7.9 | / 10 |
Users | 4.6 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
As he plans his next job, career thief Doug MacRay tries to balance his feelings for a bank manager connected to one of his earlier heists, while trying to stay one step ahead of the FBI agent looking to bring down him and his crew.
Starring: Ben Affleck, Rebecca Hall, Jon Hamm, Jeremy Renner, Blake LivelyCrime | 100% |
Thriller | 100% |
Action | 78% |
Heist | 37% |
Drama | 23% |
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 (48kHz, 16-bit)
French: Dolby Digital 5.1 (448 kbps)
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1 (448 kbps)
from disc
English SDH, French, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (1 BD, 1 DVD)
Digital copy (on disc)
DVD copy
BD-Live
Slipcover in original pressing
Region free
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 3.5 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
If I hitched a ride in a DeLorean, traveled back to 1995, and told my stunned seventeen-year-old self that actor Ben Affleck -- Mallrats' smarmy Volkswagen aficionado -- would soon win an Academy Award for a little film called Good Will Hunting and eventually become one of the most promising filmmakers of the early 21st Century, I have a good feeling he'd laugh in my stubble-peppered face and show me the door. Yet here we are. In 1997, Affleck took home a coveted gold statue and helped Robin Williams snag one of his own. In 2007, Gone Baby Gone earned the first-time feature film writer/director tremendous acclaim, a variety of prestigious honors and, above all, a healthy dose of industry respect. And this year, with inevitable nominations still looming on the horizon, The Town has endeared itself to critics, inspired Oscar buzz, and invited fitting comparisons between Affleck and filmmaker Clint Eastwood. The future works in mysterious ways.
"She didn't see anything. Right now, we have to be smart."
Before I address the controversial, potentially problematic aspects of Warner's Blu-ray release, let me make one thing abundantly clear: The Town's comparable 1080p/AVC-encoded video transfers look great. Robert Elswit's chilly streetwise palette is brimming with windy Boston blues, skintones are purposefully withdrawn and altogether lifelike, and black levels are deep, evocative and foreboding. Likewise, tremendous respect has been paid to Affleck's every cinematic choice, be it his color timing or the stark splashes of light and shadow he brandishes from scene to scene. And detail? Closeups are teeming with crisp, revealing, magnificently resolved fine textures, the film's gritty veneer of grain is intact, and edge definition is sharp and natural. Yes, soft shots are fairly common, and yes, minor ringing is apparent from time to time. However, the filmic softness and inherent inconsistencies that grace the proceedings isn't a detriment in any way -- each instance traces back to Elswit's original photography, not some mysterious issue with either transfer -- and the slight, intermittent ringing that appears isn't obtrusive, never becomes a distraction, and was visible in the film's theatrical print. Moreover, banding and aliasing are MIA, substantial macroblocking is nowhere to be found, and DNR clearly isn't a factor. Make no mistake, if do-or-die videophiles relied on nothing but their eyes to evaluate The Town's terrific transfers, high scores and higher praise would abound.
Unfortunately, it isn't that simple. Rather than employ seamless branching, Warner decided to grant each version of the film its own encode; a decision I'd applaud if the studio hadn't then crammed both transfers onto a single BD-50 disc. Housing four and a half hours of film on a dual-layer disc isn't necessarily cause for alarm, at least not on its own, but those who make a habit of monitoring video specs will be shocked, upset even, at just how low each encode's bitrate dips throughout the presentation. Be that as it may, neither cut of the film suffers all that much. Crush is easily the biggest problem that rears its head -- heavy shadows, night skies, dark hair and clothing sometimes merge -- but it's tough to tell what should be attributed to Affleck and Elswit's intention, atmosphere and technique, and what may possibly be the product of an excessively compressed source. Even if the blame falls squarely on Warner though, the offending shots are few and far between, and brief and fleeting at their worst. Beyond that, the only anomaly that caught my attention was some faint artifacting. But it was an even smaller, less pervasive issue. More often than not, I had to actively search for it, and when I found it, it looked exactly like the trivial artifacting I've seen on a number of highly regarded, high-bitrate AVC-encoded releases. Each encode's bitrate may suggest The Town will be plagued by a variety of problems, but the results suggest otherwise.
Would The Town look better if it were given more room to breathe? That's the question of the hour, and the question that will fuel debate on message boards for months to come. Frankly, I can't imagine it could look much better, especially after listening to Affleck dissect each scene in the disc's informative audio commentary. Other than eliminating whatever crush and noise isn't inherent to the source -- good luck figuring out whether Warner or the filmmakers are to blame in each affected shot -- there really isn't room for any substantial improvement. Not that it will matter to anyone who's already made up their mind. Those who breathe and bleed tech specs will either go on a frame-by-frame witch hunt, attack the studio without proper cause, or refuse to buy The Town all together (without bothering to rent a copy and check whether or not the actual transfers warrant such animosity). However, those of you who judge presentations on their merits and shortcomings alone will shrug your shoulders, chuckle at the intensity of some of the arguments that arise, and wonder what all the fuss is about. Would a single, seamless branching presentation be more ideal? Absolutely. But when the results are this impressive, it's strange to watch principled purists draw such deep lines in the sand. Again, The Town looks great. Not perfect, but great. I walked away a happy man.
The Town also features two separate DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround tracks: a beefy 24-bit theatrical mix and an equally arresting 16-bit Extended Cut contender. Thankfully though, neither one requires a lengthy defense. To the contrary, both audio presentations are primed to drop jaws, bruise sternums, and engage even the most detached audiophiles. Brawny LFE output grants gunshots realistic resonance, collisions unnerving weight, and explosions deafening power; immersive rear speaker activity transports listeners to every dank bar, crowded street corner, bustling bank, noisy stadium and wind-swept community garden the characters inhabit; and the soundfield is as enveloping as it is believable. And it only gets better from there. Whether whispered at a streetside cafe, snarled in a kingpin's flower shop, or screamed during a botched heist, dialogue remains clear and distinct, and never gets buried beneath the film's ensuing chaos. Voices are grounded perfectly in Affleck's bleak Boston cityscape, and directional effects are precise and convincing. No flashbang superficiality or sleight-of-hand here; just top-notch sound design and top-tier sonics. Simply put, Warner's lossless tracks represent the high point of The Town's BD release, and will easily satisfy anyone and everyone caught in their crossfire.
In addition to the 125-minute theatrical cut and 153-minute extended version of the film, the Blu-ray edition of The Town includes a fairly extensive supplemental package that should easily satisfy fans of the film. It isn't blessed with any flashy Blu-ray bells or whistles, but it's both incredibly informative and surprisingly engaging; a rare feat for a commentary-focused release.
Heat may be the superior cops-n-robbers genre pic and Gone Baby Gone may be the superior Affleck film, but The Town holds its own nonetheless. Its exceptional performances, mesmerizing heists, smartly penned dialogue, intriguing characters and gripping story make it one to watch this Oscar season, and one that's sure to grace many a Top Ten list this year. That being said, Warner's Blu-ray release is even better. Ignore whatever controversy may surround the disc; it offers two cuts of the film (a 125-minute theatrical cut and a 153-minute extended version), its video transfers are excellent (despite their low average bitrates), its DTS-HD Master Audio tracks are engrossing, and its supplemental package is simple but effective. I'm not one who recommends many blind-buys, but I have a feeling those who walk away disappointed with this one will be a part of a very small (but vocal) minority.
Movie-Only
2010
Ultimate Collector’s Edition
2010
Extended Cut with Alternate Ending
2010
Extended Cut; Single Disc; Ultra Violet
2010
2010
2010
Extended Cut
2010
2010
Extended Cut
2010
2010
Extended Cut; Single Disc
2010
2010
2012
Limited Edition
1991
Director's Definitive Edition | Ultimate Collector's Edition
1995
2009
1972
Extended Edition
2011
2013
2005
2005
2010
2016
2001
2008
2009
2011
1997
2012
The Dirty Harry Collection
1976
1998