6.3 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Nick Tortano is a smooth-talking, ambitious criminal from the streets of Boston. After years spent working for and idolizing the Italian gangsters he finally proves himself to the boss and becomes a made man. However, once inside, Nick conflicts with a moneymaker for the Mafia and begins to drive a wedge between him and Boss.
Starring: Ben Barnes, Leighton Meester, George Carroll, Toby Jones, Harvey KeitelDrama | 100% |
Crime | 98% |
Thriller | 29% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.38:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: Dolby TrueHD 5.1
English: Dolby Digital 2.0 (192 kbps)
English SDH, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A (C untested)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 3.5 | |
Extras | 2.0 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
By the Gun isn't a transformative genre picture -- it sticks close to classic genre tropes -- but it does so with an absorbing style, made of believably real characters who fit type but fill in the gaps that help the audience appreciate their predicaments, purposes, and the people with whom they must interact, for better and for worse. Director James Mottern (Trucker) invigorates the film with a deliberate sense of time, character, and reason, slowly building the people into their world and gradually pulling the audience into its complexities rather than jumping in headfirst into an environment that the audience can neither fully understand nor appreciate. By the Gun essentially transforms the audience into the film's protagonist, a man whose life choices have led him to a turning point that will take his soul or force him to fight to keep it, and that fight is dramatically enhanced by the careful construction of all of the pieces that will tug his essence in either direction. It's not the next great genre picture, but it's nevertheless a surprising, and welcome, addition to a crowded field in which it's difficult to stand apart. By the Gun does just that.
Nicky
By the Gun arrives on Blu-ray with a solid 1080p transfer. The picture quality is generally impressive, even with an occasional, and slight, push towards a flat digital sheen. More often than not, however, the picture features well-defined textures, including faces and clothes but also evident in the many urban exteriors made of concrete and brick that show some tangibly aggressive details. Colors appear even and without any unnatural push towards excessive warmth or flatness. Black levels are consistent and deep with no evidence of heavy-handed crush. Skin tones appear accurate across the board. Banding, noise, and other bits are not present to excess. In total, this is a rock-solid effort from Millennium Entertainment.
By the Gun features a good quality Dolby TrueHD 5.1 lossless soundtrack. The film is largely a dialogue-intensive one, with little in the way of aggressive support pieces, either in terms of music or sound effects. Dialogue does present cleanly and naturally from the center with no technical issues of note. Music is nicely positioned across the front and enjoys a touch of light surround support. Clarity and body satisfy. Light background elements gently flow into the stage, whether background music at a bar or strip club -- the latter enjoying a nice low pulsating sensation -- or very small bits and pieces inside an office. Gunfire isn't puny, but neither is it authentically aggressive. Shots ring out with some power but listeners won't feel the impact. Overall, and despite some areas that could use a boost, the track performs admirably in all areas.
By the Gun contains a commentary and deleted scenes.
By the Gun is a surpassingly rich and detailed human drama that wades through cliché but rises above type with a satisfyingly deep portrait of a man caught up in a world for which he is neither truly prepared nor fully willing to participate when the chips are down and it's his very soul on the line. The film benefits from wonderful, deliberate, exploratory pacing -- it's slow to come to fruition but the movie still breezes by -- as well as several praiseworthy lead performances. There are a couple of little annoyances here and there -- Nicky's 1911-pattern pistol changes models a couple of times when he should still be packing the same gun from a previous scene -- but these are minor nitpicks that don't hurt what is otherwise a terrific whole. Millennium Entertainment's Blu-ray release of By the Gun features solid video and audio. Supplements include an audio commentary track and a handful of deleted scenes. Recommended.
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Extended Director's Cut
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Un prophète
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