6.4 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
In a dystopian near future with social and environmental breakdown, two unnamed individuals discover an enormous nugget of gold in an inhospitable desert. They try to extract it using basic tools and their truck, but fail. One agreed to leave to find excavation equipment, while the other (Efron) stays to guard the claim. The main plot turns around Efron's long wait for his partner, in communication briefly by radio, and his struggle to survive with diminishing supplies and while enduring storms, lack of food and water, and an encounter with Susie Porter's character, 'The Stranger'.
Starring: Zac Efron, Susie Porter, Anthony Hayes, Andreas SobikThriller | 100% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.38:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
English: LPCM 2.0
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 2.0 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
The insidious nature of greed drives the suspense of “Gold.” A dystopian survival tale from co-writer/director Anthony Hayes, the picture provides a spare overview of human suffering in a cruel world, which, I know, doesn’t sound like the greatest endorsement, as the feature is relentless in its grim atmosphere of paranoia. However, Hayes does create a gripping viewing experience that’s primarily about physical endurance, with star Zac Efron delivering a committed performance as a man just trying to make his way through the punishment of life, only to come into contact with a situation that could change everything. This reaction to the promise of easy money supports the endeavor, which largely remains in observation mode, extracting plenty of tension from seemingly mundane efforts of self-preservation.
The AVC encoded image (2.38:1 aspect ratio) presentation handles a movie that's almost exclusively about textures. Human fatigue, age, and decay are sharply defined throughout the viewing experience, preserving shocking character decline and the horror show of bodily disintegration. Makeup effects are open for study, and clothing retains tattered qualities. The vast location delivers depth, and rusty decoration and torn signage are also appreciable. Color is intentionally drained, preserving the dried-up world of "Gold," with desertscapes vivid. Skin tones are natural. Delineation is acceptable. Compression issues are common, with banding flaring up at times.
The 5.1 DTS-HD MA mix provides a direct understanding of dialogue exchanges, but the listening event is mostly about atmospherics, with the wide- open world providing various aural threats, including dust storms and barking dogs. Surrounds deliver decent activity, also pushing out scoring cues, which retain precise instrumentation, including some low-end bass.
The Stranger enters the story at the hour mark, entering Virgil's space, blasting him with questions about his stay. "Gold" does well with human antagonism, giving Efron someone to play off of in a largely isolated part, selling the agony of mental and physical deterioration superbly (excellent makeup efforts are extraordinarily vivid). There's more to the work, as Hayes embraces a chance to participate in storytelling traditions, dealing with the true price of greed and games of trust, and he rides the endeavor into complete darkness, offering a haunting closer that precisely captures the tone of the movie. "Gold" isn't an easy sit, but it's assured filmmaking from Hayes, who's looking to the near future to address evergreen themes and human behaviors.
(Still not reliable for this title)
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