7.7 | / 10 |
Users | 4.2 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.8 |
A drunken, hard-nosed U.S. Marshal and a Texas Ranger help a teenager track down her father's murderer.
Starring: John Wayne, Glen Campbell, Kim Darby, Jeremy Slate, Robert DuvallWestern | 100% |
Drama | 14% |
Adventure | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English: Dolby Digital Mono (Original) (224 kbps)
French: Dolby Digital Mono
Spanish: Dolby Digital Mono (224 kbps)
Portuguese: Dolby Digital Mono
English, English SDH, French, Portuguese, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region free
Movie | 4.5 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 3.5 | |
Extras | 2.0 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
I wont rest until Tom Chaney's barking in hell.
If the Western is the great American genre, and John Wayne is the great American actor, does that make True Grit the great American movie?
Not quite, but it's still a fine picture of unlikely heroes and even more unlikely bonds of friendship forged in the face of tragedy, tragedy born behind the
eyes of the
gunpowder-covered mug of a despicable outlaw. True Grit is a larger-than-life Western with lots of heart and a steadily-growing tenderness
that's born from the uneasy alliance between a bloodthirsty young girl and a grizzled lawman who seek justice for their own motives but who come to
find in one another kindred spirits that just might be what keeps them alive on their dangerous quest. True Grit isn't the prototypical
Western,
at least not in those terms that seem to have come to define the genre; there are no dusty saloons, showdowns at sunset, or any of those types of
Spaghetti Western sort of motifs. True Grit is more of a character Drama in a Western setting than anything else; the film takes its time
developing relationships and motives, and while it doesn't have the fast pace of a movie that's all about quick draws and the incessant rapid-firing of a
lever gun, it does hold its own as a structurally sound and emotionally satisfying period piece that allows in the action in when it's called for but is more
content to play out as a grounded and intelligent picture that's built on story and characters ahead of action and cliché.
I can hit the side of a barn from 10 feet with this black powder baby!
True Grit features a handsome 1080p, 1.78:1-framed high definition transfer. Colors dazzle throughout; the technicolor palette is steady and accurate, offering up sturdy whites and vibrant greens while handling the lesser earth tones -- shades of brown and gray -- with equal precision. Along those lines, black levels and flesh tones are never problematic. Detail is exquisite as well, the transfer revealing the intricate textures of clothing with ease while showing off plenty of facial details and capturing the nuanced elements in planks, wagons, and other wooden objects where every knot, sign of warping, wayward line, and chipped paint on applicable surfaces are all plainly visible. Film grain is retained throughout, spiking occasionally but adding to a fine film-like texture that accentuates the details and colors. There are a few trouble areas of note; the opening credits exhibit quite a bit of wobble, several shots go a hair soft, and random pops and scratches find their way into the transfer. Still, True Grit oftentimes looks breathtaking on Blu-ray; the image is sharp and incredibly handsome, making for another quality release from Paramount's classic library.
True Grit boasts a pair of English language audio options, an original Dolby Digital Mono presentation and a remixed DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless soundtrack. Obviously, the 5.1 mix offers a fuller and richer listening experience over the mono soundtrack. The "5.1" monicker doesn't mean that True Grit's soundtrack has suddenly morphed into some Michael Bay-inspired extravaganza. Instead, it's a gentle but fuller and certainly faithful reproduction that allows for greater clarity while also extending the soundstage beyond the center speaker both off to the sides and, in rare instances, the surround channels that carry light and, generally, barely audible environmental ambience. Music enjoys good clarity across the front, whether as a crowd sings Amazing Grace at a hanging early in the movie or in Elmer Bernstein's score. Gunshots don't pack much of a punch, yielding only minimal power but effectively getting their points across, which is about all one could reasonably hope for given the source material. Dialogue is generally fine as it remains grounded in the center channel, though it occasionally finds itself slightly out of balance as words seem to alter pitch even within the same scene. Nevertheless, Paramount's audio presentations for True Grit do the film justice and represent something pretty close to best-case scenario.
True Grit's supplemental package could stand to be a bit more comprehensive considering the film's status as a John Wayne and genre classic.
The highlight is the A+ commentary track.
True Grit is a special Western that's not quite as heartfelt as The Cowboys and as quite as exciting as The Searchers. It's not John Wayne's best film, but it's one that's very well done that's withstood the test of time and features The Duke at the top of his game and in, maybe, his most memorable and certainly most recognizable role. This classic star-studded epic's remake is about to be unleashed on theaters, but considering its superb cast and Director Joel and Ethan Coen (No Country For Old Men) working behind the camera, there's a chance it could be amongst the select few that actually manage to improve upon the original, a tall order to be sure but one the Coens are undoubtedly capable of achieving. John Wayne's True Grit is certainly no slouch; it's a deserved classic of its genre, and Paramount's Blu-ray release does it justice. Featuring a handsome 1080p transfer, a fine lossless soundtrack, and a good assortment of extras, fans of the film, genre aficionados, or Blu-ray collectors who appreciate classic movies lovingly restored in high definition will want to make this disc a permanent addition to the collection. Highly recommended.
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