6.4 | / 10 |
Users | 4.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.2 |
Two love stories, one historic and one contemporary, are interwoven. The famous romance between King Edward VIII and American divorcée Wallis Simpson is juxtaposed with the affair of a Russian security guard with a New York trophy wife Wally Winthrop. Wally is obsessed with the story of Edward and the woman he loved, and embarks on her own research of their life together, even attending the Sotheby's auction of the Windsor Estate. She comes to see that their relationship, although glamorous, was not the perfect one that she had imagined it to be.
Starring: Abbie Cornish, Andrea Riseborough, James D'Arcy, Oscar Isaac, Richard CoyleRomance | 100% |
Period | 29% |
Drama | Insignificant |
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
English SDH, Spanish
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Three-disc set (1 BD, 2 DVDs)
Digital copy (on disc)
DVD copy
Region A (locked)
Movie | 2.5 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 1.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
The greatest love story of the 20th century.
Madonna makes the move from the microphone to the movies with her first major motion picture W.E., a love story in the shape of a classic, a
picture that desperately wants to ascend to genre heights occupied by only the finest pictures but that proves a bit overzealous on its stumbling
journey up the cinematic slope. The singer-turned-director puts together a fair picture, one that's not without its share of problems but that comes
together serviceably well after a sluggish opening act. Unfortunately, the material lacks depth and the dueling stories work better separately; W.E.
probably would
have succeeded beyond what Madonna's accomplished with the whole had she crafted two separate pictures, one the historical romance and the other
the modern story told against the backdrop of, not intermixed with, the timeless tale of Wallis and Edward, or "W.E." (clever, no?). The picture
feels like some strange mishmash of The Iron Lady meets Julie & Julia, both flash backwards-flash forwards pictures, the former
sharing the same sort of visual stylings as W.E. and the latter about one woman's obsession with another and how that obsession shapes her
life. W.E. never quite gels, however, playing through a sluggish pace that's largely the result of a choppy narrative. Still, it's not bad for a first
major film, and Madonna shouldn't let the criticism dissuade her from stepping behind the camera for another movie in the future.
Tea and smokes.
W.E. arrives on Blu-ray with a steady and good-looking 1080p transfer. The image appears with a slightly washed out, toned-down color palette. Rarely is the film extremely vibrant, instead taking on a slightly cold, blue-gray heavy muted appearance. A few brighter green grasses and various accents offer some vibrancy, but the image is certainly dominated by its particular palette. In turn, black levels appear frequently washed out, and skin tones look rather pasty and flat. Fine detail, on the flip side, is quite strong. Complex facial details, clothing textures, and the like appear very nicely defined and accurate. The image enjoys a light grain structure and plays with a handsome film-like texturing. Banding, blocking, and such are largely absent. This film may be a bit flat and dull by design, but the Blu-ray transfer handles the picture's natural appearance nicely.
W.E.'s DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless soundtrack impresses with the film's every scene. Music carries smoothly and naturally, filling the soundstage with the sort of richness and authenticity listeners expect of a high-end lossless presentation. It's very well-spaced and naturally enveloping. Chapter eight's music enjoys more force and a strong and balanced low end. Chapter eleven's auction/dance montage features the most raw energy, the scene playing vigorously but sonically balanced and accurate. Ambience carries nicely, whether a ringing telephone or the light background noise at a crowded auction house. Dialogue is smooth and even as it flows accurately and consistently through the center channel. This is one of those tracks that may not dazzle in the broadest sense of the term, but the track's exacting execution will please audiophiles.
W.E. contains only one supplement, The Making of 'W.E.' Featuring Madonna (480p, 22:36). This overview piece features cast and crew speaking on the the picture's dual stories, the history behind the tale, the characters as they were and as they are in the film, casting, costumes, cast preparation for the roles, shooting locales, Madonna's direction, and more. DVD and Digital Copy discs are also included.
Set aside any preconceived notions about a period Drama/Romance directed by a Pop legend, or take the name "Madonna" out of the equation entirely, and see that W.E. shows promise, that there's a fair picture -- or maybe two good ones -- to be enjoyed. The film as it is takes too long to develop and it never really solidifies any single aspect insofar as its thematic structure is concerned. It would have played far better as two separate pictures rather than one that tries to be everything and comes up short, doing a disservice to both sides of the W.E. coin. The film does look fantastic and Madonna's direction isn't all bad, but the superficialities cannot mask the picture's general shortcomings. Anchor Bay's Blu-ray release of W.E. features excellent video, strong audio, and one supplement. Fans not concerned with the lack of extras may buy with confidence, but most interested parties would be best served with a rental.
1940
+ Director's Cut on Blu-ray
1977
80th Anniversary Edition
1936
Remastered
1937
50th Anniversary
1973
1942
2019
2016
2015
4K Restoration
1955
1932
2010
Warner Archive Collection
1957
2018
1962
2007
1999
Limited Edition to 3000
1959
Unrated Edition
2015
2014