6.3 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
The legendary Roberto Duran and his equally legendary trainer Ray Arcel change each other's lives.
Starring: Ana de Armas, Robert De Niro, Jurnee Smollett, Edgar Ramírez, Ellen BarkinBiography | 100% |
Sport | 93% |
Drama | Insignificant |
Action | 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
Single disc (1 BD)
UV digital copy
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A (C untested)
Movie | 2.5 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 2.0 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Rather than take the shape of the prototypical "inspirational sports" film, Director Jonathan Jakubowicz's Hands of Stone is instead something more along the lines of a semi-gritty character portrait of a complicated man who rose from raw powerhouse to national icon and fell from the heights of acclaimed champion to a shell of a fighter who walked away from the biggest fight of his life. Intimately insightful, well made, and nicely acted, the film has all of the necessary ingredients in place to succeed. It finds success, generally, though it struggles to forge the sort of fiercely independent identity a movie like this demands to rise through the ranks and stand taller than the plethora of like films that dot the cinematic landscape. Ultimately, it's a dramatically detailed but narratively utilitarian movie that satisfies the needs of its material but fails to find a greater resonance beyond its basic set-up, development, and resolution.
Hands of Stone looks fine on Blu-ray, with a few caveats. Source noise can spike with occasional bursts of thickness that reaches a level of annoyance, particularly in lower light scenes. Banding is a much smaller and barely noticeable concern. The digital video source is a little flat, and edges of the frame occasionally appear smudgy rather than sharp. Flesh tones range from pasty to warm. That said, the image generally impresses. The digital shoot does allow for a fairly rich color palette, occasionally feeling a little dull and diluted -- all the yellow in the Madison Square Garden locker room near the beginning a good example -- but finding a more vibrantly sustained feel elsewhere, whether out on the streets of Panama or in the boxing ring. Detail satisfies, with skin textures appearing nicely intimate and clothing textures sharp and naturally complex. Black levels hold deep and accurate. It's not the most impressive image on the market, but Anchor Bay's transfer certainly gets the job done.
Hands of Stone's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack is certainly not timid. It's very aggressive and loud, perhaps lacking finesse at its most vigorous but offering enough sonic activity to satisfy. Boxing matches are noticeably enthusiastic and complex, with roaring crowds, heavy punches, microphone reverberations at introduction, and chatter in the corners between rounds all vying for attention but with the most critical pieces always finding the right amount of prioritization above the din. Protests in Panama are likewise rambunctious and filling, making use of a wide and surrounding stage to pull the listener into the mayhem. Music is aggressive, particularly some party beats in chapter ten. Tunes regularly spill into the back but always maintain a command of balance throughout. Dialogue is clear and front-center focused.
Hands of Stone contains a featurette, deleted scenes, and two lyric videos. A UV digital copy code is included with purchase.
Hands of Stone satisfies its requirements, but it does so without much of a soul. It goes through the motions as it explores a character worthy of something more. The film is at its best when it's hitting the finer point character details and raw emotions, but it struggles with its broader narrative components that feel more obligatorily inserted rather than intimately detailed and explored. Performances, however, are good, and the fight scenes are very well composed and executed. Anchor Bay's Blu-ray release of Hands of Stone delivers good video, very aggressive audio, and a couple of extras, including a catchall featurette and a handful of deleted scenes. Rent it.
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