The Miniaturist Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

The Miniaturist Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf September 16, 2018

A BBC production, “The Miniaturist” is an adaption of Jessie Burton’s 2014 novel, which explored the mystery and shock of a young woman pushed into an arranged marriage in 1686, experiencing a rush of turmoil in Amsterdam while dealing with an enigmatic craftsman using miniature dolls and furniture to communicate with the new bride. The material has been hammered into place over three episodes of crisis and suspicion, with Burton’s plotting making an easy transition to the ways of BBC programming, which always seems to favor period settings, tight corsets, and characters experiencing all types of strife. “The Miniaturist” starts out very strong, but it struggles to maintain energy and shock value as it distributes horrors to most of its players, often electing to go the soap opera route out of fear of losing its audience with a more sophisticated take on an interestingly bizarre tale of stalking and identity.

The set-up for “The Miniaturist” is where the show really comes together, with the first hour devoted to Petronella’s (Anya Taylor-Joy) entrance into the Amsterdam lifestyle, pulled from her family farm and positioned into wealth to support her new husband, Johannes (Alex Hassell), a merchant who’s rarely home, putting Petronella face-to-face with his puritan sister, Marin (Romola Garai). Conflict is immediately established as Petronella explores her new surroundings, trying to find her place as a wife to a man who’s never around. The first episode of “The Miniaturist” arranges confusion and curiosity with care, giving the viewer a feel for Petronella’s hesitation with all that surrounds her, along with an understanding of her connection to the titular troublemaker, who provides household items to help decorate a cabinet meant to give the new addition a hobby, only to keep supplying figures and furniture, most of which have a strange way of predicting future events.

Petronella’s panic is compelling, and “The Miniaturist” closes its first hour with a terrific reveal of betrayal. There’s interest in continuing the story, but tale quickly gives up on building tension, dissolving into puddles of hysterics and unsteady plotting from Burton who, when given the chance, takes things in an obvious direction, especially when it comes time to figure out sexual needs in Johannes’s home. There are elements of empowerment with Petronella’s rise to power, emerging as the only intelligent character in the saga, but such glories are dimmed by dramatic stiffness and slackness of focus, with “The Miniaturist” going from a domestic upheaval tale to a courtroom saga concerning forbidden sexuality. Such sudden movement torpedoes the series, which grows quite tedious as it expands to legal woes and pregnancy horrors.

Episodes:

Episode 1 (54:14)
Petronella (Anya Taylor-Joy) is offered up for an arranged marriage to merchant Johannes (Alex Hassell) to ease her family’s debt. Arriving in Amsterdam to live with her husband, Petronella is greeted coldly by Marin (Romola Garai), Johannes’s sister and a fiercely religious woman who rejects everything about the new addition to the household, which also includes servants Cornelia (Hayley Squires) and slave Otto (Paapa Essiedu). Gifted a doll house-sized recreation of her home by Johannes, Petronella turns to the services of a miniaturist to help decorate it, only to find the mystery craftsman well aware of his client’s troubling situation, creating décor that urges her to look deeper into her living situation.

Episode 2 (54:05)
Life carries on for Petronella, who begins to understand her place in Johannes’s household, tasked with keeping up appearances while her future turns bleak. Struggling is Johannes, who’s stuck a questionable deal for sugar with Frans (Geoffrey Streatfeild) and his troubled wife, Agnes (Aislin McGuckin), ignoring their demands for results while he tends to personal issues. And violence visits the home, altering the urgency of Petronella’s growing position as the head of the family, suddenly tasked with leadership as dark secrets challenge social and business standing.

Episode 3 (54:23)
Johannes’s future is clouded when his private life is exposed to the Amsterdam elite, causing tremendous turmoil for Petronella, who’s also dealing with Marin and her life-altering issues. As the household threatens to crumble due to stress and financial woes, Petronella struggles to manage expectations and protect others.

The Miniaturist Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.78:1 aspect ratio) presentation is handed a challenge with the show's use of candlelight, encouraging a darker viewing experience. Delineation isn't a problem, with frame information mostly intact. Detail is satisfactory throughout, and while some close-ups are digitally airbrushed, most facial surfaces keep their texture. Aristocratic cleanliness and illness are easily surveyed, and costuming delivers silky and stitched displays of personal wealth. Colors retain their power. The material favors a gloomier side of life, but primaries are compelling with outfits and street visits. Sunlit rooms brighten up hues, and greenery is strong.

The Miniaturist Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix offers a clear read of dialogue exchanges, managing accents and outbursts with ideal intelligibility. Emotional arcs are easy to follow. Scoring is simple but effective, supporting dramatic moods without overwhelming the moment. Atmospherics are alert, delivering a feel for Amsterdam foot traffic and areas of commerce. Interiors retain room expanse with slight echo.

The Miniaturist Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Making Of (45:58, HD) is a surprisingly in-depth investigation into the creation of "The Miniaturist." While actual BTS footage is rare and Taylor-Joy is missing, the rest of the featurette goes into the novel's origins with author Jessie Burton, while members of the cast detail story points and character arcs. There's plenty of attention on the feminist aspects of the tale, and more technical achievements are inspected, including costuming, set design, and the creation of the miniatures, which required plenty of artful consideration.

The Miniaturist Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"The Miniaturist" makes many mistakes, including the introduction of a pivotal character in the third episode, finding the series scrambling to make this individual important without laying the groundwork beforehand. Such a fumble robs the resolution of surprise, leaving the show to fade away without anything of distinction occurring. The first hour is really all "The Miniaturist" does well, introducing a mysteries of love, life, and self before it suddenly loses control, leaving behind a mess of ideas in need of development and possibly a longer run time.