8.2 | / 10 |
Users | 4.1 | |
Reviewer | 4.5 | |
Overall | 4.1 |
Held in an L.A. interrogation room, Verbal Kint attempts to convince the feds that a mythic crime lord not only exists, but was also responsible for drawing him and his four partners into a multi-million dollar heist that ended with an explosion in San Pedro harbor - leaving few survivors.
Starring: Stephen Baldwin, Gabriel Byrne, Benicio del Toro, Kevin Pollak, Kevin SpaceyCrime | 100% |
Drama | 63% |
Thriller | 45% |
Psychological thriller | 34% |
Heist | 32% |
Film-Noir | 24% |
Mystery | 23% |
Video codec: MPEG-2
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
French: Dolby Digital 2.0
Spanish: Dolby Digital 2.0
English SDH, Spanish
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (locked)
Movie | 5.0 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 1.5 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
Boasting petty criminal characters conceived so brilliantly they achieve near-mythological status, The Usual Suspects is known for riveting suspense and action, an intriguing plotline and a jaw- dropping twist at the end. It also features some of the most memorable lines of the 1990s: "How do you shoot the devil in the back--what if you miss?" Best of all, the Blu-ray version's 1080p resolution allows viewers to rediscover this gem on a level that goes far beyond any DVD release. The characters, Roger "Verbal" Kint (Kevin Spacey), Dean Keaton (Gabriel Byrne), Michael McManus (Stephen Baldwin), Fred Fenster (Benicio Del Toro), Todd Hockney (Kevin Pollak), Dave Kujan (Chazz Palminteri) and Kobayashi (Pete Postlethwaite) now appear with visual details and cues and not available on NTSC.
Kevin Spacey turns in an Academy-Award winning performance as the meek, crippled petty criminal, Verbal Kint.
The Usual Suspects will never win a Blu-ray award for "sharpest picture" or "greatest detail", but it is rated highly for being head and shoulders above any of the DVD versions. The contrast is optimal, colors are vivid and lifelike, black level is good, and noise is minimal due to the use of softener filters. Actually, a criticism of the picture is that the filters may have hurt more than helped. Some film grain and other noise in the picture is actually preferable if it helps the sharpness. But alas, The Usual Suspects suffers a slight bit in depth and overall definition due to the filters applied after the transfer. Perhaps the MPEG-4 treatment on a BD-50 instead of MPEG-2 on BD-25 could have also helped the picture. These criticisms will have implications only for the most refined videophiles. Most will simply find the Blu-ray version to be stunningly vivid compared the NTSC versions. And for fans of the film, it is sheer magic to see details in the faces of Verbal, Kujan, Fenster and the others--details like small lines around the eyes and brow or an almost imperceptible tightening of the lower lip during Kobayashi's discussion with the quintet. Such definition is simply not perceptible or fully resolved on DVD. On the Blu-ray, it seems to jump out of the picture.
To a lesser extent, the audio is also improved. The Blu-ray boasts a 5.1 DTS-HD track, but the fact is that the original production suffered a bit in the audio department. The soundstage in particular is weak for a movie featuring many action-packed sequences of gunfire, explosions and yelling voices. Still, there is much to appreciate about the sound quality here. Voices are crisp and the timbre of each character is reproduced well. The string arrangement sounds quite defined, although it does not image from the speakers the way lossless PCM does.
Unless you consider trailers of other movies to be valuable supplementary material, don't look to the Blu-ray version of The Usual Suspects for bonus features. MGM really needs to step up its game in this department. The lack of material is especially deplorable because this film is one of the classics of the '90s. It was produced on a tight budget and more information about challenges during production would be interesting. What inspired the story and its powerful cast of characters? Nothing is more important than a quality version of the film, but bonus features would be nice.
Whether it is attributable to lies in Verbal's yarn or odd casting decisions, several characters in
The Usual Suspects add to the film's mystique. Chief among these is the Irish Postlethwaite cast
as the Japanese Kobayashi. There is a strong clue at the end that the name Kobayashi is used
solely to mislead Kujan. But Kobayashi is not the only instance of a character's name failing to
match his appearance. Another example is McManus' contact in LA, Redfoot, which one would
expect to be the name of a Native American. But Redfoot appears to be caucasian. Again, at the
end there is an indication that Verbal used Redfoot to avoid giving Kujan a real name. Strange
ethnic inconsistencies crop up constantly. Kaiser Soze is said to be Turkish, possibly with a
German father. These mixed-up character portraits add a layer of complexity to the plot, but one
must always consider the source, Verbal Kint, and his motives.
The dynamic between Kujan and Verbal itself is pure entertainment. A kind of cat-and-mouse
game, nuances are thrown into the proceedings that make it more interesting and add depth to
the characters. Even the way the interrogation is filmed is unique. Verbal didn't achieve his
nickname for no reason. He knows how to run his mouth and Kujan has a difficult challenge in
corralling him. Underlying the interrogation is Kujan's suspicion of Keaton and his belief that
Keaton manipulated Verbal. But Verbal is hard to pin down and Kujan occasionally resorts to bully
tactics.
The Blu-ray version of The Usual Suspects is an important release of a modern classic. The
amazing
plotline and well-defined characters are given new life that was for the most part inaccessible in
NTSC. Through the increased definition, the mythological stature of Kaiser Soze comes through
far
more powerfully and the film takes on an epic scope. Considering its odd cast and the convoluted
story, the epic feel relies mostly on the interaction between strong characters, the writing and
the
violent action sequences that are choreographed with drama and precision. Adding The Usual
Suspects is an easy recommendation for any Blu-ray library.
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1995
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1995
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