6.3 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
An unlikely pair venture to the Indonesian jungle in search of gold.
Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Edgar Ramírez, Bryce Dallas Howard, Joshua Harto, Timothy SimonsThriller | Insignificant |
Drama | Insignificant |
Adventure | 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
English SDH, Spanish
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (1 BD, 1 DVD)
UV digital copy
DVD copy
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A (C untested)
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 2.5 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Money and Hollywood seem to go hand-in-hand, and Tinseltown loves it some stories about making it big and watching it all come down. Add in the booming (and, it seems, negatively viewed throughout Hollywood) Reagan era and movies like Wall Street and The Wolf of Wall Street have become indelible classics that tell the story of overnight financial success, the burdens that come with big money, and the personal and financial crashes that almost invariably follow. Gold is the latest to follow in those same footsteps, telling the true (or "inspired by") story of a mid-80s gold boom, one man's sudden change in fortune (literally and metaphorically), and the resultant disasters that dog his life. True story, cautionary tale, and entertainment vessel all rolled into one, Director Stephen Gaghan's (Syriana) film balances its qualities quite well, going back to the 80s well and exploring where other films have tread before but finding success thanks to lead Matthew McConaughey's stellar lead performance.
The Gold Man of Wall Street.
Gold represents something of a rarity these days, a picture shot on honest-to-goodness film. It makes for a brief shock to the system to see a different textural presentation but it doesn't take long to appreciate its finer qualities. Despite a few noticeably soft shots here and there, and a mildly soft texturing overall, the image proves its worth with organic detailing, rich color depth, and strong blacks. Faces are intimately revealing, whether clean in the board room or sweaty and unkempt in the jungle. Clothes are likewise complex, again ranging from finely appointed suits to straw hats and an Iron Maiden T-Shirt. Terrain complexity in Indonesia is commendable, weather leafy vegetation, woods, or various surfaces, including mud. City environmental visuals are clear and precise. Color depth is strong. Indonesian greens are punchy and varied, and attire is well saturated and nuanced. The image pushes mildly warm. Black levels are deep and flesh tones appear accurate. The image shows no print wear or appreciable compression artifacts. Fans should be very happy with this Blu-ray.
Gold's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack fires on all cylinders. The track offers good, honest width to music. Clarity is terrific, particularly in many of the soundtrack's percussion-heavy beats. The track is never wanting for increased depth or instrumental pronouncement. Musical saturation comes effortlessly and the entire stage enjoys its immersive capabilities. Sound traversal about the stage is seamless. A plane, for example, flies front to back in one early scene. Jungle atmospherics are rich and completely saturate the stage. A combination of birds and insects effortlessly draws the listener into the Indonesian environments. Rainfall is equally impressive, saturating the stage with complete coverage and not even wanting for additional speaker coverage (7.1/overhead). Dialogue drives the majority, though, and it's presented clearly and efficiently through the front-center. There are no prioritization problems of note.
Gold contains a commentary, a deleted sequence, and three featurettes. A DVD copy of the film and a voucher for a UV/iTunes digital copy are
included with purchase.
Gold doesn't look or sound great at-a-glance. It seems to offer only a fairly dull, linear, basic character study. Money comes, relationships struggle, the film traverses the ebbs and flows of a business in which everyone wants in at the top and everyone wants out at the bottom. But look more closely. The film is driven by a superb performance from Matthew McConaughey. It's layered inside and out, and he springs the movie well beyond its structural ubiquitousness into a well-versed story of success, failure, and a whole lot in between. Anchor Bay's Blu-ray offers high-end video and audio along with several supplements. Highly recommended.
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