The Old Way Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		2.5
Overall		2.5

The Old Way Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman February 22, 2023

The Old Way may disclose more about itself in its title than it actually meant to, as this paycheck for Nicolas Cage is in quite a few ways pretty old fashioned, coming off as a kind of weird combo platter of elements lifted from any number of other films, including such disparate entries as True Grit and Unforgiven. As might be gleaned by those familiar with both of those linked films and elements which they may share in common, The Old Way is at its core a story of vengeance, in this case involving erstwhile vigilante Colton Briggs (Nicolas Cage) and his young daughter Brooke* (Ryan Kiera Armstrong). The film opens with a vignette documenting Colton in his bachelor days, where his efforts to bring a villain to justice end in a massacre, with one of the survivors obviously nursing a grudge against Colton. That grudge blossoms into an act of revenge decades later that results in Colton losing his wife and Brooke her mother, and so a "second chapter" of vengeance kicks in.

*Call me old fashioned, but I just had to kind of laugh at this particular character name, especially spelled this way, for a supposed pioneer girl. The name seems a good deal more 1990s than 1890s.

What ensues is one part cat and mouse game between Colton, who kind of oddly decides to bring Brooke along for the "ride", and a gang led by James McAllister (Noah Le Gros), and one part dysfunctional family tale as Colton learns how to effectively parent a recalcitrant and obviously traumatized Brooke. There are some interesting ideas in this piece, but it simply is too hackneyed in its writing to ever achieve the emotional gravitas it seems to be aiming for. There is undeniable grandeur in some of the scenery on display, and Cage is commendably free of some of the tics that tend to inform his performances these days. Armstrong is also impressive, especially in the last act of the story.

The Old Way Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The Old Way is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Lionsgate Films with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 2.38:1. There's not a ton of technical information available on the internet (that I could find, anyway), other than a listing on the IMDb for Arri lenses, which may automatically suggest Alexa cameras, and in fact at least one can be spied in the Making Of featurette included on this disc as a supplement. One way or the other, the visual side of things is one of the strong points of this film, and director Brett Donowho and cinematographer Sion Michel utilize the gorgeous Montana locations to great advantage. Detail levels are strong even in some of the widest panoramas, though there is just a slightly processed look at times in some of the outdoor location footage. Fine detail is typically excellent in more controlled, set bound material, and a decent if not spectacular production design helps to offer some interesting textures on props and costumes that this high definition presentation supports easily.

The Old Way Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

While perhaps unavoidably cliché ridden at times, The Old Way's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track does a good job of offering noticeable immersion throughout the outdoor scenes in particular, starting with the cacophonous shootout that opens the film. Ambient environmental sounds are well placed throughout the side and rear channels, helping to recreate a feeling of the "great outdoors", or literally in this case, "Big Sky" territory. Andrew Morgan Smith's score is also well supported and sounds full bodied. (Smith also gets what is a frustratingly rare opportunity for a film's composer to contribute a commentary track to Blu-ray disc, as well as another supplement devoted to the recording of the soundtrack music, as detailed below.) Dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly throughout. Optional English and Spanish subtitles are available.

The Old Way Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Audio Commentary by Director Brett Donowho


• Audio Commentary by Composer Andrew Morgan Smith


• The Old Way: Behind the Scenes (HD; 13:49) is a decent EPK with some good interviews with the cast and crew as well as quite a bit of candid footage.


• Scoring Sessions (HD; 8:54) offers a look at the recording process.

Additionally, a digital copy is included and packaging features a slipcover.

The Old Way Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

This film attempts to achieve something of an epic sweep, but it kind of feels like a made for television opus. The scenery is luscious, and the performances are generally quite nicely handled, but there's kind of a musty air about things in terms of the general narrative. Technical merits are solid and the supplements enjoyable for anyone who may be considering making a purchase.