Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		0.5
Overall		3.0

In a Valley of Violence Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman December 31, 2016

It does seem like the Western is making a hard push into comeback territory. It's certainly not the movie factory genre that it once was decades ago (that role has been given to the Superhero movie) but there's no mistaking the thirst for the dusty slice of Americana on both sides of the screen. Writer/Director Ti West's (The Sacrament) In a Valley of Violence is one of the latest in the slow-drip turned seemingly steady-drop genre offerings to hit the screen, right on the heels of Antoine Fuqua's fantastic The Magnificent Seven. A smaller picture in scope and scale but still every bit as clingy to classic genre motifs, the film stars Ethan Hawke (also one of the "Magnificent Seven") opposite John Travolta and James Ransone as a loner out for revenge against the men who did him wrong.

Paul (Ethan Hawke) and his loyal dog Abbie are passing through Texas with an eye on Mexico. He's told that the little town of Denton is a sinful place, a "valley of violence" through which Paul has no choice to pass lest he add more time to his journey than he can afford. He stops to water his dog and rest but finds himself harassed by a local named Gilly (James Ransone) who challenges Paul to a fight. Gilly makes a scene of it, but Paul lands a single punch and knocks his opponent down. Later, Gilly and his men hunt Paul down, leave him for dead, and leave him with no choice but to seek revenge on those who wronged him.

The film is sort of like a dusty Western recreation of First Blood (which was itself something of a contemporarily set Western), the tale of a man merely passing through town who is harassed to a breaking point and seeks revenge on those who unjustly wrong him. He's pushed and prodded, bringing none of it on himself, his mere presence in a foreign place and refusal to lie down to intimidation enough to set off a small war against him. Certainly the movie is much more low-key and isn't going to spawn a worldwide franchise, but the parallels are unmissable, as are the movie's rather stringent Western motifs. In a Valley of Violence thrives on simplicity of character and story. Hawke's Paul is a simple man, a man with a more complex history to which the movie generally only hints (a veteran of the Civil War, as was his character in The Magnificent Seven), simply seeking easy passage through town, stopping only long enough to water his dog and rest his feet. He's the reluctant killer, then, the vengeful man who wishes no harm but is left with no choice but to dole out punishment, not because some law says he must but because it's what his personal moral compass demands. The movie paints with broad strokes even in its most intimate character details; it makes no allusions about being something more, or meaning something more. It's an effectively straightforward story of a man pushed too far and proves well-versed in basic Western storytelling.

The movie is well constructed, not necessarily smart or unique but it makes fine use of photographic composition and juxtaposition, allowing the audience to feel the larger reflection of the town and the situations as they unfold while still close enough to the characters to easily grasp their external motivating factors. It's extremely small scale; the town is tiny and the characters, even those only appearing in the background, are few. There are no wasted motions or unnecessary faces. Motivations are basic and even as the film tries to paint in shades of gray -- only James Ransone's Gilly is relatively one dimensional for the duration -- it doesn't find much success in doing so. It's simply too basic in narrative composition to stretch whatever nuances exist along the character roster. The film's tone is mostly serious, its score occasionally lifting it towards campy territory but West usually reigns it in just when it's becoming a little overly indulgent. It's much more reserved in that regard than Fuqua's The Magnificent Seven, which perfectly balanced playful winks and nods with a serious story. Here, the movie skirts around the fun factor rather than directly engage it. Performances largely match. There's a dark playfulness in Ransone's Gilly, a necessary bit of mystery to Hawke's Paul, and a more even keeled middle ground with Travolta's character.

In a Valley of Violence Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

In a Valley of Violence was photographed on film and features a readily evident grain structure. It's nicely filmic, absent extraordinarily sharp detail and pushing even a touch soft in places, but the basic textural quality of the image impresses as basic surface-level details reveal enough complexity to please. Whether simple skin and clothing textures or more interesting dusty woods, worn bricks, or dirt pathways through town, there's always enough textural wonder to catch the eye. The 1080p transfer does its best to squeeze as much detail from it as possible, but it's not quite up there amongst the most ruggedly complex and tactile on the market. Colors are a touch desaturated and the palette a little bright and washed out, favoring something of a dusty look that doesn't necessarily deemphasize brighter colors but that pushes them down a notch to better blend with the earthy environment. Black levels are dense and prone to a bit of crush; a key nighttime outdoor sequence partway through the film is the best example. Skin tones are a touch pasty. On the plus side, no print wear is evident and no encode flaws are readily apparent.

In a Valley of Violence Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

In a Valley of Violence features a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack that effectively presents every element in the movie's audio space. Musical presentation pleases, with all of the instrumental and effects-driven pieces blending nicely together and finding plenty of small detail clarity even in the most aggressive moments. Music generally lingers across the front, widely spaced along that axis but not pushing too hard into the rears. Back channel activity is reserved for supportive environmental details and action pieces. Gunshots boom and bullets often zoom through the stage and impact in various places, surrounds included. Low end response is tight and detailed, with a series of continuous pulses in chapter nine delivering a satisfying punch-punch-punch effect that deeply penetrates every inch of the listening area. Dialogue is focused on the front-center and reverberates in a couple of environments that allow.

In a Valley of Violence Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

In a Valley of Violence contains one extra. Behind the Scenes of 'In a Valley of Violence' (1080p, 2:00) offers a quick plot recap and character examination. A UV/iTunes digital copy code is included with purchase.

In a Valley of Violence Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

In a Valley of Violence doesn't reinvent the Western or do all that much novel or interesting with it. It's engaging and entertaining, well paced, nicely acted, smartly constructed...and just sort of unassuming at the same time. It's a good movie, hardly a great one, but it satisfies the itch for Western entertainment, even if it lacks anything all that memorable. Universal's Blu-ray is practically featureless, but video and audio qualities are fine. Worth a look.