Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		3.0
Audio		3.5
Extras		2.5
Overall		3.0

Boomerang Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf November 18, 2016

Famed director Elia Kazan takes on law and order in 1947’s “Boomerang” (released the same year as his classic, “Gentlemen’s Agreement”), which takes viewers into the heart of justice, inspecting all its passions, procedures, and corruption. It’s distanced work from Kazan, who traditionally embraces intimacy when it comes to characterization, but the feature’s iciness is intentional, surveying judicial battles and political gamesmanship to deliver a stinging viewing experience that challenges the process, not the authenticity, behind guilt and innocence.

When a small town priest is murdered, the community is outraged and unable to find the killer. They demand justice, leaving prosecutor Henry (Dana Andrews) in a dangerous position, tasked with sending a skittish suspect to prison when he isn’t guilty of a crime. “Boomerang” hits all the sweets spots of procedural storytelling, showcasing interrogation methods and civilian response, and the screenplay (by Richard Murphy) retains snappy dialogue, with tightly suited men debating ethics, while a subplot featuring a nervous land developer adds special pressure on Henry to come through with a guilty verdict. Kazan doesn’t overdo stylistics, remaining tight on the actors as they communicate internal struggles and the erosion of professional courtesy, and he selects a semi-documentary approach to storytelling, reinforcing the material’s connection to a true story.

Boomerang Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.37:1 aspect ratio) presentation carries satisfying cinematographic balance, with stable whites and satisfying blacks, offering compelling delineation with evening events and darker costuming. Sharpness is challenged by age and mild filtering, but some degree of detail emerges with a movie that mostly photographs pained faces reciting dialogue. Facial particulars are periodically exposed, and costuming has fibrous qualities. Source has its issues, including debris and a few points of chemical spotting. Transitions also reveal mild posturization.

Boomerang Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix isn't an extraordinary listening event, but it carries the picture's modest mood successfully. Mild hiss is detected, but dialogue exchanges remain strong, offering hearty performances from a variety of acting styles. Scoring isn't blown-out, retaining instrumentation and dramatic accentuation. Crowd and courtroom bustle are preserved.

Boomerang Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary #1 features film noir historian Imogen Sara Smith.

• Commentary #2 features film historians Alain Silver and James Ursini.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (2:30, SD) is included.

Boomerang Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

As much as it strives to be, "Boomerang" isn't thrilling. It's something to be appreciated, offering rich performances and production polish. The screenplay is also good for a few turns, keeping thing interesting for viewers. It's static at times, with a courtroom finale that lacks electricity, but "Boomerang" supplies provocative ideas on the ways of justice and mob rule, breaking down a legal system that's often eager to provide easy answers to complex questions.