7.4 | / 10 |
Users | 4.1 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.8 |
A young soldier goes missing upon returning to the U.S. from Iraq. When his war veteran father and his mother begin questioning the circumstances surrounding their son's mysterious disappearance, they embark on a journey to piece together their son's final days, enlisting the help of a police detective to aid in the investigation.
Starring: Tommy Lee Jones, Charlize Theron, Jason Patric, Susan Sarandon, James FrancoWar | 100% |
Crime | 44% |
Thriller | Insignificant |
Drama | Insignificant |
Mystery | Insignificant |
Video codec: VC-1
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.40:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: Dolby TrueHD 5.1
English: Dolby Digital 5.1
French: Dolby Digital 5.1
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1
English, English SDH, French, Spanish
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region free
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 3.5 | |
Extras | 1.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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