Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.5

Sound of Metal Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov October 5, 2022

Darius Marder's "Sound of Metal" (2019) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion. The supplemental features on the release include exclusive program with sound designer Nicolas Becker and director Darius Marder; behind the scenes featurette; music video; and more. In English or French, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-A "locked".

Have you heard of Frankie Wilde? His story is told in Michael Dowse’s It's All Gone Pete Tong, which was released in 2004. Wilde was a very popular DJ who had massive shows in Ibiza where during the peak of the rave craze he was worshiped like a god. But after years of abuse -- behind the mixing decks and while experimenting with all kinds of different hard drugs -- Wilde became deaf and lost his ability to entertain the people that made him a god. He temporarily lost his mind and was on the verge of giving up on life too, but then somehow pulled out of the dark abyss he had fallen into and regained his ability to mix great tracks. How exactly did he do it? You are going to have to watch It’s All Gone Pete Tong to find out. By the way, there has never been a deaf DJ named Frankie Wilde, and Dowse’s film is actually a very fine mockumentary. However, Wilde is loosely modeled after a real and quite popular Czech DJ who did lose his hearing after years of intense spinning and went on a wild mental trip a lot like the one that is depicted in It’s All Gone Pete Tong.

Darius Marder’s Sound of Metal tells a very similar story. In it, drummer Reuben Stone (Riz Ahmed) and his girlfriend singer Lou (Olivia Cooke), both former drug addicts, travel across America and perform in clubs before small but very enthusiastic crowds. Their music is loud, very intense, experimental heavy metal that drains Reuben and Lou of their energy and gives their fans a real jolt. The complete act is not big but is successful enough to make it possible for Reuben and Lou to live in their RV, put a bit of money aside, and plan to do a record.

But one morning, after a predictably exhausting show, Reuben wakes up with an ear problem that is quickly confirmed to be rapidly progressing, irreversible hearing loss. An expert urges Reuben to dramatically alter his lifestyle, but he refuses and vows to find a medical solution that will allow him to continue performing with Lou. However, shortly after, Reuben becomes completely deaf and agrees to enter a very small commune run by a man (Paul Raci) who explains to him that the only possible way forward is through a dramatic mental transformation.

The human drama that is depicted in Sound of Metal and It’s All Gone Pete Tong is identical. The latter simply uses a cheeky sense of humor that coats it differently and produces wilder contrasts that make the viewer a bit more comfortable with it.

But there is a crucial difference in the ways the suffering of their protagonists is depicted as well as the logic they apply to it while learning to cope with their condition. In It’s All Gone Pete Tong, at a particular moment the mind of the DJ simply unplugs itself from reality and leaves him operating on autopilot. What follows is a maddening, destructive process of physical and mental deterioration that makes the DJ an unrecognizable outcast. Does it look at least partially authentic given that It’s All Gone Pete Tong is a mockumentary? It looks very authentic because the film mocks the music scene the DJ was a part of, not his misery. In Sound of Metal, the deaf drummer also becomes an outcast but in a different environment. More importantly, he is often required to behave like a recovering drug addict rather than a man whose entire world has been permanently turned upside down. It is not an unbelievable development, but the logic behind it that is supposed to make it appear authentic is missing. Why? Because from the moment the drummer enters the commune he is constantly redefined as a rational and irrational outcast who somehow feels equally comfortable being both while other people show him what the best version of his future might be like. In one of these versions, the drummer has very expensive implants and retains his current identity, in another, he does not have them and becomes a completely different person.

The strangest development in the Sound of Metal comes after the drummer consults a medical expert that will help him get the implants and learn to use them properly. The man running the commune immediately asks the drummer to pack his bags and leave because he has broken his rules and therefore is no longer eligible for support. What type of message is being channeled here? That a deaf person does not have the right to explore options that could improve his quality of life? That there is some awful tribe mentality that dooms any deaf person that is not willing to risk everything as the drummer does?

Like the DJ, eventually, the drummer returns to the real world as a rational person determined to resume the life he abandoned after he became deaf. He reunites with his girlfriend who has also changed and gone back to her very wealthy family. They are kind to each other but now the only thing that connects them is a bunch of memories that are making them feel awkward.

Sound of Metal Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 2.39:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Sound of Metal arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion.

The following text appears inside the leaflet that is provided with this release:

"This new digital transfer was created in 4K resolution on Scanity film scanner from the 35mm Kodak 250D VISION3 5207 and 500T VISION3 5219 original camera negatives. The original 5.1 soundtrack was remastered from the digital master audio files. On the 4K Blu-ray disc, the feature is presented in HDR (high dynamic range). On the Blu-ray, it is presented in high-definition SDR (standard dynamic range).

Colorist: Brandon Chavez/Loom LLC, Los Angeles.
Digital restoration: Loom LLC."

I am providing our comments on the native 4K presentation of the film as well because they make it easier to understand how good the 1080p presentation is. Our review of the 4K Blu-ray release of Sound of Metal can be accessed here.

4K BLU-RAY DISC

I viewed the entire film in native 4K and later did some quick comparisons with the 1080p presentation on the Blu-ray. The majority of these comparisons were with darker footage. I thought that the entire film looked exceptional in native 4K. The visuals were incredibly sharp and at the same time appeared very natural and beautifully balanced. They had a cinematic quality too, so the impressive sharpness does not have a digital edge. Obviously, clarity and depth are outstanding as well. The color grade favors plenty of natural primaries and emphasizes various natural light and shadows. Image stability was outstanding. If you have a very large screen, you will be impressed with the fluidity of the visuals as well. Everything looked very smooth and balanced, without giving the visuals an artificial quality. I was quite impressed. (Note: This is a Region-Free release).

BLU-RAY DISC

In 1080p, there is a noticeable difference in the dynamic range of the visuals. I think that in areas where there was natural light -- like the one you see in screencapture #5 -- while still very good, the perception of depth isn't the same. Some nuances are not as easy to identify either, though you will most likely have to focus on them to notice the discrepancy, which is not how you would view the film. The overall color balance again looks very good, but in native 4K the superior dynamic range you also get a richer palette. There is a bit of room for encoding optimizations in the darker atras, though I did not encounter any troubling anomalies while testing the Blu-ray. (Note: This is a Region-A "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-A or Region-Free player in order to access its content).

Sound of Metal Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are two standard audio tracks on this release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and French DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. A Descriptive Dolby Digital 5.1 track is included as well. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

The film has a very unique soundtrack that reveals a lot about the main protagonist's condition and his internal struggle to adjust to a new way of life. I thought that some of the audio effects were outstanding. The conventional dialog is very clear, sharp, and easy to follow. I did not encounter any transfer-specific anomalies to report in our review.

Sound of Metal Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Dairus Marder and Derek Cianfrance - in this exclusive new program, discusses the conception and development of Sound of Metal with filmmaker Derek Cianfrance. The program was produced for Criterion in May 2022. In English, with English subtitles. (30 min).

• Trailer - an original trailer for Sound of Metal. In English, with English subtitles. (3 min).

• Sound Design - in this exclusive program, sound designer Nicolas Becker and director Darius Marder discuss the unique sound design of Sound of Metal. The program was produced for Criterion in 2022. In English, with English subtitles. (26 min).

• Music Video "Green" - in 2021, Darius Marder used outtakes from Sound of Metal to create this music video for Abraham Marder's song "green", which is featured in the closing credits of the film. It is presented with a new introduction by Darius Marder. With English SDH subtitles. (6 min).

• Behind the Scenes - presented here is a short program that features clips from interviews with Darius Marker, Nicolas Becker, Riz Ahmed, Paul Raci, and Olivia Cooke discussing their work on Sound of Metal. The program was produced by Amazon Studios in 2020. In English, with English subtitles. (15 min).

• Leaflet - an illustrated leaflet featuring critic Roxana Hadadi's essay "Throbbing Eternity" and technical credits.

Sound of Metal Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Too many of the drummer's decisions are quite unconvincing. They are needed to prepare the messages that Sound of Metal wants to deliver, but hurt the credibility of his story. Why does the drummer enter the commune after grasping the seriousness of his condition and chooses to stay there even though he is denied the right to explore any other options that can improve his quality of life? If music is his life, he should be exploring all options, even the most difficult ones, like asking for support from his girlfriend and her wealthy family. There is some really good acting in this film, but its drama feels very, very scripted. It instantly reminded me of It's All Gone Pete Tong, which has a different tone and is a vastly superior film. RECOMMENDED to the fans. (If you are planning a purchase, please keep in mind that Sound of Metal is also available as a 4K Blu-ray/Blu-ray combo pack).