6.3 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
The foot soldiers of the early feminist movement, women who were forced underground to pursue a dangerous game of cat and mouse with an increasingly brutal State.
Starring: Carey Mulligan, Meryl Streep, Helena Bonham Carter, Romola Garai, Ben WhishawHistory | 100% |
Drama | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
French (Canada): DTS 5.1
English SDH, French, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
UV digital copy
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 2.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Sometimes, life becomes something greater beyond the daily routine and the performance of whatever task is necessary to get to bed and awake the following morning. Sometimes, there arises an issue, an idea, a want, a need that, for some, take on a significance greater than all of life's other works and ambitions and established conditions to the way things are and, usually, the way most everyone else wants them to be. And sometimes, chasing down that something else means sacrifice, up to an including ones very own life. History is rife with stories of the men and women who changed the world by standing up, standing tall, and standing apart for what they believe, often at great cost to themselves and those around them. Director Sarah Gavron's (Brick Lane) Suffragette tells the story of several such individuals who stood against tradition and apart from their peers in an effort to earn the right to vote. The movie does not concern itself with any politics beyond their struggle, focusing instead on the social resistance they face -- including from their own families -- as they reshape their lives to champion a cause that they hold more dearly than anything else.
Suffragette's 1080p transfer features a deliberately dull and downtrodden appearance. The film, shot primarily on Super 16 film, presents a period look accentuated by a steady and obvious, but never intrusive, layer of grain. Colors are deliberately muted, too. Outside (and inside the laundry building), they generally favor a cool, bleak, blue-gray dominant appearance, while interiors are often bathed in warmer golds and ambers. It's not until the final few minutes when things open up to a significantly more full and flush color palette. The image favors a softer façade, but never excessively so. Image clarity is excellent and sharpness soars, insofar as the photography will allow. Raw heavy clothing and brick façade textures, for example, appear well defined and tactile. Black levels favor a slightly more fatigued appearance, in-line with the movie's overall look. Compression issues are generally not a factor. It's not the prettiest transfer on Blu-ray, nor is it meant to be. It's faithful to the intended style and delights in that context.
Suffragette's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack presents the film's very deep, very serious music with positive refinement and heft. Stage spread is wide and surround use enveloping, but the highlight is a strong, but never overpowering, low end in support. Many of the other highlights involve street-level activity where London springs to life with the sounds of rattly antique cars, heavy footfalls, chatter -- the usual hustle and bustle -- and other elements like distant ringing bells. Shattering glass, crowd chants, and other responses to acts of violence or large gatherings offers an immersive sensation. A couple of small explosions pop with decent aggression, and a much more substantial explosion late in the movie features a fair bit more LFE power. Dialogue delivery is firmly grounded in the center and plays with excellent definition and prioritization.
Suffragette contains three featurettes and an audio commentary. A voucher for a UV/iTunes digital copy code is included with purchase.
Suffragette tells a relevant and dramatically captivating story of what it means to stand for principles, particularly as they go against societal norms and accepted traditions. The movie takes audiences down an emotionally dark path as Maud's life crumbles but, at the same time, her commitment to the cause soars. It's a fascinating juxtaposition and one that star Carey Mulligan handles extraordinarily well, the platitudes that drive her notwithstanding. Universal's Blu-ray release of Suffragette offers faithful video, robust audio, and a few good extras. Highly recommended.
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