Jane Got a Gun Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		0.0
Overall		3.0

Jane Got a Gun Blu-ray Movie Review

Her whole world's coming undone.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman April 14, 2016

Cast, crew, and production delays plagued Jane's Got a Gun, the period Western that finally released about a year and a half behind schedule. Despite the not-so-merry-go-round of issues that revolved around the movie faster than a six-shooter's cylinder, the end product isn't at all bad, a movie that's a fair bit darker than the average Western but one that certainly captures the famed genre's essence and spirit through a prism of violence and emotion in the untamed and arid American west. The wayward production is likely the reason that Anchor Bay's Blu-ray arrives without the benefit of any bonus features, but the movie stands tall enough on its own merits and should please genre aficionados looking for more after the recent release of Forsaken, an instant classic starring Keifer Sutherland and his father Donald.

Jane and her gun.

Jane Hammond (Natalie Portman) and her husband Bill (Noah Emmerich) have scratched out a decent life in the middle of the vast American Western expanse, but their world is upended when Bill returns home, severely wounded with several bullets in his back. He's had a run-in with an old family nemesis, the Bishop Boys, led by the notorious John Bishop (Ewan McGregor). Bill claims that the gang is going to come, come fast, and come well armed with the intent of destroying the family once and for all. Jane tends to her husband's wounds, but he's in no condition to mount a defense. As a last-ditch resort for help, Jane approaches her ex-fiance Dan Frost (Joel Edgerton) to come to her and Bill's aid. He reluctantly agrees, finding himself in the middle of a deadly showdown, vowing to protect the woman who once left him for another man.

Like many of the great Westerns before it, story complexity isn't at the forefront of Jane Got a Gun. The movie is built around a simple premise of "bad guys want good guys dead." It's hardly revelatory or groundbreaking, but the movie works well with that as a backdrop to a more intimate story of how lives become, and remain, entwined. The film occasionally drifts to flashback to better establish the relationship Jane has with both of the men in her life, her wounded husband and her one-time companion and lover who has revoked his own pledge to stay way from Jane in the name of saving her life, or at least trying to save her life, in the face of practically impossible odds. The movie doesn't always work well from a structural perspective, but such scenes get the job done by way of better establishing the necessary components to propel the narrative. The film finds its footing less in the ways of its action and the cruder story details that see it evolve to the inevitable showdown and more in how the characters come together and how they carry the baggage that their past and present relationships bring to the table. But it's not in any way melodramatic. Director Gavin O'Connor (Miracle) keeps the narrative in check, playing on the grim and gritty realities but finding enough foundational strength to carry the action as a compliment to the story, not the other way around.

The cast is quite good, despite its somewhat patchwork assemblage. Portman is surprisingly effective at falling into a character of this sort, a woman who is less a pretty, vulnerable face and more a hardened, determined mother and wife who's handy enough with a rifle and capable of holding her ground against the odds. Portman looks great in costume that never downplays her beauty but accentuates her character's rougher edges. She nails physical and verbal mannerisms that help create a more fully developed character. She's unquestionably the movie's strength, not because she's the title character but because she understands the dynamics and goes all-in for the more demanding physical and emotional requirements. Noah Emmerich doesn't often get to do much other than lie in agony on his bed, but even through the pain and sweat he captures base emotions very well, particularly once he realizes it's Frost who has come to aid his wife. Joel Edgerton delivers another commanding performance as the ex-lover and hired gunslinger, while Ewan McGregor completely melts into character as the primary antagonist.

Jane Got a Gun Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Jane Got a Gun was photographed on film, and the more textured, mildly gritty façade befits the movie's place and tone. Light grain hovers and engenders an attractive cinematic texturing. The arid and dusty locations spring to life, even without the benefit of any serious or regular push of color beyond earthy browns and tans. Dry, sandy, and rocky terrain is always clearly defined and tactile, ditto old wooden posts and boards. Clothing appears nicely defined, with heavier period fabric textures revealing fine details, stitches, frays, and accumulated filth. Close-ups showcase a satisfying level of intimate pores, lines, and sweat. Colors, as scarce as they may be beyond those earth tones, hold up well throughout. Black levels are balanced with strong shadow depth and detail. Skin tones appear neutral. Compression issues are few and far between.

Jane Got a Gun Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Jane Got a Gun arrives on Blu-ray with a technically sound DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack. Beyond gunfire, which is very potent and heavy, there's not much going on here. Shootouts -- particularly near the end -- are the unequivocal highlight. Shots ring out from all over, and splinters and debris fly through the stage as bullets impact in every speaker in the five-channel configuration. Otherwise, the track is rather mundane, but effective when necessary. Light ambient effects, such as gentle breezes and buzzing insects, nicely fill out the background during quieter moments. Music enjoys solid enough clarity and definition, with lighter notes hovering along the front and heavier beats offering a more enveloping experience. Dialogue is well prioritized, even hushed whispers. Vocal clarity is fine and placement is grounded in the center.

Jane Got a Gun Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Jane Got a Gun contains no supplemental features. A UV digital copy code is included with purchase.

Jane Got a Gun Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Jane Got a Gun doesn't reinvent the Western wheel, but it shows a fine command of the genre's most basic story themes. It capably overcomes a somewhat troubled production history, yielding a strong cast, superb production values, and largely fluid direction. Genre fans should not hesitate to cheek it out. Anchor Bay's Blu-ray is disappointingly, but unsurprisingly, absent supplemental content. 1080p video and lossless audio, however, are fine. Recommended.