Straw Dogs Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

Straw Dogs Blu-ray Movie Review

Bark and bite.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman December 11, 2011

We all trust each other here.

Here's another movie, much like the recent Fright Night, that's both a remake of, in this case, a celebrated 1971 flick by Sam Peckinpah, and a movie that's unmistakably reminiscent of another film, I Spit on Your Grave (choose either the original or the remake). Director Rod Lurie's (The Last Castle) Straw Dogs will rightly divide audiences; it tells basically the same story as its predecessor, but it changes up just enough to give it a modern flavor amidst an uneasy Southern atmosphere that filmmakers seem so keen to use as a backdrop for any antagonists who hunt, drink, rape, cuss, fight, or partake in any other action that may be considered violent or, potentially, lead to violence. Stereotypes aside, this Straw Dogs is quite effective and in several other ways markedly different from the original. It's oftentimes very intense and, when it's not, it lets off a terribly uneasy vibe. Slicker than the original, perhaps more jarring, somewhat thematically divergent, but not necessarily "better," this 2011 picture is smooth and well made, and even if many viewers may not find it to be on the same level of excellence of Peckinpah's film, this is one remake that at least holds its own, stands its ground, and delivers the goods with confidence and without hesitation.

Burgeoning conflict.

David Sumner (James Marsden) is a Hollywood scriptwriter who's leaving the west coast with his bride Amy (Kate Bosworth) and heading back to live and work in her small hometown of Blackwater, Mississippi. Since appearing on one of David's television programs, she's become something of a sensation, but the locals still remember her as the red-hot blonde who made their little out-of-the-way town all the steamier. Amy and David are moving into Amy's father's old house in the country, but recent hurricane damage has left the adjacent barn in tatters. David hires out a handyman crew to fix it up. It's led by Charlie (Alexander Skarsgård), Amy's old flame and a man who still has the hots for her. Unfortunately, Charlie and company's ways immediately clash with David. Their Southern Country Rock music and early-to-start routine leaves him unable to work in peace and quiet. They pack up at noon to hunt or hang out at the local watering hole, much to David's chagrin. But he's able to overlook their inconvenient transgressions in favor of a job well done. Unfortunately for all involved, things begin to unravel when Charlie's group pushes its way too far into David and Amy's life. David resists theirs and the town's ways, walking out of church one Sunday and, ultimately, unable to weave his left coast ways into their far more conservative Deep South. Can an already fragile relationship withstand the strain of small town goings-on, short tempers fueled by alcohol, and David's inability -- or unwillingness -- to more muscularly confront his adversaries and stand his ground?

Straw Dogs builds its story in this go-round on the culture clash between sweaty, beer-guzzlin', deer-huntin', Southern workin' men and an elitist, clean-cut West Coast Hollywood yuppie who's never held a gun and looks rightly out of place with a Budweiser in his hand. The conflict lies in a Hollywood guy's marriage to a Southern Belle who's neither all like her husband nor still the small-town through-and-through Mississippi gal she once was, with part of her yearning to return home and the other fighting off the urge to completely re-immerse herself with the people and customs of Blackwater. Why she moved back when she must have known that a place like Blackwater wouldn't take kindly to one of its own returning home with a guy like David in tow is the real question that's never adequately answered, but it does nicely set the stage for intense verbal, psychological, and physical conflict. The small-town versus city-bred thing has been pretty much done to death; it was the centerpiece of films like I Spit on Your Grave, Deliverance, and even The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, but despite its long run in both some pretty storied films and some pretty low-rent fare alike, it still works quite well as the groundwork for Straw Dogs' main conflict. The stereotyping is bound to anger some in the audience, particularly the film's painting of the antagonists as the "God-fearing" folk and the pretty city boy protagonist as the atheist/agnostic/whatever it is that David may be, but even ignoring that element -- which arguably could have been removed from the film altogether and the end product be no less worse for wear -- this remains a strong, slick, captivating, intense, and even fearful movie about human conflict built on jealousy and misunderstanding and its ability to rapidly spiral out of control.

Stylistically, this Straw Dogs is quite good. It has all the polish one would expect of a big studio picture, and every element from the top down rates strongly. The film is picturesque in its capture of a small Mississippi town, which yields some handsome photography and eye-catching locales which would be even more pronounced if it wasn't for the film's accomplished sense of foreboding tension and thick atmosphere that hangs over most every scene. Once the characters are established and the story gets rolling, the film paints a picture that's both outwardly gorgeous and inwardly unsettling. It's clear that, despite smiles and handshakes, the friendly relationship between the characters won't last. Even though the movie is largely predictable in what will happen to the characters, it still plays with an unrelenting energy and unforgiving atmosphere that crescendos into one of the more stylistically and thematically accomplished violent siege segments in memory. The actors are uniformly strong, each selling their respective roles with a command of the parts and an understanding of where the story is headed and, most important, why. James Marsden is strong as the proverbial "fish out of water" who undergoes the film's most significant transformation, beginning as a man who eschews violence but understands that there are times when violence, cunning, and headstrong determination are necessary -- he's a student of the Battle of Stalingrad -- and finally reaching the point that he must unwittingly embrace violence to stop it. Marsden sells the arc wonderfully, but it's Alexander Skarsgård who's the real showstopper as Charlie, a man who's mentally and deviously a cut above his rather generic, stereotypical friends. He sells the part with his eyes, managing a balance between a friendly, demented, and hostile look, often conveying the three all at once as he witnesses both his relationship with the Sumners and the general goings-on around town deteriorate throughout the course of the movie.

Straw Dogs Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Straw Dogs features a dazzling 1080p transfer that's a perfect example of Sony's seemingly unflappable grasp of the art of the new release Blu-ray. The transfer oozes stability and clarity, both amongst the finest the format has to offer. Fine detail is breathtakingly filmic and natural; whether the wooden and neon accents around the bar, facial and clothing textures, the rough stone façade on the Sumner house, the unfinished planks of wood used to patch up the barn, various outdoor vegetation, or the small little details on firearms, Sony's transfer never misses a single element, each one perfectly defined and naturally sharp. Colors are extraordinarily well balanced, too, whether David's borrowed orange hunting vest, those same neon signs in the bars, the outdoor greenery, the tan-shaded fur of a deer, natural flesh tones, or the gray earthen shades of the house's rocks. Black levels are magnificent, perfectly deep but never approaching crush and never washing out, playing particularly well in the film's various bar scenes. This is a film-perfect image; there's no evidence of even a single element out of place, no tinkering, and no wear. A light grain structures accentuates the positives and puts the finishing touches on another pristine Blu-ray new release from Sony.

Straw Dogs Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Straw Dogs features a Sony-standard DTS HD-MA 5.1 lossless soundtrack, and it also features Sony-standard sonic excellence. Much like the accompanying video presentation, everything is in order here. The track is uncannily balanced and lifelike. Atmospherics are integrated seamlessly into the mix. The deep Mississippi ambience is almost a constant throughout, creating a dazzling and always believable environment. Interior scenes spring to life, too, either made complete by that natural ambience or defined by the din of music and general clatter in the bar scenes. Music is wonderfully balanced, playing all around with a strong, but not dominating, surround support element. It's amazingly clear and plays with wonderful body, solidified by a natural low end. Gunshots sound fantastic, enjoying precision placement anywhere and everywhere as-needed around the soundstage. The crack of the high powered rifle and the boom of the shotgun alike sound fantastic, naturally lingering with great power. Directional effects and imaging are seamless, whether general ambience or the sound of a high-speed bullet tearing through the listening area. The final siege is a terrifying, but delightful, enveloping experience defined by precision sounds of violence, including shattering glass, gunfire, screaming, the battering of a steel door, and general chaos. Dialogue is rock-solid, remaining firm in the center channel and never struggling to be heard through any sound effects. This is a first-rate soundtrack and typical of Sony's new release audio excellence.

Straw Dogs Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Straw Dogs arrives on Blu-ray with four good featurettes and one of the most engaging commentaries yet.

• Audio Commentary: Writer/Director Rod Lurie delivers a smart, well-spoken commentary that grabs the attention from the opening seconds and never relinquishes its hold. He begins by reading a criticism of the original Straw Dogs' screenplay and moves on to bluntly discuss the criticism laid on him and his remake (or, perhaps better said, "re- imaging"), before, even, the film was released. He discusses his purposes in making the film and countering the themes in Peckinpah's film. He covers the ideas for his movie, his reasons for setting the film in the South, the altering point of view this movie offers, scenes that parallel the original but take on different meaning here, and plenty more. He also speaks on the cast, shooting locales, and other, general, commentary track elements. This is a first-class commentary; love the film, hate what Lurie's done with it, or watch it with indifference to the original, this one is well worth a listen and is easily one of the year's best tracks.
• Courting Controversy: Remaking a Classic (1080p, 7:41): Cast and crew discuss shooting in the South, differences between this film and the original, the story and themes that emerge from it, the process of creating the rape scene, and more.
• The Dynamics of Power: The Ensemble (1080p, 6:20): A look at what makes the characters tick and the qualities of the performances that shape them.
• Inside the Siege: The Ultimate Showdown (1080p, 7:29): A closer look at the making of the film's climactic action sequence, including stunt work and ensuring continuity between shoots on the stage and on the set.
• Creating the Sumner House: The Production Design (1080p, 4:09): The cast speaks on the construction of the film's primary location.
• Previews: Additional Sony titles.
• BD-Live.

Straw Dogs Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Straw Dogs isn't an all-time great movie or the definitive remake or re-imaging, but it's a solid, all-around performer that frazzles the audience's nerves, challenges the audience's minds, and captures the audience's attention and imagination and never lets go. It sports good character development and strongly defined arcs; fine performances; quality cinematography; steady direction; hard-hitting action; and a palpable, thick atmosphere that's made of equal parts uneasy tension and outright fear. The movie is no doubt challenging to watch for its stretches of violence and dark themes, but this is a quality picture, despite, even, its clichéd conflict between small town folk and big city transplants. Sony's Blu-ray release of Straw Dogs features picture-perfect video, reference-grade sound, and a decent selection of supplemental content. Very highly recommended.