Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.0

Sling Blade Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Randy Miller III February 28, 2021

It's hard to believe that Billy Bob Thornton's southern-fried masterpiece Sling Blade quietly turned 25 this year. This perfectly directed slice-of-life drama plays just as well as it did the first time you saw it, whether in theaters or maybe via Miramax's 10th Anniversary "Collector's Series" DVD, where it was lavished with a nice transfer and a second disc full of terrific extras. Maybe you bought Buena Vista's 2009 Blu-ray, which was essentially a high-def bump of that DVD edition, or even Lionsgate's 2014 Blu-ray... which was also a recycled disc. History repeats itself again: Paramount's new version of Sling Blade is mostly identical to both previous Blu-rays and, while it's still a capable disc with little room for improvement, that's no way to celebrate a modern classic's sliver jubilee. Break out the potted meat!

As writer, director, and star of Sling Blade, Thornton became an overnight sensation after its theatrical release in 1996 and quickly earned the respect of his peers in all three categories. He originally conceived the character of Karl Childers nearly a decade earlier -- often including him as part of a one-man show -- but he wouldn't be seen on film until 1994's Some Folks Call it a Sling Blade, a short film directed by George Hickenlooper. Karl's gruff voice, slumped stature, and limited vocabulary presented audiences with a simple man whose harsh upbringing led to a broken life. His parents treated him like an animal: Karl was forced to live in a small shed behind the house, and was often only visited by his mother for Bible lessons. After a conviction for two brutal murders before reaching his teenage years, Karl was locked away in the state "nervous hospital" and, 25 years later, unceremoniously sent back to his hometown.

But Sling Blade isn't a film whose greatest strengths are found in a plot summary. Where this film really shines is its authentic atmosphere and terrific characters: from Thornton's captivating lead performance all the way down to its understated production design, Sling Blade still feels like a labor of love that defies its low budget by creating a fully-realized world that still like it's out there somewhere. Supporting performances are handled by acting veterans and new faces: the seasoned pros include Robert Duvall (as Karl's estranged father), John Ritter (Vaughan, a compassionate neighbor), and J.T. Walsh (Charles, a repulsive patient at the state hospital), along with breakthrough performances by Natalie Canerday (Linda, who takes Karl in after his release), musician Dwight Yoakam (Doyle, Linda's abusive boyfriend), Lucas Black (Frank, Linda's son and best friend to Karl), and Rick Dial (Bill Cox, Karl's boss). Composer Daniel Lanois' score is a perfect match to Sling Blade's lived-in atmosphere, adding both a suitable southern backdrop and layers upon layers of tension and extreme intimacy at crucial moments during the film.

The finished product was a hit with critics and audiences alike: Sling Blade earned nearly $25M at the box office, defying expectations for any film made on a shoestring budget. Its legacy has grown on home video, all the way from Criterion's Special Edition laserdisc to those DVD and Blu-ray editions mentioned above. Miramax's 10th Anniversary DVD stands out for its inclusion of a Director's Cut which, as of this writing, has only been released internationally on Blu-ray. The fact that Paramount's new re-issue doesn't at least have that option is disappointing but, if you haven't bought Sling Blade on Blu-ray yet, this is still an impressive disc even without any new bells and whistles.

For a broader synopsis and review of the film, please see Martin Liebman's review of the 2009 Blu-ray.

Sling Blade Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

This dual-layered disc appears to include the exact same transfer as the one found on both Buena Vista's 2009 Blu-ray and Lionsgate's 2014 Blu-ray. Though it's over a decade old -- and shares a single disc with hours of standard-def extras -- this is still a solid transfer that runs at a fairly high bit rate and captures the film's lived-in atmosphere quite well. Still, I'd have loved to see a fresh scan of the negative... or at least the domestic high-def debut of Sling Blade's enjoyable Director's Cut. Hasn't Paramount licensed out a few catalog titles to Shout Factory in recent months?

Sling Blade Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Likewise, the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 audio mix also appears identical to those Blu-rays linked above. There's much less room for improvement here, as a 7.1 or Atmos mix would do almost nothing for Sling Blade's mostly front-loaded soundstage... its soundtrack might benefit, but that's about all. Please note that the subtitle options are different than those found on Buena Vista's 2009 Blu-ray and seem to mirror those included on Lionsgate's 2014 Blu-ray.

Sling Blade Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This release ships in an eco-friendly keepcase; only a Digital Copy redemption slip is tucked inside. The hours of terrific extras from Buena Vista's 2009 Blu-ray are all included, so please see that review for the complete list.

Sling Blade Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Billy Bob Thornton's Sling Blade turned 25 this year and deserved a definitive Blu-ray or 4K edition... but that's not what we get here. Paramount's disc is essentially a reprint of Buena Vista's 2009 Blu-ray (right down to the pre-menu trailers!), but with different subtitle options. No new transfer, no high-def Director's Cut, no new retrospective extras. Although it's still a comprehensive package, most of this content has been recycled to death and, as a long-time fan of the film, that's a bummer. But if you don't own Sling Blade on Blu-ray yet, this one's still Recommended.