6.8 | / 10 |
Users | 5.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.4 |
Connected storylines about love, forgiveness and redemption that take place in different places and times--Mariana, a 16 year old girl tries to put together the shattered lives of her parents in a Mexican border town; Sylvia, a woman in Portland, undertakes an emotional odyssey to redeem a sin from her past; Gina and Nick, a couple who must deal with a clandestine love; and María, a young girl who helps her parents find forgiveness.
Starring: Charlize Theron, Kim Basinger, Jennifer Lawrence, John Corbett, José María YazpikDrama | 100% |
Video codec: VC-1
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.38:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English SDH, Spanish
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region free
Movie | 2.5 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 2.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
If you’ve followed the work of screenwriter Guillermo Arriaga—who penned Amores Perros, 21 Grams, The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada, and Babel—then you’re already aware that he has an affinity for non-linear narratives that separate his often esoterically linked characters in space and time. In Babel, for instance, this spatial/temporal hopscotching serves to draw out unlikely comparisons between disparate lives, showing the universality of human experience. His screenplays seem reminiscent of the “blanket” speech in I Heart Huckabees, where Dustin Hoffman’s existential detective shows Jason Schwartzman how we’re all connected, all part of the same cosmic fabric. When this technique works, when it frames a story that’s worth telling, it can be insightful and illuminating. However, when used to organize what amounts to an overwrought melodrama, like The Burning Plain—Arriaga’s directorial debut—the narrative trickery comes off as just that: a trick on the audience that’s more likely to induce exasperated sighs than satisfied ah-ha’s.
Charlize Theron bares all for some kids walking below.
The Burning Plain blazes onto Blu-ray with a 2.40:1, 1080p/VC-1 encoded transfer that's more than capable of handling the film's many moods. In the disc's "making of" documentary, director Guillermo Arriaga says that he used an elemental motif—earth, wind, water, fire—and it's clear that each story in the film is given it's own tonal feeling. Charlize Theron's scenes, set largely in the Pacific Northwest, are characterized by a bluish cast, with water in nearly every shot, while Kim Basinger's narrative thread is marked by dusty Southwestern tones. Though there's a definite restraint to the palette, color are deep and stable throughout, with sporadic bold splashes like bright blue denim or the intense oranges of the trailer home fire. Black levels are also strong, contrast is nicely weighted, and if shadow detail is occasionally crushed, it seems to be intentional. The Burning Plain certainly isn't the sharpest film I've seen this year—there are a few scattered soft shots—but there's still plenty of detail to be found in the image, and many scenes have a fantastic, "window into the world" sense of depth and presence. Finally, the film's grain structure is very fine, and I didn't detect any banding, blocking, edge enhancement, or any of the other usual suspects. No real complaints here.
I'm always happy when a drama, which could easily settle for a front-heavy, dialogue-driven sonic experience, goes out of its way to deliver thoughtful audio design and a solid and immersive soundfield. And that's exactly what you get with The Burning Plain's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track, which surprises by being almost constantly active and complementary to the unfolding story. This is still a quiet film, but the subtlety of the sound design is effective in drawing us into the world of the narrative. The surround channels output ambience with nearly every scene, from wind through the waving fields of sorghum and rain pouring down on Portland, to cicadas seething in the desert plains and the sound of dominos being slapped down onto a folding table. The film also has a fair share of discrete effects—a cropduster zipping through the rear speakers, cars roaring past, etc.—and all of the pans, crosses, and fades sound natural and unobtrusive. We even get some deep LFE engagement courtesy of waves pounding against a cliff, and the rippling explosion of the mobile home sends debris ripping outward impressively. The music—by Hans Zimmer and The Mars Volta's Omar Rodriguez-Lopez—is detailed and weighty, dialogue is perfectly prioritized, and the whole experience is a lot more engaging than I had expected.
The Making of The Burning Plain (SD, 43:27)
Director Guillermo Arriaga may not give us a commentary track on this disc, but this "making of"
documentary is just as thorough, covering every element of the production. Arriaga truly has
something to say about nearly everyone involved in the film, from the DP and camera operators,
to the costume designer, makeup artist, set dresser, and, of course, the film's stars. More
interesting, however, is when Arriaga discusses some of the inspirations for the script, including a
house that burned down in his childhood neighborhood. If you enjoyed the film, this is certainly
worth watching.
The Music of The Burning Plain (SD, 15:33)
Who'd have thought The Burning Plain would unite legendary film composer Hans
Zimmer with Omar Rodriguez-Lopez of modern prog-art-rock outfit The Mars Volta? It's a
surprising combination, and it totally works for the film. Here we get an inside look at some of the
early discussions about the score, along with footage from the actual recording
sessions.
HDNet: A Look at The Burning Plain (1080i, 4:46)
A fairly standard promo that features clips from the film and insights by director Guillermo
Arriaga.
Also From Magnolia Home Entertainment Blu-ray (1080p, 8:31 total)
Includes trailers for Serious Moonlight, Ong Bak 2, Red Cliff, and
Bronson, along with a promo for HDNet. As an aside, judging from the trailer, John Woo's
Red Cliff is going to look great on Blu-ray.
There are some interesting ideas at work within The Burning Plain, but the overall experience is too studied, too manipulative in its timeline, and too melodramatic to feel authentic. While fans of Babel or 21 Grams may want to give this one a shot, this is rental material only.
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