Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		3.5
Extras		1.5
Overall		3.5

In the Valley of Elah Blu-ray Movie Review

This politically charged thriller makes for an average Blu-ray experience.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman March 6, 2008

That's how you fight monsters. You lure them in close to you, you look them in the eye, you smack them down.

There is nothing like an unpopular war to rally Hollywood into releasing a slew of films inspired by said conflicts. Since World War II, one of the most popular, successful, and acclaimed movie genres has been that of the war film. Though some early examples of the genre glorified war, especially many early WWII films, the tone has definitely changed since the Vietnam era as we see more and more anti-war pictures. Some are not-so-subtle in their approach (see Full Metal Jacket) while others, especially those not taking place on the battlefield, seep an anti-war sentiment in their undertones, as is the case with the recent Paul Haggis (director of Crash) film In the Valley of Elah. Inspired by real events, the film's message is subtle yet not, its "war is hell" proclamation not as hard-hitting and as easily discernible as in a film brimming with bullets and mayhem, but it's rather seen in the face of a man, thousands of miles away from the war, yet finding it in his country, in his community, and in his family nevertheless.

Tommy Lee Jones learns of his loss to Daniel Day-Lewis for the best actor oscar.

Hank Deerfield (Tommy Lee Jones, No Country For Old Men) is a former military policeman whose son Tommy, a soldier with combat experience in Iraq, has recently turned up AWOL only days after returning to the United States. Deerfield becomes a man determined to find his son, but clue after clue leads him nowhere. He asks for the help of local law enforcement, but is denied it by a detective named Emily Sanders (Charlize Theron, Men of Honor). When Tommy's body turns up mutilated, Deerfield and Sanders work together to unravel the mystery behind his death--who killed him, how, where, and why. As the movie moves along, secrets are revealed, dark, troubling secrets about war, it's effects on soldiers, and the nature of mankind.

Deliberately paced, In the Valley of Elah plays, at times, like a nature documentary. We wait for something to happen, but it never does. All of a sudden, we're slammed over the head with a horrific image or by bad news, and then we're suddenly back in the monotony, again waiting, and waiting, and waiting. Isn't that what war is? It's been said that the worst part of war is waiting for it, and in a sense, Deerfield's quest to find the truth is his war, and it plays out much like any other armed conflict ever has. It's a series of dull, endless days of never getting anywhere, and suddenly finding himself in a firestorm of personal agony as a fact reveals itself that sends him down a path he doesn't want to be on but must continue on nevertheless, a violent, calamitous storm of emotion that he sometimes shows and sometimes hides, and suddenly, it's gone. While the movie may be dull, slow, awkward, and boring, it's brilliant in so far as recreating the monotony of war at home, and I believe that that is what Paul Haggis has attempted (and successfully) accomplished with In the Valley of Elah.

Tommy Lee Jones was nominated for an Academy Award for his portrayal of Hank Deerfield in this film, and deservedly so. He plays a character who at times seems so detached from the case, playing it as if he's only the investigator and not the father, keeping his cool, but rarely letting his emotions get the best of him. He will suddenly let loose on a suspect, and just like that, he's calm and under control once again, going about his business like it's his everyday work and certainly not personal. Once again, like the pacing of the film, his demeanor reflects war, showing its ugly side, revealing pent-up anger, frustration, and hate in one fell swoop, and then, as if it never happened, he and we are snapped back into "normalcy." The film's score plays much like this as well. Much of the movie is nearly silent, save for dialogue that is generally spoken at lower volumes, unaccompanied by musical cues. Music kicks in here and there, and only in appropriate, low doses that follow the same pattern as the film, revealing little yet saying a lot about the situation. Perhaps no other film I've seen ties itself so neatly together as this one, maintaining such an agonizingly slow and deliberate pace, yet also remaining effective and engaging in its delivery. This is a hard film to watch. Not only will many viewers be turned off by the pacing (I almost was until I thought about it after the fact, and now I want to watch it again for some of the nuances I undoubtedly missed), but there is also some very brief glimpses of disturbing imagery that will probably stick with you long after the movie ends.

In the Valley of Elah Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Warner Brothers brings In the Valley of Elah to Blu-ray in a good looking 1080p high definition transfer. Presented in its original theatrical aspect ratio of 2.40:1, the image, like the movie, is often dull and lifeless, no doubt a deliberate technique employed by director Paul Haggis. Colors are definitely muted and uninteresting, reflecting the cold, harsh, and depressing atmosphere of the movie. Black levels are solid but not the best I've seen, definitely not as deep as those on display on the finest Blu-ray transfers. The level of detail seen throughout is only moderate; it is often obscured by some softness in the picture, but I again have no doubt that the overall appearance of this image is what we're intended to see. The print, of course, is flawless, showing no signs of disturbance from speckles or splotches. Skin tones are magnificent in appearance, looking natural and true. Even though the overall image is flat, lacking depth, three-dimensionality, and vibrancy, it's still very good, and any shortcomings appear to be director intent rather than a flaw somewhere in the transfer of the film to Blu-ray. All in all, the image quality fits the mood and theme of the movie perfectly and is not a disappointment.

In the Valley of Elah Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Like the Blu-ray's video quality, this Dolby TrueHD experience is rather bland and uninteresting, but that's by design. As I mentioned above, music throughout the movie is subdued and subtle, sometimes playing almost like it's not there, or not meant to be heard. It mostly serves to seemingly elevate the scene subconsciously rather than add any real, discernible "oomph" to the proceedings. It is mostly soft, stringy, and hypnotic, playing in synch with the movie, getting faster as action picks up. It plays in near perfect harmony with the film and is used only in key scenes. The majority of the film is communicated to us through visual imagery and dialogue, and that aspect of the film is clean, clear, and distortion free. This is another one of those films that will let your surrounds and subwoofer have some time off, save for a few scenes here and there, mostly in bars and dance clubs. Some of the louder musical cues find their way into the rears, but that's about it as far as surround sound activity. Warner's choice of a TrueHD track here is a bit perplexing. Of course, I expect every Blu-ray release to be accompanied by a lossless or uncompressed track, but adding one to a mostly subdued film like this and foregoing one on a more engaging and action-packed film like Appleseed Ex Machina is curious at best. Hopefully, Warner will go the lossless route on all of their releases in the near future.

In the Valley of Elah Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Warner has brought In the Valley of Elah to Blu-ray with a paltry helping of supplements. The primary extra, 'In the Valley of Elah:' Documentary, is divided into two parts. The first is entitled 'In the Valley of Elah:' After Iraq (480p, 27:41). This feature looks at some of the actors who played soldiers in the film, some of whom are real-life military veterans, and some who are not. We see drilling and prepping for the roles, production meetings, and other behind-the-scenes materials that show the rigors of making this film. There is also a look at the real-life story of Specialist Richard Davis, the soldier whose story was the inspiration for this film. Interviews with other cast and crew about the movie and their experiences with soldiers returning from the war are included, as are trips to several filming locations, including Morocco. 'In the Valley of Elah:' Coming Home (480p, 15:24) continues on in the same style as the first part, looking at the effects of post traumatic stress syndrome upon soldiers returning home from combat. Finally, an additional scene (480p, 7:51) not included in the final cut of the film concludes the supplements.

In the Valley of Elah Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Regardless of your political affiliation, this movie is worth watching. It definitely has a slant in one direction, and while its message is clear, it doesn't ever come across as another "here we go again" Hollywood message movie, at least not until the final frames of the movie, frames sure to either please or anger each viewer. The movie is poignant and deliberately slow. It is perhaps best watched for Tommy Lee Jones' fine performance as a father who finds himself involved in a war he never wanted a part of, one that has come home with his son, and one not fought with bullets but with the mind as he pieces together the mystery around his son's death, and how the war that was thousands of miles away at the time of his death was the real culprit. The Blu-ray disc is about average in quality. The picture is good but not stunning, more a result of the movie's style rather than any overt issues with the quality of the transfer, and the same can be said of the sound quality. The supplements are slim, leaving the interested viewer wanting more. Overall, this is a good disc. I cannot recommend a blind purchase as the movie is difficult to watch in more ways than one and has an ending that will not likely sit well with some audience members. I would suggest a rent before buying.