Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.0

Bound Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov June 23, 2009

The Wachowskis' sexy directorial debut "Bound" (1996) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of French distributors M6. The disc contains the uncut version of the film as well as the terrific commentary the two directors recorded many years ago. It is Region-Free and without imposed French subtitles.

We met earlier

A good friend of mine, who writes for a popular French magazine, once told me: "Bound is so sexy, if it was filmed fifty years ago, it would have become an instant noir classic.” Having just revisited the Wachowski’s film on Blu-ray, I have to agree. Bound has not lost its sex appeal one bit.

The story that is told in it is simple. Corky (Gina Gershon, Picture Claire) is a beautiful female ex-con who makes ends meet as a plumber. She is sent to an apartment building in downtown Chicago to do a job. In the lobby of the building, Corky meets Caesar (Joe Pantoliano, Bad Boys II), a local mobster, and his girlfriend, Violet (Jennifer Tilly, Bride of Chucky). While riding the elevator together, Violet looks at Corky in a way most men look at women. The three get off on the same floor. The apartment Corky is sent to work on is right next to Caesar and Violet’s place.

Soon after, Violet comes knocking on Corky’s door. She tells her that she dropped her ring in the sink, and because Caesar has stepped out, she needs help. Corky already knows why Violet is there, but decides to play her game. She goes to her place and helps Violet get her ring. Then, she gets her.

A few hours later, Caesar comes back. He has absolutely no idea what the two women have been doing. He invites Corky to have a drink and pays her for the help. At first, Corky protests, but then accepts the money. Then, she finishes her drink and goes back to work.

When the two women meet again, Violet reveals that she is sick of living with Caesar and ready to start a new life. She also tells Corky that someone (Barry Kivel, Body and Soul) is about to bring Caesar a case with two million dollars, which he must give to Gino Marzzone (Richard C. Sarafian, Bugsy), a big mafia boss. It is a lot of money that can permanently reset one's life -- or a couple's future. Is Corky interested in helping her steal the moeny and then runnnig away with her?

Bound was the Wachowski’s debut as film directors. It was released a year after they contributed to Richard Donner’s Assassins, a high-octane action thriller starring Sylvester Stallone, Antonio Banderas, and Julianne Moore. It received good reviews in North America, but it disappeared into oblivion due to a surprisingly poor support from its distributor. After it was released on DVD, it became something of a cult classic.

In Bound the sex is explicit but delicious. That famous sex scene between Gershon and Tilly (fully intact on this release) remains amongst the best I have seen in contemporary American cinema. The lines the two women utter before they start making love are fantastic.

There is plenty of violence in Bound as well, and Joe Pantoliano’s character is in the middle of it all. Similar to the sex, the violence is also wonderfully shot. A lot of it is mixed with a good dose of humor as well, which keeps it fresh. During the second half, for instance, there is a rather long scene where a man is badly tortured, but his misery is hilarious. I am convinced Quentin Tarantino has studied it, as different versions of it have appeared in a couple of his films.

You would either love or hate Bound. It is that type of film. I like it because it tells a good story and has a lot of style. I also like how deliciously naughty it is. Nowadays, we rarely see an R-rated Hollywood film where the sex is exciting. Typically, it is boring and tasteless. If you decide to see Bound, you may not like it, but I guarantee you won’t be bored.

Bound Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Bound arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of French distributors M6.

I still own the old Artisan DVD release of Bound (the censored one). I also own a Dutch import of this film. I have also seen the old French TF1 release, with the imposed French subtitles, which I believe is now out of print. In other words, I have a pretty good idea what type of treatment Bound received in North America and Europe. So, I was very much looking forward to see what type of improvements the M6 release would offer.

First, the Blu-ray disc contains the uncut version of Bound. Second, the color scheme is absolutely fantastic. The blacks are rich and well saturated, the blues gentle and elegant, the grays heavy but not boosted, and the whites clean and natural. Furthermore, none of the macroblocking that used to plague the DVD releases that I've seen is here. Third, clarity and detail are very good. Aside from a few heavy linings as well as some minor digital noise in the very beginning of the film, the rest of the transfer looks terrific. When blown through a digital projector, it also holds quite well. Finally, there are absolutely no large scratches, specks, debris, or dirt. To sum it all up, Bound most definitely has never looked this good before. (Note: This is a Region-Free disc. It plays on all standalone players and PS3s).

Bound Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are two audio tracks on this Blu-ray disc: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and French DTS 2.0. Obviously, I opted for the English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track.

Before I get to the technical analysis, I would like to mention that there are a few typos on this disc -- on the back cover and the main menu, noting different aspect ratios, non-existing audio tracks, etc -- which you shouldn't take seriously. In other words, the Blu-ray disc is done right.

The English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track is solid. The bass is rich and potent, the high-frequencies not overdone, and the surround channels intelligently used. The dialog is crisp, clear and very easy to follow. I did not detect any balance issues to report in this review either. On the contrary, Don Davis' soundtrack blends well with the dialog. All in all, I am more than pleased with the English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track. For the record, M6 have provided optional French subtitles for the main feature.

Bound Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Audio commentary – the French distributors have supplied an audio commentary with the Wachowski brothers, film editor Zach Staenberg and consultant Susie Bright. Simply put, this commentary alone is a good enough reason to recommend the Blu-ray disc. It is one of the first commentaries to be recorded (well before DVD was even on the market) and to this day remains one of the best ever done. It is incredibly informative and entertaining at the same time. With optional French subtitles.

Featurette – this is the old featurette that was available on the now out of print North American DVD release. Here, you would hear cast and crew members sharing their thoughts on the film. With imposed French subtitles. (PAL, 5 min).

Scenes de tournage - A collage of multiple takes on specific scenes from the film. With imposed French subtitles. (PAL, 6 min).

Film annonce – French and English-language trailers. The English-language trailer has imposed French subtitles (PAL).

Filmographies & Interviews – a collage of very short interviews with Larry and Andy Wachowski (1 min), Jennifer Tilly (2 min), Gina Gershon (3 min) and Joe Pantoliano (2 min), and text format filmographies. All of the interviews address the script of the film. With imposed French subtitles, in PAL.

Bound Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

If you like Bound as much as I do, you should consider adding this Blu-ray disc to your collection immediately. For whatever reason the film rubs a lot of people in North America the wrong way, so I don't foresee a local release arriving any time soon. Fortunately enough, the French Blu-ray disc herein reviewed delivers everything a fan of the film could ask for. Very Highly Recommended.