6.9 | / 10 |
Users | 4.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
An Irish undertaker profits when outlaws take over a peaceful American frontier town, but his family comes under threat as the death toll rises.
Starring: Emile Hirsch, John Cusack, Déborah François, Molly McCann, Quinn Topper MarcusWestern | 100% |
Thriller | Insignificant |
Period | Insignificant |
Drama | Insignificant |
Adventure | Insignificant |
Action | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
English SDH, Spanish
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Digital copy
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 0.5 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
The fact that this film bears the title Never Grow Old may strike some fans as at least a little ironic, in that it seems like putative co-star John Cusack may have had some kind of contract stipulation that he only be shot in dim lighting for this outing, perhaps to mask the fact that he has in fact aged a bit (not that there’s anything wrong with that). In a way, though, it’s perhaps indicative of how powerful Cusack is, despite becoming at least a bit long in the tooth, that he basically grabs this film by its veritable throat and holds it hostage in a manner of speaking, providing a really energetic assessment of a villainous type named Dutch Albert, in a performance that manages to command considerable attention even if it is shrouded in sepia toned dankness. What’s kind of ironic in a different way about Never Grow Old is how it almost revisits elements of Footloose, albeit transported back to the 19th century and what I assume is meant to be Oregon Territory, and with an admission that Dutch Albert’s provocative refusal to toe the line against all sorts of “sinning” is actually part of his villainy, even if some jaded types might secretly be rooting for his contrarian tendencies, if only to offer resistance to the conformity seeking Preacher Pike (Danny Webb). The Preacher's directives from the altar to a rural encampment masquerading as a town have kind of (again) ironically led to a downturn in employment for the local Irish undertaker, Patrick Tate (Emile Hirsch).
Never Grow Old is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Lionsgate Films with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 2.39:1. I haven't been able to track down much of any information on the technical side of things for this shoot, but this is by and large a rather impressive looking transfer, if one can get past the fact that huge swaths (I'd say even the majority) of the film is very dimly lit, to the point that several sequences play out in near darkness where only flickering flames provide even the hint of light. That can mean that the bulk of the frame is literally cloaked in black, with very little detail noticeable even in the partially lit sections. Aside from this recurrent stylistic choice, detail levels are commendable, even though even the relatively "brightly" lit moments are often graded toward slate grays and cool blues, and the entire film has a kind of rainy, muddy look to it. Several long sequences are almost bathed in sepia tones, and while general detail levels tend to be decent, fine detail on things like fabrics can occasionally falter in these moments. I noticed no issues with compression anomalies.
Never Grow Old features a robust DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track that really derives a lot of surround activity from well placed ambient environmental effects. There are several rather forceful bursts of LFE courtesy of things like gunshots, and the occasional outbreak of arson. Dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly, and even Cusack's raspy voiced whisper in the film comes through without any issues whatsoever.
Never Grow Old is a viscerally bracing viewing experience, though I kind of wish Kavanagh had really gone for the gusto in terms of some of the religious allusions he repeatedly makes (Tate is a carpenter as well as an undertaker, and several key incidents, including a final showdown, take place in the town church). Hirsch and Cusack are both excellent, and the supporting cast is uniformly good. Piers McGrail's cinematography is often quite striking, though the prevalence of dimly lit scenes where very little can be made out may wear on some viewers. Recommended.
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