Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.5

Waltz with Bashir Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov April 28, 2009

Exceptionally moving and powerful, Ari Folman’s "Waltz with Bashir" (2008) recalls the gruesome 1982 massacres at two refugee camps in Lebanon. The film is Israel’s first animated feature. It is distributed in the United Kingdom by Artificial Eye. The Blu-ray disc contains exclusive supplemental features not found on the SDVD release. It is also Region-Free.

The dream

Waltz with Bashir, Israel’s first ever animated feature, opens up with a surprisingly disturbing scene - a group of mad dogs, 26 to be exact, is rushing through the streets of Tel Aviv. We could hear them breathing, see their teeth and feel that something terrible is about to happen. They stop in front of a large apartment building where a man observing from above utters “they’ve come to kill”.

The scene is actually a nightmare that a friend of the director of Waltz with Bashir, Ari Folman, who served as a soldier in Israel’s army during the highly controversial invasion of Lebanon in 1982, struggled with for years. It came back to haunt him time and time again until it eventually led him to Folman, who was also struggling to come to terms with his memories from the war. The two started talking about it and a few years later Waltz With Bashir became a reality.

Structured as a collage of memory flashbacks, the film focuses on the notorious massacres in Chatila and Sabra, where over the course of forty eight hours more than 3000 Palestinians were killed by angry Phalangists seeking to revenge the death of their leader Bashir Gemayel (the assassination of president-elect Bashir, an outspoken Israeli ally, as well as the ongoing confrontation between the right-wing Christian militia and the left-wing militia, which had close ties with Yasser Arafat’s Palestinian Liberation Army, was later on used as a pretext by Ariel Sharon to justify Israel’s occupation of Lebanon). When the killings began, the Israeli Army started firing up flares that guided the Phalangists throughout the night.

So, is Waltz with Bashir attempting to resurrect an old conspiracy theory? Here’s what Folman shared with Sight & Sound magazine:

“The film is not entirely about the massacre. It sheds no new light on the partnership between the Phalangists and the Israeli government. Only in a country like Israel could a man like Sharon be banned as minister of defence and come back as prime minister 20 years later. That history is known and there’s nothing more I could say. For me, the film is about memory – where do our memories go when we suppress them? – the question of whether memories still live inside us or have their own way of living. The massacre is just one strop along the storyline.”

I tend to agree. Whether or not Israel collaborated with the Phalangists during the Chatila and Sabra massacres is for politicians, historians and conspiracy theorists to decide; and, Waltz with Bashir is most certainly not a film that seeks to deliver a conclusive answer. If anything, it is eager to remind us that during war there are no winners.

Unsurprisingly, the final scenes from the film are gut-wrenching, absolutely impossible to forget. They show documentary footage from the massacres where we see the torn bodies of elderly women and children stacked in huge piles.

Waltz with Bashir is complimented by a terrific soundtrack, courtesy of Max Richter, a former student of legendary Italian experimental composer Luciano Berio, which was recognized with a European Film Award (Best Composer) in 2008.

Waltz with Bashir Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in aspect ratio of 1.78:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Ari Folman's Waltz With Bashir arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of UK-based distributors Artificial Eye.

I looked at the screencaptures we have for the review and I could honestly say that they only partially suggest how good this transfer is. In motion, Waltz With Bashir often looks spectacular. The dreams in particular are simply astonishing – the abandoned buildings, the long faces of the terrified soldiers as well as the pitch black ocean create an incredible atmosphere that is very difficult to describe with simple words. Detail and clarity are also very strong. A lot of the close-ups for example have a near 3D look. Furthermore, edge-enhancement and macroblocking are not a serious issue of concern. I did detect a bit of digital noise that could have been addressed by the producers of this Blu-ray release but, overall, I quite liked what I saw and have absolutely no problem recommending this lovely BD/DVD set to those of you who have not yet had the chance to experience Waltz With Bashir. (Note: Even though this Blu-ray disc is marketed as Region-B "locked", it is in fact Region-Free. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your PS3 or SA regardless of your geographical location).

Waltz with Bashir Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are two audio tracks on this Blu-ray disc: Hebrew DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and Hebrew Dolby Digital 5.1. I opted for the Hebrew DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track and later on did a few random comparisons with the Hebrew Dolby Digital 5.1 track for the purpose of this review.

Max Richter has composed an incredibly atmospheric soundtrack for Waltz With Bashir. There are a number of ambient tracks (some truly unique electronic tunes) that enhance the overall viewing experience exceptionally well. This being said, the bass is rich and full-bodied, the surround channels quite active and the high frequencies not overdone. On the other hand, there are more than a few scenes in Waltz with Bashir where silence plays an important role, and I am happy to report that the manner in which sound is restricted is indeed very effective on the Hebrew DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track. Also, a lot of the shootout scenes rival what you would typically hear in big budget war films (listen to the snipers shooting at the waltzing Israeli soldier). Indeed, I fully expect that many of you will walk away from Waltz With Bashir with a great deal of admiration for what its creators have accomplished. Finally, the dialog is crisp and exceptionally easy to follow. I also did not detect any disturbing dropouts, pops, or hissings. For the record, Artificial Eye have provided optional English subtitles for the main feature.

Waltz with Bashir Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Aside from the original theatrical trailer for Waltz With Bashir (1080p), Artificial Eye have provided a number of exclusive to the Blu-ray release supplemental features that appear on a separate DVD (please note that all of them are in standard-def PAL, so you must have either a DVD player that converts PAL to NTSC or a BD player that does the same in order to view them on your US TV set):

Making Of - the director of Waltz with Bashir, Ari Folman, talks about the enormous amount of work that went into the film, the difficulties his team had to overcome as well his not so pleasing experience with the Israeli Army. Animation director Yoni Goodman and art director David Polonsky also share their thoughts on the project.

Interview with Ari Folman - An interview, in English, with the director of the film where he once again talks about his history with the Israeli Army, and how Waltz with Bashir came to exist.

Deleted Scenes - a collage of stills and scenes from the film that were left on the cutting floor. Optional English subtitles are provided.

Original theatrical trailer - a PAL version of the UK theatrical trailer.

Waltz with Bashir Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

One of the most important films to be released in 2008, Israel's official Oscar entry Waltz with Bashir has been given a solid Blu-ray treatment by British distributors Artificial Eye. Furthermore, this is a Region-Free release with exclusive extras not found on the SDVD. The Blu-ray disc is also very attractively priced. We cannot but Highly Recommend it!