6.2 | / 10 |
Users | 4.6 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.3 |
In a race against time, a crew of art historians and museum curators unite to recover renown works of art stolen by Nazis before Hitler destroys them.
Starring: George Clooney, Matt Damon, Bill Murray, Cate Blanchett, John GoodmanAdventure | 100% |
History | 50% |
War | 45% |
Comedy | 39% |
Drama | Insignificant |
Thriller | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.40:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
French (Canada): Dolby Digital 5.1
English, English SDH, French, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (1 BD, 1 DVD)
UV digital copy
DVD copy
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A (locked)
Movie | 3.0 | |
Video | 5.0 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 2.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
To many people, particularly in today's technologically driven, fast-paced, gross overexposure of media, and technologically based society where everything is instantly available, literally, at the touch of a few virtual buttons, classic art may very well seem like some abstract concept represented as a picture on the Internet, a blurb in a textbook, or maybe the focus of a movie. Maybe some even view, and on some level appreciate, classic art in museums, but it seems that society doesn't always quite grasp the true value of art, seeing the dollar signs attached to pieces when art theft makes the news but not really grasping the deeper meaning behind a work or the social or cultural or historical significance deep within many of the world's most famous works of art. In The Monuments Men, Frank Stokes, the character portrayed by George Clooney, says that his mission is to save the art not for its monetary value or so that its listing in art history texts may remain unaltered but instead for the purpose of exposing, retaining, and celebrating the "culture and way of life" that surrounds them, that makes them valuable monetarily, yes, but far more so in a broader cultural, ethnical, and historical sense of the term. While there may be more important things to consider in war -- both in the short term and in the long term -- such as preserving a way of life and saving as many lives as possible, safeguarding a heritage and saving the best of man's creativity caught in the path of his worst destructive capabilities may very well be a mission worth the potential surrounding costs.
Picasso down.
The Monuments Men looks fantastic on Blu-ray. The "Mastered in 4K" Blu-ray presentation is a sparkler, one of the crispest, cleanest, most well-defined, and enjoyable high definition movie watching experiences around. The picture, which has been sourced from both digital and film elements, offers a consistently clean and intimately accurate surface. Details are always striking. Whether crisp, nuanced uniform details, intimate facial features, war-ravaged structures and the resultant rubble, sandy terrains, or grasses, there's never a shortage of eye-catching details to enjoy. Colors are equally brilliant. The palette is remarkably detailed and accurate, whether army fatigues, red Nazi flags, or green vegetation. Clarity is striking in every scene, even in the darkest corners that reveal precision black levels that are evenly inky and deep with nary a hint of crush or, on the other end of the scale, gray or purple shading. Flesh tones never appear to betray natural colorings. The transfer additionally displays no bothersome instances of noise, blocking, or other flaws. In short, a masterful presentation worthy of preservation.
The Monuments Men's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack is practically a match for the pristine video. This is impressive stuff, delivering core music with incredibly well defined instrumental clarity throughout the entire range, including a strong, even, and supportive low end. Spacing is flawless and the sense of surround envelopment is cinema perfect. Wartime sounds, though relatively scattered in this mostly dialogue-heavy drama, enjoy pleasing accuracy, from planes zipping through the sky to bullets rushing through the listening area. Explosions, impacts, rumbling vehicles, and other heavy elements play potently big and without fault in every scene. Light atmospherics help shape the listening area; even the most minute supportive pieces in the background during the quietest scenes give the track an authentic sense of space and place. Dialogue flows effortlessly and cleanly from the center. This is a terrific listen in every regard.
The Monuments Men contains the following few supplements. DVD and UV digital copies are also included.
The Monuments Men means well but never quite finds its center. It's a bit aimless around the edges and lacks that seamless character chemistry that's necessary to sell the film's importance and the characters' commitment to carrying out their mission. The movie does do an outstanding job in building up its support elements. It's beautifully photographed and its era appears meticulously recreated. The movie has a lot to offer, more potential than anything else, but it's a solid effort that falls well short of what it should have been but does satisfy as an entertaining, albeit overlong and scattered, wartime novelty. Sony's Blu-ray release of The Monuments Men features masterful "Mastered in 4K" video, a terrific lossless soundtrack, and a decent selection of bonus content. Fans should have no reservations about buying. Newcomers might be best served to rent or wait for the disc to go on sale.
2012
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1961
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Director's Cut
2005
1990
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2001
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10th Anniversary Edition
2006
Director's Cut
2004
1970