Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		1.0
Overall		4.5

Sparrow Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov October 15, 2008

Johnnie To’s “Sparrow” (2008) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Universe Laser & Video Co. The supplemental features on the release include archival interviews; press conference footage; making of featurette; vintage trailer; and more. In Cantonese and Mandarin, with optional English and Mandarin subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

The sparrow

Amid the hustle and bustle of Hong Kong, a gang of experienced pickpockets -- Kei (Simon Yam), Bo (Gordon Lam), Sak (Law Wing-Cheong), and Mac (Kenneth Cheung) -- are forced to prove their game when an elegant "sparrow" (Kelly Lin) unexpectedly outplays them all. However, as they proceed to even the score and then teach the “sparrow” a timeless lesson, she carefully draws them into a complicated scheme that, if executed right, will free her from her sugar daddy, Mr. Fu (Lo Hoi-Pang).

As the clueless pickpockets set their trap, Mr. Fu initiates an even more complicated scheme to punish the ungrateful “sparrow”.

But in the ensuing battle of wits, first the pickpockets and shortly after Mr. Fu alter their strategies. The pickpockets, now with a better grasp of recent developments, side with the “sparrow” against Mr. Fu, while Mr. Fu, annoyed by their lack of respect, concludes that they deserve a proper dose of her punishment, too. When it becomes clear that the two sides are equally good, they agree to determine the winner in a most unusual duel, which will also decide who gets to keep the “sparrow”.

Sparrow is an unusual entry in Johnnie To’s oeuvre. Even though it again has memorable characters who operate on the wrong side of the law and easily dazzles with familiar slow-motion camerawork, it does not impress like a conventional To film. It is because its relationship with its characters and the drama they are caught in are overtaken by a strong, quite peculiar sense of nostalgia for a Hong Kong that, like Lin’s talented thief, is also trying to choose a different path forward.

The catalyst of the nostalgia is To’s realization that the great playground so many of his films have used will soon welcome new players and new refs, and, in the process, undoubtedly acquire a new identity. This is why while the camera follows various characters, it often feels like To is giving one last grand tour of Hong Kong before its inevitable permanent transformation, highlighting and preserving its beauty and atmosphere for future generations.

While an unusual entry in To’s oeuvre, Sparrow is not an oddity. A decade earlier, Wayne Wang directed Chinese Box, which has a different personality and tone but channels similar nostalgia and symbolism. In Chinese Box, as Hong Kong is reclaimed by China, an English photojournalist, who has spent a good chunk of his life living and working there, discovers that he has a rare form of leukemia. Before running out of time, the photojournalist, assisted by two beautiful young women, goes on one last tour of Hong Kong, determined to preserve its beauty and atmosphere with a portable camera.

Sparrow is a lighter film. It is a lot more versatile film, too. While To tours Hong Kong and reveals his genuine love for it, the battle of wits becomes very entertaining. Parts of it are hilarious, and other parts highlight some pretty nifty tricks. The best of these tricks are elaborate, wonderfully choreographed acts.

The French duo Fred Avril and Xavier Jamaux (Mad Detective) supply yet another gorgeous soundtrack that adds a lot of class. It mixes chic contemporary downtempo tunes, like the ones that made the Buddha Bar series an international phenomenon, and special retro harmonies that frequently graced classic Hong Kong films from the 1950s and 1960s.

To shot Sparrow with frequent collaborator Cheng Siu Keung, who has lensed his biggest hits, including the Election films.

Sparrow Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 2.37:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC, and granted a 1080p transfer Johnnie To's Sparrow arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Hong Kong-based distribs Universe Laser & Video Co. This is a brand new film, in fact, only a few months old, and as expected the Blu-ray transfer is spotless. Contrast, clarity, and detail here are simply fabulous. Everything appears well-defined and allowing for that specific "popping" look many have come to expect from contemporary productions that are transferred to Blu-ray. The color-scheme is also very strong with no issues to report. Furthermore, I did not detect any edge-enhancement patterns either. Sparrow also reveals a strong natural look which is entirely free of DNR manipulation.

As I noted in the review for SPL: Kill Zone Hong Kong distribs are really moving in the right direction with their latest releases and I am utterly impressed by the solid quality of their current crop of Blu-ray discs. If this is a sign for things to come I must express my most sincere satisfaction with the way things are shaping out as obviously there are people keeping a very close eye on these sparkling transfers and this is precisely how we want the distribs to treat their product. (Note: Even though the back cover for this release indicates Region-A only status the disc is actually region-free).

Sparrow Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are four different tracks on this Blu-ray disc: Cantonese: LPCM 7.1, Cantonese: DTS-HD MA 5.1, Cantonese: Dolby Digital 5.1 EX, and Mandarin: Dolby Digital 5.1 EX. I opted for the LPCM track and later did several comparisons with the DTS-HD Master 5.1 track.

The quick verdict here is that both of those tracks are very well mixed, and you would be hard-pressed to pick which one is better. Yes, there is a very minimal advantage that goes to the LPCM track as there is a minuscule amount of extra activity in the surround channels, but I had to go back and forth a few times to tell what was going on. Furthermore, Sparrow does not have many special effects, so the bulk of its dynamic activity is rather delicate. The terrific retro-ambient soundtrack by Fred Avril and Xavier Jamaux comes off the speakers marvelously, and I was very impressed by its incredible quality. What a treat. I did not detect any hiss, pop-ups, or cracks. The dialog was particularly clear and very easy to follow. Optional traditional Chinese, simplified Chinese, and English subtitles are provided for the main feature.

Sparrow Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Aside from the original theatrical trailer for Sparrow on this Blu-ray disc you will also find footage from a press-conference which unfortunately isn't subtitled in English. This is quite an unfortunate scenario as aside from looking at the visuals there is hardly anything else that an English-speaker would find worthy here. Next, there is a gallery with four interviews by the leads and once again I am unable to provide you with a detailed description of their comments as none of these were subtitled in English. Finally, there is footage from the gala premiere of Sparrow as well as a short Making Of featurette but yet again none of these are subtitled in English.

Sparrow Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

What a terrific surprise! Prior to receiving this disc from Hong Kong I had only seen one trailer for Johnnie To's Sparrow and I had a very specific picture in my head as to what this film would look like. Well, I wasn't even close! I have now seen Sparrow twice during the last 48 hours and suffice to say this is the best Asian production to reach my desk this year. It is so subtle, so elegantly filmed, and so beautiful to behold that I am fully convinced the jury members at the Berlin International Film Festival got it all wrong. Sparrow is times better than the Brazilian drama Tropa de Elite and should have convincingly won the Golden Bear Award. See this film! Highly Recommended.