6.4 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
An update of Shakespeare's 'Othello' with a young cast, set in a high school and centered around basketball player Odin.
Starring: Mekhi Phifer, Josh Hartnett, Julia Stiles, Andrew Keegan, Martin SheenRomance | 100% |
Drama | Insignificant |
Thriller | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080i
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 (48kHz, 24-bit)
None
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (locked)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 1.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
William Shakespeare goes with movies about as well as William Shakespeare goes with high school, so it's an easy call to green light a high school movie adapted from a William Shakespeare play. The play made contemporary is Othello, and the movie is "O", a brooding modernization that tells the story of the gamut of human emotions and the tragedy that befalls one high school when matters of the heart, the hardened mind, and the haunted soul converge into a symphony of unspeakable chaos, confusion, and misery. It's just the kind of dark and devious storytelling that's shaped Shakespeare's best-known tragedies, from Romeo and Juliet to Julius Caesar, the sort that will captivate young high school readers who give the material a chance rather than unceremoniously brush it off. But movies like "O" are meant to supplement the text rather than replace it, to aid one's understanding of the story rather than simply rework it. The benefits of combining a movie like "O" with the original text are easy to see, seeing that the movie does justice to the original, staying true to the core themes and updating what amounts to window dressing, not fundamentally altering the center.
Manipulating.
"O" arrives on Blu-ray with a satisfactory high definition transfer. Like the typical, newer Echo Bridge release of a Miramax title, "O" delivers an image that's noticeably sharper and more stable than a DVD, but not quite as pristine, eye-popping, and close-to-perfect as are some of the higher profile back titles released to Blu-ray by the majors. The image features a color palette that ranges from average to slightly dim; the basketball scenes pop, revealing vibrant blues and oranges and the light wooden color of the hardwood, but general scenes around campus, interiors and exteriors alike, look ever-so-slightly drained. Detail, likewise, impresses on the court, where scuffs and scratches and streaks -- not to mention the wooden texture itself -- are readily visible and sharp. Elsewhere, facial and clothing and general details hold their own, but don't exactly impress this far into the Blu-ray game. A few pops and speckles and blotches are present, as are a few edge halos, but the image is otherwise fairly stable and accurate, and includes a light sprinkling of grain and noise. This isn't a pristine transfer or an exemplary catalogue release, but it gets the job done adequately and with little effort. Most viewers should be satisfied, but not thrilled, with the results.
"O" encircles listeners with a quality DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless soundtrack. It lacks the nuance and seamlessness of the finest tracks, but it plays with enthusiasm, energy, and sufficient clarity. The track never quite seems to absolutely immerse the audience in the film, certainly not with any real consistency. Surround information is prominent but not consistent, with music and some elements playing with a decidedly front-heavy feel, while others do indeed seem to surround the listener. Music, for instance, sometimes stays firmly around the front, but some of the basketball scenes fill the stage with the roar of the crowd and sounds of the game. Music plays with good clarity and potent beats. Dialogue is accurate and remains firmly planted in the front-center, save for when it should and does echo about the stage, an example being coach's speech following a game. This isn't a record-setting, all-time great lossless presentation, but like the video quality, it suits the material well enough and should please its listening audience.
"O" contains two supplements.
"O" won't be remembered as the finest filmed adaptation of a Shakespeare work, made contemporary or otherwise. Yet it's nevertheless a powerful, gripping story of human decay, of the dangers of hate and manipulation and mistrust and jealousy. It's defined by the core story elements but given shape through fantastic acting and even direction. It's a challenging watch, a difficult film, but a rewarding experience. Echo Bridge's Blu-ray release of "O" features good video, strong audio, and a couple of brief supplements. Recommended.
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