6.6 | / 10 |
Users | 4.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
The story of defiant Southern farmer, Newt Knight, and his extraordinary armed rebellion against the Confederacy. Opposed to both slavery and secession, Knight launched an uprising of poor white farmers that led Jones County, Mississippi, to secede from the Confederacy, creating a "Free State of Jones."
Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Mahershala Ali, Keri Russell, Christopher BerryHistory | 100% |
Thriller | Insignificant |
Drama | Insignificant |
Action | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
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
BD-Live
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A, B (C untested)
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 1.0 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
The American Civil War stands as, arguably, the most widely studied period of U.S. history, but it's also one of the most misunderstood and misinterpreted. It's also more than just its political overtones, major battles, and key moments. It's significantly bigger than slavery, states rights, Fort Sumter, Gettysburg, the Emancipation Proclamation, and Appomattox Courthouse. Its history is filled with fascinating tales, underreported and under appreciated through the rightful front and center details, but it's here, in the less widely publicized events, the smaller venues, the more obscure ideas, and the less significant figures where many of the historical treasures lie. One such person, place, idea, and event that, until now, didn't garner the wider recognition outside of Civil War buffs and highly detailed courses of study was the story of Newton Knight, the leader of a mixed race Southern rebellion against the Confederacy and founder of a declared-free territory in Mississippi during the war. Based on historical events and their tellings in the books The State of Jones by Sally Jenkins and John Stauffer and The Free State of Jones by Victoria E. Bynum, Director Gary Ross' (Seabiscuit) Free State of Jones performed poorly at the box office but stands as one of the finer Civil War films and a strong narrative telling of one of the war's most fascinatingly unfamiliar stories.
Free State of Jones was digitally photographed but presents on Blu-ray with more of a filmic veneer. Details are finely revealing, particularly on the period attire that reveals some of the heavier fabric construction and some frays along the edges. Faces showcase clumpy beards, pores, blood, and caked-on grime with ease. Natural environments are sharp. Wooden textures in buildings and burned rubble in the wake of fires are tangible. Even scuffs and scratches on wooden gun stocks are easy to spot in close-up. Colors are excellent, even if the palette does favor a very mild washed-out appearance that occasionally renders flesh tones a little pale. Natural greens are fairly punchy, red blood is vibrant, and colors on flags stand apart. The image goes a bit sloppy at night, where blacks struggle to maintain consistency and noise spikes exponentially, but otherwise this image is attractive through-and-through.
Free State of Jones' DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack engages the entire stage and brings various battles and shootouts to startling life. The larger-scale battles feature heavy marching footfalls accompanied by a healthy allotment of balanced bass. The environment further springs to life with zipping cannonballs, cracking rifle fire, splashing and flying debris, screaming men, and other examples of battlefield din. The entire stage becomes fully saturated to excellent effect. Smaller scale skirmishes are equally intense, particularly as gunfire pops from every speaker and seemingly in between; imaging is fantastic and the sense of immersion, coinciding with the on-screen action, is very impressive. Lighter atmospheric details, whether in swamps or wooded areas, is seamlessly integrated and surrounding. Dialogue delivery is clear and detailed with natural center placement and expert prioritization.
Free State of Jones contains one supplement. The History of Jones County (1080p, 18:01) features real Jones County residents discussing the history, intercut with numerous clips from the film. A DVD copy of the film and a voucher for a UV/iTunes digital copy are also included with purchase.
Free State of Jones blends narrative depth, quality characterization, well constructed action, strong production values, and capable storytelling into one of the finer Civil War films out there. Though a poor performer at the box office, the film is a success that deserves a wider audience than it found in theaters. Universal's Blu-ray is disappointingly absent much in the way of special features, though the one included featurette proves interesting. Video and audio are top-class. Recommended.
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