6.7 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Tennison's investigation of the murder of a Bosnian refugee leads her to one, or possibly two, Serbian war criminals determined to silence the last witness to a massacre a decade before.
Starring: Helen Mirren, Oleg Menshikov, Ben Miles, Robert Pugh, Clare HolmanDrama | 100% |
Crime | 24% |
Mystery | 21% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
English SDH
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 5.0 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 3.5 | |
Extras | 2.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
(Spoiler alert: The following assumes that the reader is familiar with all previous series of Prime Suspect. If you haven't seen all previous series, proceed at your own risk. A spoiler-free overview of the Complete Collection can be found here.) First Broadcast: November 9-10, 2003 (U.K.); April 18, 2004 (U.S.) Helen Mirren hesitated for a long time before returning to the role of Jane Tennison in 2003, because, as she told an interviewer, "I don't like going backwards. . . . [T]his is the only thing I've done over and over again. . . . Each time I want it to be better than the time before. I feel that mantle on my shoulders, I feel that weight on my shoulders." She was ultimately persuaded by the quality of the script by Peter Berry (Zen), which dealt with distinctly contemporary issues both internationally and within London's Metropolitan Police. From the beginning, Prime Suspect had distinguished itself for the authenticity of its portrayal of police procedures. Berry's script updated the series into the 21st Century. The director of The Last Witness was Tom Hooper, whose career was just beginning the steady ascent that would lead to the Oscar for directing The King's Speech. Hooper brought a new visual style to The Last Witness. For one thing, it was the first Prime Suspect to be aired at 1.78:1 (which eliminates any question as to its correct presentation on Blu-ray). But more importantly, Hooper made a point of situating the story visually in contemporary London, which was an option newly available because The Last Witness was the first Prime Suspect to be filmed there. (All prior series were filmed in Manchester.) Familiar London landmarks are routinely visible; London Bridge, the London Eye, the distinctive tower known as "the Gherkin" and the new IMAX theater are examples. The crimes that Tennison investigates in The Last Witness are every bit as dark and horrific as in previous series of Prime Suspect, but the streets she traverses, and even the current "nick" where she works, are bright, shiny and new.
The Last Witness has been transferred to Blu-ray in its original aspect ratio of 1.78:1. Please see the Video section of the Complete Collection review for an overview of Prime Suspect's video presentation. The extra screencaps with this review include sample comparisons between the Blu-ray and Acorn Media's DVD release of Series 6. The 1080p, AVC-encoded Blu-ray opens with the disclaimer quoted in the Complete Collection review. Although British television was already experimenting with HD capture in 2003, The Last Witness was shot on film by Larry Smith (Eyes Wide Shut and Only God Forgives). The Blu-ray image is a noticeable improvement over the first five series of Prime Suspect, probably because the elements are newer. While the picture is no one's ideal of sharpness, it is consistently detailed and never melts into the kind of blur that appears to a greater or lesser extent in each of Series 1 through 5. Color aren't heavily saturated, but they are stronger and more varied than in prior seasons. Black levels and contrast look appropriate, and the film's grain pattern is more consistently rendered from scene to scene. There are no obvious signs of grain reduction or artificial sharpening. The 205-minute program, with a short featurette, has been compressed onto a BD-25 without obvious artifacts.
The Last Witness' DTS-HD MA 2.0 is typical of recent British television stereo tracks, in that the mix is straightforward and functional, emphasizing dialogue and basic sound effects, which remain largely in front. To the extent that The Last Witness sounds different from other series of Prime Suspect, it is largely due to the much more extensive use of music and the replacement of composer Steven Warbeck by Rob Lane (HBO's John Adams ). Lane's Middle Eastern-inflected score provides an urgency and, where appropriate, a mournful tone to the story.
Series 6 brought an entire new look to Prime Suspect. London and the Met had changed, and Prime Suspect evolved with it. The one constant is Mirren's Jane Tennison, who remains fearless and uncompromising—and doesn't particularly care whom she offends in the process. In part 1 of The Last Witness, her boss, DCS Hall, brags that his former subordinate now works for him. In part 2, he has to bring his own chief the bad news that Tennison has trumped both of them, and he does it with an expression that says, "How could I stop her? It's Tennison." Different in style, but up there with the best of the series.
(Still not reliable for this title)
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