7.2 | / 10 |
Users | 3.5 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Psychological thriller following the effects of one woman's mental breakdown on those closest to her. In the hopes of treating the depression she is suffering in anticipation of her husband Martin returning home from prison, Emily Taylor is prescribed the new and untested drug Ablixa by her psychiatrist Dr Banks. Soon afterwards, things start looking up for the Taylors but it isn't long before Emily begins experiencing some disturbing side effects which appear to blur the line between fantasy and reality.
Starring: Jude Law, Rooney Mara, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Channing Tatum, Vinessa ShawPsychological thriller | 100% |
Thriller | Insignificant |
Drama | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English SDH, French, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (1 BD, 1 DVD)
UV digital copy
DVD copy
Slipcover in original pressing
Region free
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 0.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Every review of Side Effects should begin with the words: "Stop! Do not read this review!" So, with that in mind, stop! Do not read this review! Unfortunately, even that simple disclaimer gives far too much away, as it hints at the twists and turns director Steven Soderbergh's theatrical trailers so elegantly and successfully kept hidden. In fact, to watch the trailers is to watch an entirely different movie; a topical drama that shines a harsh light on the ills of the pharmaceutical industry and the dangers of anti-depressant medications, which are being prescribed with questionable, arguably alarming frequency. Side Effects is not that film. Oh, it pretends to be for quite some time, and the intricacies of its long-con are both masterfully structured and genuinely shocking. Therein, though, lies the carefully wound psychological thriller's greatest asset and greatest flaw.
Unraveling...
Cold cast with stale yellows, sickly greens, humorless blues and sterilized whites, Side Effects and its faithful, film-like 1080p/AVC-encoded transfer present the already minimalistic image at its most distinctly Soderberghian, with the director/cinematographer's telltale style dominating every frame. Colors are accurate and effective, as is contrast, and black levels are deep and foreboding. Fleshtones are reasonably well-saturated too (pale or jaundiced as they occasionally appear), and delineation is quite good, revealing as much or as little shadow detail as Soderbergh desires. Detail is also impressive on the whole, even though some intermittent softness, noise and ringing hold things back from perfection. Still, closeups are particularly refined, edges are crisply defined, textures are often nicely resolved, and the film's faint, almost imperceptible grain field is intact. It's a strong presentation, without any significant macroblocking, banding or other anomalies.
Universal's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track is a noteworthy representation of the film's restrained but convincing sound design, from the noise of a bustling hospital to the quiet expanse of Jonathan's apartment, the alienating acoustics of a sparsely populated courtroom, and the nervous energy hanging in the air at a mental institution. Dialogue is clean, clear and intelligible, despite being beholden to any given interior or exterior environment's natural acoustic properties, and voices are never left to fend for themselves, subdued as they may be on occasion. The rear speakers and LFE channel primarily fill support roles, enhancing the believability of each scene without intruding or becoming forceful when force isn't required. Ultimately it proves itself a terrificly subtle sonic experience that values realism and immersion above all else. It's probably best to rent Side Effects before making a purchase, but fans of Soderbergh's every last film will be safe with a blind buy.
I suspect Side Effects will continue to grow on me (as it already did my second time through), although I doubt I'll ever stop wondering what sort of thriller it might have been had Soderbergh stuck with the more relevant Big Pharmaceutical, corporate-culture commentary that dominates his first act. Its performances are outstanding, its script sharply penned, its direction confident and its story absorbing. Soderbergh isn't the 21st century's answer to Hitchcock, but, here, he at least shows the aptitude for it. Universal's AV presentation is more rewarding, with an excellent video transfer and an enveloping DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track. It's just a shame the Blu-ray's supplemental package is such a bust.
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