The Vessel Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

The Vessel Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf February 11, 2017

The mysteries of faith and God are explored in “The Vessel,” but such questioning is never direct. Co-producing the picture is Terrence Malick, and writer/director Julio Quintana is a major fan of the helmer’s work, going out of his way to mimic a Malickian storytelling ebb and flow that’s intended to become some sort of screen poetry. It’s a valiant effort, but there’s no reason for such artistic replication when Quintana has passable puzzling to work on and a co-star in Martin Sheen to bring ideas to life. “The Vessel” isn’t as ambitious as one might think with such a provocative premise, often pretending to be other movies when it should really be its own.

Sheen stars as a Puerto Rican priest who’s lost his flock years ago after a tragedy involving a rogue wave and the death of 46 schoolchildren. Lucas Quintana portrays a young man who’s recently experienced a prolonged brush with death and doesn’t understand how to process it. “The Vessel” delivers the possibility of heavenly happenings with broken spirits in the community, and the director layers on allegory, generating a mystery concerning life and death that challenges all who come into contact with it.

The Vessel Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (2.00:1 aspect ratio) presentation takes care of the original HD-shot cinematography, maintaining a clear view of screen elements. Detail is impressive throughout the viewing experience, especially strong with close-ups, picking out facial particulars with ease, and the general location maintains textures and depth. Colors are also secure, supporting the effort's specific design for mournful and impactful hues. Skintones are natural. Delineation is crisp.

The Vessel Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA sound mix carries a highly atmospheric presence, exposing the action to water and wind, which maintain presence throughout the listening event. Surrounds aren't dominating, but they care for nuance, creating an evocative sense of location. Dialogue exchanges are sharp and strong, preserving dramatic intent and clarifying various accents. Scoring is spare but communicative, with crisp instrumentation. Low-end is sparse, but heavier waves and weather deliver some rumble.

The Vessel Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Deleted Scenes (13:16, HD) are presented.

• Making Of (36:03, HD) is a satisfying overview of production achievements, led by cast and crew interviews that explore the rather intimate indie shoot in Puerto Rico. Writer/director Julio Quintana guides the exploration, detailing inspirations and ambitions, but highlights are mostly contained to actual BTS footage, showcasing how certain scenes were achieved.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (1:58, HD) is included.

The Vessel Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

There's potential for "The Vessel" to amplify suspense and attack its central puzzle with a degree of intensity to go along with careful characterization. However, most of the feature is lost in a Malickian glaze, trying to cover for a limited budget with cinematographic excess, hoping a pretty picture equals a profound one. Sheen is terrific, as usual, but there's very little urgency provided here to maintain attention.