7.1 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Under threat by fundamentalist terrorists, a group of Trappist monks stationed with an impoverished Algerian community must decide whether to leave or stay.
Starring: Lambert Wilson, Michael Lonsdale, Olivier RabourdinDrama | 100% |
Foreign | 75% |
History | 35% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
French: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
English, English SDH
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (1 BD, 1 DVD)
DVD copy
BD-Live
Region A, B (locked)
Movie | 5.0 | |
Video | 5.0 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 2.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
To leave is to die.
Fear and faith. Two wildly different elements, yet so inseparable are they in defining most every man's very essence. What is faith if it is not the
ultimate
tool in standing up to fear? What is man if not a creature influenced by fears but reassured by his faith? What is the world if not a constant
struggle
between the fear of the unknown and the faith in the existence of a greater counter to fear? Both fear and faith are invisible humanly attributes
manifested
through partnerships with external, tangible elements and unseen yet equally potent symbols alike, one challenging the other for a man's very
soul, each vying to take him in opposite directions, either to greater personal heights or lower levels of despair. If fear grips the heart, then faith
releases it.
Faith may be the single greatest tool man may wield in the battle for his very place in and understanding of the world -- and that in which he may
later exist
-- guiding him through a metaphorical minefield of fear, for even if fear may conquer in the physical, it's man's faith that allows him to understand
beyond the limitations placed on him by his corporeal existence and trust that there's a greater good at work, a master plan in which he plays a
critical
part he may or may not fully, or at all, understand. Of Gods and Men is the tale of nine men who must collectively choose to stand up
to fear through their faith or abandon all they believe in the name of physical security. Their decision will either define or destroy all they've forever
held dear in faith.
Make a choice.
From the first shots forward, it's clear that Of Gods and Men's 1080p Blu-ray transfer will be one of the finest around. The image is pristine from start to finish. It's incredibly crisp and beautifully filmic, accentuated by a perfectly-preserved layer of grain. Clarity is striking and detailing is faultless; the image is sharp from top to bottom and front to back, with even distant objects maintaining perfect form. Closer elements -- facial and clothing textures, leaves on trees, brick and stone façades -- are perfectly rendered. Colors are stable and natural, whether the greens and earthy hues as seen in many exterior shots or the more subdued shades of blue and gray seen inside. Black levels are tremendous, exhibiting no signs of crush and never appearing at all washed out. Flesh tones, too, remain neutral throughout. The transfer is free of any common problems such as banding, edge enhancement, or blocking. In short, this is a perfect transfer from Sony.
Of Gods and Men features a highly competent French-language DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless soundtrack. The presentation is generally reserved but effectively so; natural ambience is finely integrated, whether gently falling rain, distant ringing bells, or the din as heard in the background at an outdoor market. What music there is -- notably a selection from Swan Lake -- is nicely spacious and perfectly crisp. Dialogue is middle-focused and always the center of attention, and various religious chants and songs are nicely reproduced. The track enjoys a few heavier effects, too. A string of gunshots adds to the chaos and horror in one scene. Rumbly heavy machinery injects a potent low into the proceedings early on, as do the heavy thumps of helicopter rotors later in the movie. The track is very well balanced and while it might not be the first choice to demo that high-dollar sound system, listeners will nevertheless be more than satisfied with the track's faithfulness to the source and ability to play on both ends of the spectrum with equal ease.
The only weak spot in this release is in the absence of a greater supplemental presentation. As it is, Of Gods and Men features a couple of
quality pieces that will aid viewers in better understanding the real-life events that inspired the film.
Of Gods and Men is a testament to both the strengths of human faith and the power of focused and dramatic cinema. This is far from a traditional motion picture in terms of both story and structure, but Director Xavier Beauvois has crafted an enthralling and altogether potent film that should be recognized as the champion of story over style. Few films are as riveting as this, and Beauvois has created a masterpiece with nary any help from the more traditional cinematic elements that serve to entertain rather than absorb. Everything is present in just the right quantities, and that includes the exclusion of any and all superfluous elements that would only interfere with the story's themes. It's sometimes a difficult picture to watch, one that's far more emotionally challenging than most to be sure, but it's nevertheless one of the more rewarding experiences one is likely to have in front of a work of art. Sony's Blu-ray is itself a thing to behold. Pristine 1080p imagery, near faultless lossless sound, and a few extras make this a release that demands to be part of every serious Blu-ray collection. Highly recommended.
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