Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		1.5
Overall		4.5

Brokeback Mountain Blu-ray Movie Review

Groundbreaking and emotional; finally on Blu-ray

Reviewed by Ben Williams March 10, 2009

Every once in a blue moon, a film arrives on the scene as an unintended answer to a current debate. Brokeback Mountain is one such film. Upon its release in 2005, tensions had been flaring in the United States around the controversial subject of gay marriage. It’s a topic that continues to divide the nation, while serving as a cause that inspires outspoken opinion that falls along religious, political, philosophical and moral lines. While not intended as an answer to any such questions, Brokeback Mountain just happened to find its release in the midst of the maelstrom of controversy that surrounded the issue. For many, the film served as an example of their stance on the subject matter; both supporters of gay marriage and detractors referenced the film and seemed to find inspiration from its subject matter, for better or for worse. Everyone, no matter what side of the issue they espoused, missed the point. Brokeback Mountain isn’t a film about the politics of morality or the religious implications of homosexuality; it’s a film about love; a condition that can be as forbidden and foreboding for a man and woman of different ethnic backgrounds or social classes in 2009, as it was for two cowboys struggling with their sexuality in the early 1960s.

Ennis Del Mar (Heath Ledger) and Jack Twist (Jake Gyllenhaal) arrive, in search of work and desperate for employment, near the base of Montana’s Brokeback Mountain, in the summer of 1963. Both men are cowboys; down on their luck and in need of a steady paycheck, as well as the solitude that comes from tending to a local farmer’s herd throughout the course of the difficult winter months. During their months of time together, the two men form a close bond, initially becoming friends, while eventually finding comfort in each other’s arms. What follows are many decades of love, confusion and longing; each man marries, has a family and tries to move on from their experiences on Brokeback Mountain. Regardless of outward appearances and their seemingly normal family lives, Ennis and Jack slowly realize that the only true happiness they ever experience is in the time they spend together on their yearly retreats to Brokeback; experiences that they must, out of fear, keep as secrets that they carry to their graves.

Brokeback Mountain is a heartbreaking film that focuses on forbidden love amongst the societal prejudices of the 1960s through the 1980s. While the film focuses on a homosexual relationship between two cowboys, the story is really a transcendent tale that could easily speak to any relationship considered, for whatever reason, to be inappropriate or somehow immoral. The film has proven to be empowering over the years to a great many people from a variety of different backgrounds; it’s a simple tale that has the power to communicate to anyone willing to listen.

The highlight of Brokeback Mountain comes in the form of its many outstanding performances. Both Gyllenhaal and Ledger deliver subtle and nuanced performances that speak volumes in their simplicity, while becoming more and more profound over repeat viewings. Mr. Ledger’s performance is, perhaps, the most moving of the two. His portrayal of a man who spends his entire life questioning his own decisions, struggling with his life’s challenges and fighting off the bitterness that comes with suppressing his deepest emotions, stands as one of the most emotionally resonating performances in years. I challenge any viewer to deny the devastating impact of the film’s ending in conjunction with Mr. Ledger’s ability to convey the deepest heartache, while saying absolutely nothing. Michelle Williams and Anne Hathaway, playing Ennis' and Jack's wives, also deliver memorably heart-wrenching performances, as they each come to terms with the realities of their marriages.

I fear that many viewers might miss out on the opportunity to experience the amazing filmmaking present in Brokeback Mountain. I can't imagine why any film lover would want to intentionally avoid the film's powerful performances; it's not an emasculating experience or one that will leave viewers scarred. Given this newest opportunity to experience the film on Blu-ray, I hope that those who have made a point of not viewing the film in the past, will reconsider that decison. It’s a powerful and resonant film that is so much more than any pre-conceived notion might otherwise convey. Brokeback Mountain is highly recommended.

Brokeback Mountain Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Filled to the brim with luscious photography and stunning western vistas, Brokeback Mountain is truly breathtaking on Blu-ray. The entire film is bathed in a patina of earthy colors that perfectly capture the story's natural surroundings. The film's cinematographer, Rodrigo Prieto, received an Academy Award nomination for his work on Brokeback Mountain; it's a truly remarkable visual experience. Encoded via the VC-1 compression codec at full 1080p resolution, while maintaining the film's original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, Brokeback Mountain has finally received a truly faithful home video treatment.

Stylistically, Brokeback Mountain isn't the most detailed presentation I've ever witnessed, though there is plenty of detail to be appreciated in the film. Film grain is apparent and appropriate, contrast is strong and the movie is presented in a film-like manner. This is a prime example of a Blu-ray encode mimicking the look of actual film and not a digitally processed representation. As such, viewers shouldn't expect a flashy experience from Brokeback Mountain. Instead, film lovers will be thrilled by this disc's elegant handling of the source material. Highly recommended.

Brokeback Mountain Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Thank goodness for lossless audio encoding. Heath Ledger's performance as Ennis Del Mar, while brilliant, has always been slightly difficult to comprehend, due to the actor's use of a particularly grumbly and deeply pitched voice. I've seen Brokeback Mountain on a number of occasions, both theatrically and on DVD; Mr. Ledger's voice has always seemed difficult to discern and frustratingly unintelligible. Remarkably, with this Blu-ray's use of 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio for the film's audio, I was, for the first time, able to discern some of his most harshly grumbled lines. This improvement alone, makes lossless encoding worth the price of admission.

While surround usage is light and viewers won't find much in the way of an active surround experience, Brokeback Mountain features one of the most hauntingly beautiful musical scores in recent memory. This lossless audio track presents the Oscar-winning score in a fluid and dynamic manner that helps to accentuate the many emotions that are conveyed through this remarkably empathetic music. Fans of acoustic and Spanish guitar will be thrilled with just how amazing it all sounds. Highly recommended!

Brokeback Mountain Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Here's what's included:

- "A Groundbreaking Success"
- "Music from the Mountain"
- "From Script to Screen: Interviews with Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana"
- "On Being a Cowboy"
- "Directing from the Heart: Ang Lee"
- Still Photo Montage
- "Sharing the Story: The Making of Brokeback Mountain"
- BD-Live: My Scenes

I wish I could say that Universal hit it out of the park with respect to Brokeback Mountain's special features, but sadly, that's not the case. Instead, we've been given a large number of fluffy promo featurettes that explore critical reaction to the film, a feature on Ang Lee, the film's screenwriting duo and a rumination on the lives of cowboys. None is particularly engaging and I was, frankly, disappointed by the lack of real substantive content. The one featurette I enjoyed, was "Music from the Mountain," a nice, behind the scenes look at the personality and character of Gustavo Santaolalla, the film's Academy Award-winning composer. He's an engaging subject who telegraphs his musical passions and enthusiastic persona into an entertaining and informative 11 minute documentary. It would have been nice, however, to see more of a tribute to Mr. Ledger's legacy and the impact Brokeback Mountain had on his career.

Brokeback Mountain Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

While it seems like ages since Brokeback Mountain stirred up controversy and moved audiences around the globe, the film continues to exact its cultural impact on new viewers each and every day. The film's simple and effective storytelling is every bit as moving today as it was back in 2005. Filled with the highest caliber performances, gorgeous music and luscious cinematography, Brokeback Mountain is a rare gem of a film that will continue to make its mark on audiences for decades to come. Universal brings the film to Blu-ray with exceptional audio and video; supplements are, unfortunately, not very compelling. If you've never had the opportunity to take in the remarkable storytelling of Brokeback Mountain, consider this Blu-ray release to be a golden opportunity to experience the film as it was intended to be seen. Brokeback Mountain is highly recommended.