6.1 | / 10 |
Users | 1.0 | |
Reviewer | 2.5 | |
Overall | 2.5 |
A 1950s housewife living with her husband in a utopian experimental community begins to worry that his glamorous company may be hiding disturbing secrets.
Starring: Florence Pugh, Harry Styles, Chris Pine, Olivia Wilde, KiKi LayneHorror | 100% |
Thriller | Insignificant |
Mystery | Insignificant |
Video codec: HEVC / H.265
Video resolution: 4K (2160p)
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: Dolby Atmos
English: Dolby TrueHD 7.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English: Dolby Digital 5.1
French: Dolby Digital 5.1
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1
All Dolby Atmos tracks have a Dolby TrueHD 7.1 (48kHz, 24-bit) core
English SDH, French, Spanish
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (2 BDs)
Digital copy
4K Ultra HD
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 2.5 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 1.5 | |
Overall | 2.5 |
A modest hit despite the accompanying tidal wave of "production turmoil" gossip, actor-turned-director Olivia Wilde's sophomore effort Don't Worry Darling was famously at the center of a fierce bidding war after the runaway success of her first film, 2019's Booksmart. An attempt to smash the patriarchy in fictional business town Victory, California circa 1950, it's a fitfully engaging but fatally incomplete film that keeps viewers almost completely at arm's length while its purposefully flat and almost interchangeable characters crash violently into one another.
A spiritual cousin to The Stepford Wives with other borrowed thematic and visual elements from the likes of Get Out, The Truman Show, and even Requiem for a Dream (also shot by cinematographer Matthew Libatique), Don't Worry Darling features an interesting atmosphere and terrific lead performance by Florence Pugh... but flounders in almost every other category. Its narrative feels incomplete and even needlessly confusing at times; not in a way that mirrors the paranoia and potential unreliability of our central figure, but in a way that feels like the script is literally missing a few random pages and paragraphs. (An impossibly short backstory scene near the film's middle offers perhaps the best example of this -- it explains almost nothing and asks more questions than it answers.) A twist ending even attempts to correct course to a certain degree but, like the story itself, it seems like a clear case of "too little, too late."
For a similarly lukewarm take on the material, please see our theatrical review by Brian Orndorf.
Nonetheless, there's a certain itch that Don't Worry Darling attempts to scratch and, though it feels more like a misfire than some sort of
hidden gem ripe for rediscovery, fans of its cast may want to judge for themselves. To Warner Bros.' credit, the film's notorious production
turbulence -- which I won't even get into, because enough ink has been spilled already -- has not sabotaged its debut on home video, as fans are
treated to this full-fledged 4K combo pack in addition to a separate Blu-ray/DVD set. Both editions feature similarly great A/V specs and almost no extras.
Cinematographer Matthew Libatique shot Don't Worry Darling digitally with the ARRI Alexa LF and Mini LF at 4.5K source resolution with a true 4K digital intermediate; this provides a consistently sturdy foundation for Warner Bros.' exceptional 2160p, HDR10-enhanced transfer. From the lush and almost candy-colored outdoor footage (complete with impossibly green lawns, blue skies, and era-specific costume designs) to its warm and mostly inviting interiors, this is quite an attractive looking film and it plays without a hitch. Fine detail and textures are equally impressive in close-ups and much wider shots alike, with suitably excellent density and depth that give it a very thick and rich level of stability. Shadow detail and near-blacks hold up extremely well with no signs of posterization, black crush, or other compression artifacts, while that HDR10 enhancement -- which likewise gives those exterior and interior colors a substantial but entirely tasteful boost -- provides satisfyingly wide contrast levels that also extend to the bright whites of harsh lights and reflections. All things considered, it's a truly excellent presentation all around, with the curious absence of Dolby Vision (which is apparently available in streaming versions) being the only missed opportunity here.
For my thoughts on the included Blu-ray's comparatively strong 1080p transfer (which is the source for this review's screenshots), please see my separate review of that title.
Not surprisingly, the default Dolby Atmos mix (which, as always, unfolds to TrueHD 7.1 if your receiver doesn't support the newer format) provides a similarly strong foundation for its excellent sound design. Truth be told, it doesn't travel into territory unexplored by previous films in the suspense thriller genre: front-loaded dialogue is occasionally broken up by creative surround usage, whether it's a fully organic part of the scene or added for stylistic purposes, like when the walls start closing in on poor Alice. (At one point, quite literally so.) LFE support is substantial during key moments, likewise adding to the tension in a way that doesn't seem overcooked. Although yours truly wasn't expecting a 5/5 rating for this film, it certainly swings for the fences at times and shows no tangible room for improvement.
Optional foreign dubs and subtitles are included during the main feature and applicable extras.
This two-disc release ships in a dual-hubbed keepcase with poster-themed cover art and a Digital Copy code. Not surprisingly given its production difficulties, extras are slim and can be found on the Blu-ray disc only.
Olivia Wilde's Don't Worry Darling is a film with strong "social statement" ambitions that fall flat due to its lackluster script and hit-or-miss performances, whether a direct result of the turbulent production or even earlier reasons. It's still fitfully engaging and probably worth a watch for fans of the cast, but obviously not a recommended blind buy unless you've seen and enjoyed it already. Those who fall for its charms will appreciate Warner Bros.' welcome 4K combo pack, which serves up a fantastic A/V presentation but comes up disappointingly short on extras.
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