Coincoin and the Extra-Humans Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.5

Coincoin and the Extra-Humans Blu-ray Movie Review

A must-see sci-fi comedy from Bruno Dumont.

Coincoin and the Extra-Humans is the must-see sequel to Dumont's Li'l Quinquin. Produced by Rachid Bouchareb (London River, Days of Glory), Jean Bréhat (The Life of Jesus, Cheb), and Muriel Merlin (The Insult, Slack Bay), the adventures continue in this entertaining, intelligent, and creative sci-fi extravaganza. Fans of quirky independent cinema won't want to miss it.

Years following the events of Li'l Quinquin, Quinquin now goes by Coincoin (Alane Delhaye). Despite the fact that Coincoin is now a young man (having grown up from his youthful days), he continues to spend time hanging out with his best friend from childhood, fatso (Julien Bodard). Coincoin's old girlfriend, Eve (Lucy Caron) is now in a lesbian relationship with Corinne (Priscilla Benoist). Everything is not as it once was. Yet some things never change: the bumbling and enthusiastic detectives, Van der Weyden (Bernard Pruvost) and Carpentier (Philippe Jore) are back in action for more adventures.

Coincoin and fatso attend Nationalist Party meetings and wander the community countryside with a sense of nothing better to do with their time. The two find themselves in a state of constant boredom. That is... until the aliens drop. In Coincoin and the Extra-Humans, duplicate humans manifested from slime (falling from the sky) cause havoc and adventure in this epic science-fiction comedy yarn. Coincoin x 2?

One of the most fascinating elements of the production is the manner in which it is divided up in to episodes that play out as if chapters in a short-form novel. The feature-film cut was shown at film festivals before being re-cut in episodic form for television. Despite the television re- formatting, Coincoin and the Extra-Humans is clearly an epic feature-film that feels unmissable. The film is surprisingly well edited and it never seems overlong or under-developed. Edited by Basile Belkhiri (Joan of Arc, Jeannette: The Childhood of Joan of Arc) and Dumont himself, there is something truly remarkable about how each episode of the story weaves together to create a grand narrative. The rhythm and pace is spot-on and will easily pull viewers in to the story.

"Quite the small swimming pool."

Utilizing the same cast as the first film, Li'l Quinquin, Coincoin and the Extra-Humans is a great demonstration of how essential ensemble casts can be to storytelling in the language of cinema. The performances are uniformly first-rate and for the cast of young actors manage to portray the same characters – but in new ways. The years between stories is felt. Alane Delhaye brings a stoic brilliance to Coincoin and his pondering gaze. Julien Bodard is perfect as Coincoin's fat and happy friend. Most importantly, the performances by Bernard Pruvost and Philippe Jore are essential. Each actor has a special gift for comedic timing and these performers make the film all the better: there are so many odd and quietly charming scenes with humor that is unmistakable distinct because of these two talented performers.

For a low-budget independent production, the special effects are surprisingly effective. Though these scenes are kept to a minimum, the creativity and originality on display with these sequences make everything about the film feel more original. These aren't top-of-the-line Hollywood effects, but no one should expect that from a film on this scale. The efforts are impressive and undeniably unique.

The filmmaking excels in several arenas: the production design by Thomas Ducos (Roxane, Papa, Alexandre, Maxime, & Eduardo) paints a picture of a quiet, small-town community that has the unexpected quirk of alien visitors. The outdoor landscapes are breathtaking and the sets or backdrops utilized showcase the expert craftsmanship of the team. There's also the fantastic costumes by Alexandra Charles (Who You Think I Am, Joan of Arc), which are surprisingly effective at making the characters feel believable – and absurd – at the same time.

One of my favorite components to Coincoin and the Extra-Humans is the cinematography by Guillaume Deffontaines (Slack Bay, Home Front). The visual element is a huge part of the reason the film is so hypnotic and engaging. The super- sleek, vivid, and stylized cinematography gives the sci-fi element as much weight as the dramatic backbone. There is a sense of thought being given to each scene: the lighting and the color-grading are impeccable. A first-rate effort by Deffontaines.

Bruno Dumont (Li'l Quinquin, Camille Claudel 1915) wrote and directed Coincoin and the Extra- Humans with a unique style that is wholly his own. Having seen several films by Dumont, Coincoin and the Extra- Humans is one of the filmmaker's greatest efforts to date. Throughout the film, the story is inquisitive and the visuals are outstanding. Coincoin and the Extra-Humans is such a well-realized film on every level. Everything about it seems to work well: comedy, drama, and sci-fi elements. Don't miss it for a second.

Coincoin and the Extra-Humans Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber, Coincoin and the Extra Humans is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition in the original aspect ratio of 2.39:1 widescreen. This is a stunning presentation of the mini-series cut. Each episode features a remarkably crisp, vivid, and rewarding presentation. This is a near-perfect encode. Color accuracy is remarkable and is perfect at enhancing the tone of the series. The visuals appear nearly flawless: crisp, dynamic, and invigorating throughout. The near-reference quality encode is of exceptional quality and does not disappoint. There were no egregious issues with banding or other encoding anomalies, either. An exceptional effort by Kino.

Coincoin and the Extra-Humans Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release includes two lossless audio options: French DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround sound and French DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. The surround sound mix was highly engaging. Though Coincoin and the Extra Humans is a dialogue-focused series, the music was expanded through use of the rear surround channels and the occasional sound effects help to make the surround track all the more engaging to hear. The sound effects are also creative and good fun. A surprisingly jubilant mix.

Please Note: English subtitles are provided. The subtitles are of exceptional quality and are free from any glaring spelling or grammatical errors.

Coincoin and the Extra-Humans Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The release includes a 10 page printed booklet featuring an essay on the film (alongside pictures from the production and cast/crew credits).

On disc extras:

Coincoin and the Extra-Humans Trailer (HD, 1:56)

Li'l Quinquin Trailer (HD, 2:37)

Coincoin and the Extra-Humans Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Coincoin and the Extra-Humans is one of the most creative and ambitious films from filmmaker Bruno Dumont (The Life of Jesus). The storytelling is first-rate and the filmmaking is brilliant. The cast of characters are dynamic and engaging throughout. A sequel to Dumont's Li'l Quinquin, the film still works for newcomers and will make viewers want to go back to the original to see how it all began. There is something magical about the film. Not only is the film brilliant, Kino's Blu-ray release features a first-rate video-audio presentation. Highly recommended.