through the minefield of life, fearing the prospect of leaving while working hard to make an impression on his classmate Catherine (Olive Tennant); though Buddy dreams of a future with her, he is Protestant, and she is Catholic, and the local religious clashes only promise to make that connection more difficult. Buddy perseveres, however, but discovers that life as a nine-year-old in the midst of an unstable sociopolitical landscape with the specter of religious confrontation and a family move may be no place for idealism and big dreams.

This is a very real and raw film, clearly a project that speaks to deeply seeded life experiences that have long shaped its writer/director. It is compellingly assembled as a contrasting portrait of innocent young life and the complicated and corrupted grown-up world around Buddy. That desire to live a normal life, to do normal things, is compounded by the realities of the world in which he attempts to do them. The film, which is largely presented in black and white, offers a blend of nifty and nightmarish nostalgia as scenes of normal life are interspersed with the realities of a turbulent world. It's pointed and poignant, yet it is also fun and breezy; there is a well-defined demarcation between the extremes but also a number of scenes when there is a clear blend between them as well, giving the film a very real slice of life sensation that may best resonate with audiences who, like Branagh, can both understand the actual plot dynamics and see the larger picture around the movie. However, anyone can appreciate the film's essential theme that suggests the world spins in a constant state of change: sometimes the change is good, sometimes the change is bad, but change always comes.

Branagh and Cinematographer Haris Zambarloukos (Artemis Fowl, Murder on the Orient Express) maintain a high level of technical sophistication with a steady diet of interestingly composed and staged shots that lend an air of artistry to the film. Shots often linger in place, often leaving it feel like individual shots are instead still photographs. The film is further blessed by a collection of high-capacity actors who inhabit the characters with an authenticity of dialect and appreciation for the material. The performances seamlessly bring the film to life with uncanny depth and legitimate family and community and feel that is one of the most critical, but also one of the most easy-come, qualities that elevates the film into the stratosphere as one of the best of 2021.

Belfast Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Universal brings Belfast to Blu-ray with an oftentimes striking 1080p transfer. Most of the picture is presented in black and white; while it is very digital-clean and lacks the grainy film grit that might have accentuated the period setting, the picture as-is cannot be argued. It looks terrific within the intended aesthetic. The image is sharp and highly revealing of both faces and the many complex environments around the location where coarse stonework and various examples of use and weathering and rough edges bring plenty of character to the set pieces. The Blu-ray format absolutely loves this content, and it shows. The grayscale is robust within its confines. It lacks the end-to-end precision HDR/Dolby Vision would have afforded to it on a hypothetical UHD, but even if the range is here more limited it's still very well pronounced with good deep blacks and adequately bright whites. There are no serious source issues of note and the encode is just fine, too. This is a stalwart Blu-ray from Universal.

Belfast Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Universal brings Belfast to Blu-ray with a DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 lossless soundtrack. The presentation is very effective, particularly evident in the immediate vicinity of the film's start where a relatively serene setting is suddenly upended by a barrage of violent audio information as clashes erupt and all variety of intense sound effects sweep and swoop through the stage. Subwoofer engagement in these elements is never intense, but the sense of fullness is tangible and agreeable. Chaotic din spills through every speaker in the 7.1 configuration, offering large and aggressive yield while maintaining impressive clarity. The track extends this size and effort to even more subtle audio cues, bringing Belfast to life with an agreeable sense of envelopment that critically draw the listener in, whether exterior audio cues or background television sounds. Music plays with rock-solid reliable clarity and spacing. Musical surround engagement is never too overpowering but rather nicely balanced within the dominant fronts. Dialogue, of course, drives the majority of the soundtrack and it plays with respectable placement, prioritization, and clarity for the duration.

Belfast Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This Blu-ray release of Belfast includes an audio commentary track, two featurettes, an alternate ending, and deleted scenes. No DVD copy is included. However, this release does ship with a DVD copy of the film and a non-embossed slipcover.

• Alternate Ending (1080p, 5:36): With optional Kenneth Branagh commentary.
• Deleted Scenes (1080p, 2:44): Scenes given no identifying markers. With optional Kenneth Branagh commentary.
• A City of Stories: The Making of Belfast (1080p, 9:47): Kenneth Branagh discusses his personal childhood in Belfast and its inspirations for the film. He also looks at story dynamics, plot basics, the script, casting and performances, sets ad shooting locations, costumes, and more.
• Everyone's Inner Child (1080p, 1:54): Cast and crew recall some childhood memories: least favorite foods, favorite toys, and naughty deeds.
• Audio Commentary: Writer/Director Kenneth Branagh explores the film.

Belfast Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Belfast every bit deserves its praise and deluge of Oscar nominations. This is not only a personal film for its writer/director it is also a career defining high mark. For its wonderful period immersion, first-rate performances, and gorgeous photography the film is a success, but add a wonderful story and a compelling historical setting and this is clearly one of the best and must-see films of 2021. Universal's Blu-ray delivers exceptional video and audio to go along with a decent array of bonus features. Very highly recommended.