6.3 | / 10 |
Users | 3.8 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
A divorcee sees something shocking happen from her daily commute and becomes entangled in a mystery that unfolds.
Starring: Emily Blunt, Haley Bennett, Rebecca Ferguson, Justin Theroux, Luke EvansMystery | 100% |
Thriller | 84% |
Psychological thriller | 72% |
Melodrama | 34% |
Drama | Insignificant |
Crime | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS:X
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English: DTS Headphone:X
Spanish: DTS 5.1
French: DTS 5.1
English SDH, French, Spanish
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (1 BD, 1 DVD)
UV digital copy
DVD copy
Slipcover in original pressing
Region free
Movie | 2.5 | |
Video | 5.0 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 2.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Reading the book on which a movie is based before (or after) watching said movie almost invariably leads to disappointment with the movie in some form or fashion. Very few manage to tell the story as it was laid out in the source novel, never mind enjoy the character intricacies, narrative depth, and creativity the written word usually affords the material in question. The Girl on the Train is no exception. Author Paula Hawkins' worldwide bestseller might not have been the peak of fiction -- an intriguing premise, a solidly constructed lead character, slow-drip reveals, and a few twists all lead up to a fairly hackneyed ending -- but it made for a solid read, one of those "up all night" sorts that yields sleepy eyes and a Nook in need of a charge the next morning. The story's structure didn't appear to make for an easy transition to film. Much of the book, and early on in particular, is devoid of dialogue; it's exposition and exploration by way of the lead character's thoughts and personal deterioration, exploring her sob story contrasted against a sordid murder-mystery in which she finds herself caught in the middle, mostly by her own doing but understandably given her real and imagined intimacy to a few of the primary characters involved. The movie, directed by Tate Taylor (The Help), doesn't capture the novel's energy and intrigue to the same level. It's a fine translation in the cruder senses and sticks fairly close to the book in terms of basic maneuvers and how the plot unfolds, but coming in at about 110 minutes it just can't find that same inner depth and detail that blossoms on the page.
The girl on the train.
The Girl on the Train is a rare breed these days, a recent release shot on film. And the results are splendid. While the image appears mildly desaturated and tweaked by intent -- a bit cold and empty in places, a little tinted golden in others -- there's no mistaking its accuracy and balance within its depicted parameters. Natural greens please, red lipsticks and bloodshot eyes appear accurate, and various support shades on clothing, furnishings, and the like stand tall and stout. Details are exquisite. There are no shortages of close-ups to enjoy in the film, and Universal's transfer presents skin textures with impeccable clarity, capturing a very slight inherent softness and gentleness while still revealing every fine pore, line, bump, bit of hair and stubble on the guys, and imperfection. Image clarity excels, and while the entire film does share that slight hint of gentle softness, it holds firm and sharp within its context, showcasing interior appointments, trees and leaves, and other natural elements with remarkable clarity. Clothing is as enjoyably rich and complex as skin textures. Black levels are beautifully deep and skin tones appear effortlessly true to the film's visual cues. The print is meticulously clean and no encode artifacts are apparent. This is a home run presentation from Universal.
The Girl on the Train features a DTS:X soundtrack, though its overhead engagement, even as mere support pieces, is minimal at best. Indeed, the track never really differentiates itself from a more basically structured 7.1 mix, favoring the basic 7.1 layout but delivering a couple of very minor, at best, additional bits of overhead bonus into the stage. General qualities are terrific. Music is fully engaged around the stage, emoting with plenty of clarity, width across the front, and wrap into the rears. The film opens with lightly identifiable train sounds that grow in proximity, volume, placement in the stage, and clarity, until a sudden rush of the familiar rattling sound enters the stage, complete with a positive low end support and fine sense of movement. Atmospherics are nicely engaged throughout as the opportunities arise; a busy restaurant in chapter four, a light fall breeze in chapter nine, and woodland ambience in chapter 18 are all pleasantly rich and realistic in stage saturation and placing the listener in the middle of the locations. Dialogue is the main factor in the movie, however, and it's unsurprisingly clear and precise, playing from the front-center and always properly prioritized over surrounding elements.
The Girl on the Train contains a commentary track, deleted and extended scenes, and a pair of featurettes. A DVD copy of the film and a
voucher for a UV/iTunes digital copy are included with purchase.
The Girl on the Train takes a fairly intriguing and well-structured book and turns it into a fairly bland Thriller that gets its broad strokes right but can't find a way to translate the much more intimate character details and careful story unfolding the written word affords the source. Both book and film stumble through a dull and trite climax that betrays all the good stuff to come before, more in the book and less the movie. Performances are fine, though even as lead Emily Blunt captures Rachel's essence, she doesn't seem to have the right look or the perfect grasp of the characters' deepest sunken depths. Universal's Blu-ray is very good. Picture quality is practically pristine, audio is great (even if it doesn't make much use of the overhead channels), and it features a basic array of bonus content. Those who have not read the book might find the movie slightly more appealing, but there's no mistaking it as a basic Thriller without much to offer beyond crude plot and character maneuverings. Worth a look, and for those scoring at home: movie 2.5/5.0, book 3.5/5.0 and a bit higher for everything before the final few pages.
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