7.4 | / 10 |
Users | 2.5 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 2.7 |
In the forests of the Pacific Northwest, a father devoted to raising his six kids with a rigorous physical and intellectual education is forced to leave his paradise and enter the world, challenging his idea of what it means to be a parent.
Starring: Viggo Mortensen, George MacKay, Samantha Isler, Annalise Basso, Nicholas HamiltonDrama | Insignificant |
Comedy | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.40:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English SDH, French, Spanish
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (1 BD, 1 DVD)
UV digital copy
DVD copy
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A, B (C untested)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 0.5 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
Is there anything more personal than parenting? The way one raises a child is unfailingly influenced by the now-parent's own upbringing and world experiences, learning from real and perceived mistakes, and making some old and new errors along the way, but the end product is a very personal one that's never going to be quite the same for any two people on either end of the parent-child relationship. Yet even as a parent's guidance is built on a deeply nuanced and very personal foundation, it's forced to evolve, in some ways, with the ever changing world from which one cannot completely escape. Parents are left with a few choices: (a) embrace the world; (b), shun the world; or (c), try the hardest option, toeing that fine line between picking and choosing how they will allow their child to experience the world. But no matter the experience, the strategy, or any tool or thought process or even history of success or failure in parenting, real life is nothing if not one curveball after another. If one's definition of "a good day" is when things go mostly as planned, then don't count on filling a calendar with them. Captain Fantastic tells the story of one parent who, unlike most who select (a), has chosen (b) but is forced to evolve to, and may even come to see some of the benefits of, (c). The movie is much more than a story of parenting, however. It's a story of what it means to be alive, even if someone's definition of "life" doesn't exactly fit the world's current mold.
Goodbye.
Captain Fantastic's 1080p transfer, sourced from a digital shoot, satisfies in all areas of concern. The idyllic opening act features a color palette dominated by natural greens, which present faithfully agains the contrast of what are, usually, somewhat less intense colors. The palette gains diversity as the film moves forward, featuring a fresh presentation of multicolored clothes and environments. Details are satisfyingly complex. Ben's thick facial hair, caked-on mud seen near film's start, and general environment and attire textures are richly complex and revealing. Black levels hold deep in nighttime exteriors and flesh tones appear natural. Source noise is of the minimally invasive type and compression artifacts aren't problematic. A simple but well-realized Blu-ray presentation from Universal.
Captain Fantastic's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack begins with a pleasant, seemingly all-inclusive and immersive bit of woodland atmospherics. Rustling leaves, singing birds, snapping twigs, and other little examples of environment defining ambience enter the stage from all directions and create a neatly seamless little world. Drenching rain and rolling thunder both make use of the entire soundstage during a scene in chapter five. Even without surround-back or overhead channels the sense of immersion in the inclement weather is most impressive. Blaring bagpipes pour from the family bus' speakers at one point to joyous effect. Overall clarity to all elements is high, speaker utilization is excellent, and the track plays without any apparent gaps in spacial immersion. Dialogue is clear and detailed with a natural center positioning and, as expected, expert prioritization in what is, by-and-large, a dialogue intensive film.
This Blu-ray release of Captain Fantastic contains one extra. Insane or Insanely Great? (1080p, 4:01) offers a quick look at the core story, development, themes, Viggo Mortensen's preparations for his part, and more. A DVD copy of the film and a voucher for a UV/iTunes digital copy are included with purchase.
Captain Fantastic, more than anything, has novelty on its side. While some of the driving-force drama of family squabbles and disagreements about life aren't exactly groundbreaking, the characters and approach most certainly are, or are at least fairly close. The film is made of interesting juxtapositions, fascinating characters, and engaging insights into various stations in and perspectives on life. Performances are very detailed and nuanced from all -- including the children, who certainly have the hardest parts in the film -- and the film blends excellent pacing even at two hours with knowing direction and beautiful photography. Universal's Blu-ray features good video and audio. Extras are limited to a single featurette, but the movie does a good enough job of standing tall on its own without support from added content. Highly recommended.
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