Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		5.0

The Banishment Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov June 16, 2019

Andrey Zvyagintsev's "The Banishment" (2007) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber. The supplemental features on the disc include an original Russian trailer for the film; archival documentary; and archival interview with the director. In Russian, with optional English subtitles for the main feature. Region-A "locked".

Vera

A cold and rainy night. A desolated town. A car pulls over, two men shake hands and enter what from the outside looks like an industrial building. They have a few quick exchanges and then the driver, who has been shot and is bleeding, asks his host to get a knife and try to remove a bullet that is stuck in his arm. His face reveals that he is exhausted and can barely stand on his feet.

This short but very atmospheric sequence creates the impression that Andrey Zvyagintsev’s second feature film, The Banishment, would be some sort of tense neo-noir thriller. But then the film abruptly heads in a completely new direction.

Now the man from the building, Alex (Konstantin Lavronenko), his wife, Vera (Maria Bonnevie), and their two children (Maksim Shibayev and Yekaterina Kulkina) are somewhere in the countryside. They reach a house on a hill that might have been closed for years. From afar the area looks like something that the mind of a masterful painter would envision. The children are excited to be here and are ready to start playing, but their parents act like total strangers. Alex quietly removes the wooden covers from the windows and visits each room, while Vera heads to the kitchen to see if there is water so that she can begin preparing their dinner.

Eventually, after the children run away and in a moment of awkward silence, Vera calmly announces that she is pregnant again -- but Alex isn’t the father.

If Zvyagintsev’s film had emerged a few years before Andrei Tarkovsky’s Stalker today, a large number of critics almost certainly would have referred to it as one of Soviet cinema’s greatest masterpieces. Indeed, it remains firmly grounded in reality and tells a very different story, but the manner in which Zvyagintsev interweaves breathtaking visuals and atmospheric music to lure the viewer in its reality is unquestionably realized with the same visionary brilliance that defines Tarkovsky’s work. Perhaps the only meaningful difference between the two directors comes from Zvyagintsev’s freedom to convey a much wider range of human emotions, which in return allows him to expose far more dramatic social contrasts that would have never sneaked past the red censors.

The simplicity of the story is incredibly deceiving, but for two different reasons. The first should not surprise anyone that has seen Zvyagintsev’s directorial debut, The Return, in which the growing tension between an abusive father and his two teenage sons is similarly used to highlight the internal corrosion of a country that has been unable to regain its classic identity after decades of Communist rule. (This is actually a constant theme in all of Zvyagintsev’s films). The second could be rather surprising because here Zvyagintsev actually further restricts the use of dialog but succeeds in ‘telling’ a much more nuanced story with even greater dramatic twists.

After the film premiered at Cannes, Lavronenko took home the Best Actor Award, and rightfully so, but the entire cast is equally impressive. Aleksandr Baluev's performance, in particular, is so good that it actually leaves a lasting impression that he might be a real shady character who, perhaps as a personal favor to Zvyagintsev, has temporarily stepped out of the shadows.

The deeply atmospheric music and clever sound design are as crucial for the film’s heavy ambience as are the stunning locations. Andrey Dergachev is truly a master of his art, and it is probably only a matter of time before the right project earns him an Academy Award.

The Banishment Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 2.34:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Andrey Zvyagintsev's The Banishment arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber.

The release is sourced from the same outstanding remaster that Curzon/Artificial Eye worked with when they prepared this release for the UK market in 2018. I think that it represents an astonishing upgrade in quality and offers a completely different viewing experience when compared to the old R2 DVD release of the film. (This is the only older home video release that I have in my library which I can use as a reference). Indeed, in terms of depth and fluidity the improvements are beyond dramatic. In fact, because there is quite a bit of darker footage there are entire segments that reveal completely different ranges of fine details and nuances that cannot be seen on the DVD release. The color grading is also superior and boasts newly rebalanced primaries and supporting nuances. Image stability is excellent. (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).

The Banishment Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are two standard audio tracks on this Blu-ray release: Russian DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and Russian DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. Optional English subtitles are provided for the main feature. When turned on, they appear inside the image frame.

As I noted in our review of the Region-B release, viewing the film without the elevated pitch that was present on my old R2 DVD release was a revelation. However, the 5.1 track also delivers new ranges of nuanced dynamics and vastly improved separation that open up the film in various areas. The blowing wind, a passing car or train, and many other organic sounds and noises are incredibly easy to identify now. The English translation is excellent.

The Banishment Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Interview with Andrey Zvyagintsev - in this video interview, Andrey Zvyagintsev explains how The Banishment was conceived and Swedish actress Maria Bonnevie was brought on board to play the character of Vera, and discusses the shooting process in Moldova as well as the visual style and tone of the film. (The town footage was shot in Northern France, right on the border with Belguim). In Russian, with optional English subtitles. In Russian, with English subtitles. (11 min, 1080p).

• Behind the Scenes Documentary - this archival documentary chronicles different phases of the production history of The Banishment. In Russian, with optional English subtitles. (24 min, 1080p).

• Trailers - original theatrical trailers for the following films:
  
  1. The Banishment
  2. Elena
  3. The Return

The Banishment Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

I consider Andrey Zvyagintsev one of the top five international directors today, and I believe that he has a refined style whose brilliance makes his work as good as that of legendary masters like Andrei Tarkovsky and Michelangelo Antonioni. I have revisited his second film, The Banishment, many times since I first saw it in 2008, and I just could not be happier that it is finally available on Blu-ray and looking so impressive. This is a truly special release that in different ways highlights everything that I like about the high-definition format. Superb. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.