The Earthling Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		1.5
Overall		3.5

The Earthling Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf March 10, 2019

“The Earthling” is the penultimate film for actor William Holden, and in many ways, it’s perhaps the proper capper on his amazing career. The 1980 picture offers Holden a chance to portray at character at the end of his life, facing his mortality and trying to do so with some dignity and a sense of closure. It’s a role that demands introspection and silent reaction, and Holden is more than up for the challenge, paired with young Ricky Schroder for this survival drama, which brings the Americans to Australia, interacting with strange wildlife and challenging surroundings. “The Earthling” is severe at times, but also tries to be tender, with the leads managing surges of emotion as they inhabit opposites trying to conquer a dangerous situation.

Patrick (William Holden) is dying of lung cancer, nearing the end of his life. He desires a chance to reflect on his past, traveling from America to his family home in Australia, which is located deep in the outback. Setting out on a lengthy journey through the wild, Patrick’s time of self-inspection is interrupted by Shawn (Ricky Schroder), a 10-year-old kid traveling through Australia with his parents, Ross (Jack Thompson) and Bettina (Olivia Hamnett), who’ve recently died in a tragic camper accident, leaving the boy on his own. Unequipped with survival skills, Shawn struggles to protect himself from hunger and the elements, forcing Patrick to step in, reluctantly helping the young man deal with daily needs. As they cross deeper into the wild, Patrick tries to teach the kid the ways of hunting and navigation, with Shawn struggling to mature as they deal with attacks from predators and develop a relationship that helps Patrick to reflect on the reason he’s returned home.

“The Earthling” avoids a potentially depressing tale of finality by remaining on the move. Patrick has come to a small Australian town to deal with some elements of his past life, reuniting with family and friends for brief words, giving others just enough information to understand what he’s planning to once he returns to the farm of his youth. Patrick is sick, experiencing pain as he makes his way into the open world, getting rid of morphine pills to trust in the ticking clock of discomfort, eventually riding a horse into the outback before continuing the journey on foot, trying to relearn the skills he once enjoyed as a young man eager to escape this prison. “The Earthling” follows Patrick as he marches through untouched land, trying to get his mind around his mortality and past, only to witness a horror as Shawn’s parents make a mistake in driving while the boy is out collecting firewood, rolling off a mountain to their deaths.

Shawn’s tragedy is bluntly detailed by director Peter Collinson (“The Italian Job”), who tries to impart the severity of the situation, with the boy, a California native, suddenly left in the outback without any clue how to care for himself. It’s a horrifying realization, and “The Earthling” doesn’t just move past it, with an entire chunk of the picture devoted to Shawn’s regression into a feral boy (the actual passage of time isn’t explained), unable to find food and shelter, while creatures of the night, including rats, attack him. Patrick and Shawn eventually meet, but it’s not an immediate partnership, as the child has been reduced to grunts while the senior citizen is angered by this disruption to his final walk, suddenly tasked with parenthood responsibilities for a soft kid. This itchy dynamic represents the core viewing experience of “The Earthling,” with the pair learning to understand each other, building trust and patience as Patrick teaches his student the basics of trapping rabbits and hunting for fish by hand. There are physical challenges as well, keeping Shawn on the run as a pack of wild dogs come after him, and he also comes across an Aboriginal man, with Patrick providing a quick summary of the Australian population shift.

“The Earthling” is presented in two versions: an American Cut (97:09) and an International Cut (99:29). While the basic story structure remains the same between the edits, the International Cut is a more Australian feature, taking time to assess local color and scenery, while Shawn’s parents are offered a significant subplot concerning Ross’s own struggle with his Aussie heritage (he’s Americanized in the other cut), sharing his concerns with Bettina. The International Cut is almost a different picture in a way, with much more patience for characterization and appreciation of subtlety.

The Earthling Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving in Blu-ray with a "Brand new 2K master," "The Earthling" offers a viewing experience that preserves the natural beauty and expanse of the original cinematography. Detail is supportive throughout, securing textures on wildlife and forests, and character wear and tear is noted through weathered costumes. Close-ups showcase the range of age, and distances are dimensional, giving grander shots their intended outback glory. Colors are a tad fatigued, but primaries remain acceptable, finding greenery communicative and clothing secure. Town visits offer a bit more pop with signage. Skintones are largely natural, with a slight reddish push here and there. Delineation is adequate, able to handle more shadowy threats. Grain is fine and filmic. Source is in good shape, with some mild judder and speckling detected.

The Earthling Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix does show signs of age, with true sharpness missing, but the track's essentials are intact. Dialogue exchanges are acceptable, dealing with the loudness of Schroder and Holden's delivery, and the muted enunciation of the Australian characters. Emotional flow is maintained, and dramatic escalation is comfortable. Scoring carries an agreeable orchestral sound, with passable instrumentation and support. Soundtrack selections are more forceful, with some heaviness. Atmospherics are key to the listening event, highlighting wild creatures and forest moments. Open air is identified as well.

The Earthling Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Deleted Scenes (6:11, HD) are unfortunately presented without audio, exploring Shawn and his father's interaction with a local man, an argument between Shawn's parents, and more pieces of the central camper accident.

• A Theatrical Trailer (3:10, HD) is included.

The Earthling Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"The Earthling" is compelling as a study of self-reliance, as Collinson does a fine job detailing the bigness of the area, always showcasing the location in wide shots as small humans make their attempt to cross the land. There's focus on nature and wildlife, and the growing sense of education that Shawn experiences is fascinating, with the screenplay (by Lanny Cotler) touching on some circle of life moments, but also remains attentive to the hardness of these lessons, with life or death the ultimate test. The film slows down considerably once destinations are reached, with the movie evolving into more of a tear-jerker concerning the ways of love and forgiveness. The ending is appropriate, but the journey there is more compelling than slack third-act summaries of themes and emotions. "The Earthling" is fairly obvious when it comes to exposition, often pushing the characters to verbalize their inner thoughts to help the audience out, but there's a full sense of life behind the occasionally clumsy dialogue, while Holden keeps the feature together with his professionalism and skilled way with complicated offerings of regret and warming acts of endearment.