6.9 | / 10 |
Users | 5.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 4.4 |
Depicting 24 hours in the life of four Israeli paratroopers at the outset of the 1982 Lebanon invasion, the film follows the soldiers on a mission to clear a Lebanese area of hostile fighters. Filmed almost entirely from inside the tank in which they are travelling, the film follows the men as they cope with the deteriorating state of the tank, the stress, intense heat and cramped conditions inside, the occasional failure of the communication equipment, navigational problems and the inevitable quarrelling.
Starring: Yoav Donat, Itay Tiran, Oshri Cohen, Ashraf Barhom, Reymonde AmsallemDrama | 100% |
Foreign | 69% |
War | 41% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Hebrew: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
English, English SDH
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
BD-Live
Region A (locked)
Movie | 5.0 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 1.0 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Man is steel. The tank is only iron.
"Lebanon." A three-syllable word, rather complex for a string of but seven letters. For most, those seven letters and three syllables aren't much more
than a spot on a map, a sound byte on the news, or a term on a geography test, even considering the critical moments in history -- the wars fought,
the lives lost, the powers risen and fallen, and the people behind it all -- that have helped shape a world politic in countless ways. Now, "Lebanon" is a
movie title, again one that's rather simple but full of wonderful complexities, the film a harrowing recount of a four-man tank crew in the early hours of
the Israeli invasion of the country in the early 1980s. A pivotal moment in history and now a timeless War picture that's as riveting as it is
heart-wrenching, as well-made as it is historically important, Director Samuel Maoz's Lebanon is a superbly-crafted movie that takes its
audiences into the heart of warfare for an up-close-and-personal look at the terrors of modern combat from several unique perspectives, notably the
psychological turmoil of a war fought even from inside the seemingly impenetrable body of an iron beast.
War.
Lebanon's 1080p transfer is delightfully gritty. Sony's Blu-ray release captures the visual intensity and inherent griminess of Lebanon very well. Shadow detail -- critical in the dark confines of the tank -- excels with every opportunity. Detail is fantastic, too; though the film is gritty and oftentimes dark, the Blu-ray allows all of the tank -- whether instrument gauges or the grime, dents, scratches, and general wear-and-tear on its metallic surfaces -- to sparkle in high definition. The transfer also nicely reproduces facial detail and the texture of uniforms while also capturing the violence and destruction that's visible outside the tank -- seen primarily through the crosshairs -- with pinpoint clarity, at least insofar as the material allows and the director intends. Colors are quite good, though intentionally dulled. Daylight exteriors, again seen primarily through the tank's weapons system, sport a balanced palette, and flesh tones retain an honest neutrality. The image is covered in a rather thick layer of grain, but banding, noise reduction, or other visual eyesores are nowhere to be found. This is a strong transfer from Sony that captures the picture's deliberately messy visuals incredibly well.
Lebanon's Hebrew DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless soundtrack (with accompanying English subtitles) is one of the best on the market. A destructive, potent, and incredibly loud and challenging experience, Sony's audio presentation effortlessly transports listeners into the metallic belly of the tank and into a modern warzone. Though a few strokes of the piano sounds a bit harsh and mushy -- perhaps intentionally so -- as heard during the film's opening and closing shots, the remainder of the track is nothing short of a sonic marvel. The heavy, rattling, clanking sounds of the tank seem incredibly precise; the rumbling of the engine and the screeching sound effects fill the soundstage with deadly precision. Background radio chatter often completes the experience. Gunfire erupts from all over the soundstage with marvelous precision; whether emanating from the tank's heavy machine gun or the soldiers outside, the shots add a startlingly real and terrifying sensation to the track. Incoming fire -- the sounds of rounds clanking off the tank's exterior -- are also handled with frightening accuracy. Several directional and room-filling effects -- a zooming jet fighter representing the former, a hovering helicopter the latter -- add thunderous power to an already exhilarating track. Dialogue is precisely centered and infinitely clear. The sounds of war are heard all around the soundstage; this commanding and oftentimes paralyzing track is the perfect compliment to the film's visuals and themes.
Lebanon is disappointingly short in its extra content. A behind-the-scenes piece is the one and only highlight.
Lebanon ranks among the genre greats. Winner of the Golden Lion at the 66th Venice International Film Festival, Lebanon is an important, well-made, and psychologically challenging motion picture that's sure to disturb audiences in the way it so effortlessly recreates both the personal inner turmoil and the physical brutality of war. It takes no sides other than to proclaim that war is indeed hell, whether on foot or in the confines of a tank, whether in terms of the physical damage wrought or the inner damage done before, during, and after hostilities. Sony Pictures Classics Blu-ray release of Lebanon is unfortunately absent the thorough supplemental selection the film demands, but the technical presentation is above reproach. Even considering the shortage of extras, Lebanon comes very highly recommended.
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