6.3 | / 10 |
Users | 3.6 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Oskar is convinced that his father, who died in the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center, has left a final message for him hidden somewhere in the city. Feeling disconnected from his grieving mother and driven by a relentlessly active mind that refuses to believe in things that can't be observed, Oskar begins searching New York City for the lock that fits a mysterious key he found in his father's closet. His journey through the five boroughs takes him beyond his own loss to a greater understanding of the observable world around him.
Starring: Tom Hanks, Sandra Bullock, Thomas Horn, Max von Sydow, Viola DavisDrama | 100% |
Adventure | Insignificant |
Mystery | 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
French: Dolby Digital 5.1
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1
English SDH, French, Spanish, Korean
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (1 BD, 1 DVD)
UV digital copy
DVD copy
Slipcover in original pressing
Region free
Movie | 2.5 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
"There are more people alive now than have died in all of human history. But the number of dead people is increasing. One day, there isn't going to be any room to bury anyone anymore. So what about skyscrapers for dead people that were built down? They could be underneath the skyscapers for living people that are built up. You could bury people a hundred floors down and a whole dead world could be underneath the living one."
There is a certain poignancy to Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close; a poignancy that taps a vein of national tragedy yet tells a very personal, very painful story of life, loss and grief in the wake of 9/11. Unfortunately, that poignancy is continually undermined by director Stephen Daldry and screenwriter Eric Roth's well-intentioned but misguided adaptation of Jonathan Safran Foer's 2005 novel of the same name (itself an at-times needlessly contrived and overly sentimental account of a deafening event that didn't require a dramatic increase in volume to resonate more deeply). Daldry and Roth not only part ways with Foer and present his young protagonist, Oskar, as a child suffering from autism, Asperger's syndrome or some debilitating combination thereof, they craft a maze of razor-wire heartstrings designed to maim anyone who dares wander inside. The resulting film is as difficult to watch and as emotionally exhausting as it should be, but not for the reasons it should be. Daldry and Roth favor manufactured maneuvering over authentic storytelling, proven tricks of the genre trade over genuinely affecting subtleties, and manipulative musings over raw honesty. Their hearts are in the right place, of that I have no doubt, but they push when little force is required and pull when we're already more than willing to follow.
"Only humans can cry tears. Did you know that?"
Push in as close as you want. It's extremely difficult to find fault with Warner's 1080p/AVC-encoded video transfer, even when Daldry and cinematographer Chris Menges are dealing in muted shadows, humorless primaries, and grief-stricken skintones. Though far from colorful, the image exhibits a warmth that's both natural and disarming. Saturation is impeccable and black levels are deep and satisfying; contrast is consistent and delineation is excellent; detail is exacting, with wonderfully resolved fine textures and revealing closeups, and edges are crisp, clean, and free of ringing and aliasing. Moreover, artifacting, banding and other irritations are nowhere to be found, and the presentation will even draw in those the film holds at a distance.
Warner's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track is much more subtle but no less effective. Dialogue is clear, perfectly intelligible and firmly rooted in the film's already immersive sound design, and Oskar's narration drifts over the stillness of the soundscape, exactly as it should. The rear speakers aren't aggressive per se, but they aren't neglectful either. Traces of New York City permeate the entire soundfield, while everything from passing crowds to impatient traffic, distant sirens, rustling Central Park foliage, and crisp, cool winds make their presence known. Interior acoustics are wholly convincing as well, and the hushed conversations between Oskar and the Renter are among the finest the film has to offer (in spite of the fact that they're also among the quietest). What's more, directionality is precise, pans are agile, and LFE output, though a bit underwhelming, sacrifices any sense of loudness to give its all for the more nuanced needs of the film. I doubt casual filmfans will realize just how affecting the mix often is, but audiophiles will take note and sing its praises accordingly.
I felt as if Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close were pulling me through the crowded streets of New York City in the weeks following 9/11, whispering cry, cry, cry as it yanked me along. But I didn't need to be dragged, kicking and screaming. Such profound tragedy and loss speaks volumes without any help, and all but demands a deep emotional reaction. Other critics and filmfans have really connected with Daldry's adaptation, though, all while wondering how it is that some of us walk away feeling as if we've been manipulated and abused. If Daldry had shelved the melodrama and focused on the human drama, I might have been moved to less cursory tears. I cried over a boy's loss, a mother's grief, a city's despair, and the families of the victims of 9/11; not necessarily Oskar's loss, Linda's grief, or Extremely Loud's overly sentimental shades of despair. But maybe that's just me. As divisive a film as it is, you would be wise to, at the very least, rent it and give it a try. Thankfully, Warner's Blu-ray release is a terrific one, with a striking video presentation, an excellent DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track, and a supplemental package that parts from the pack in welcome ways. Suffice it to say, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close is worth watching, whether you come away shaking your head or wiping your eyes.
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