Wildlife Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		5.0

Wildlife Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov May 8, 2020

Paul Dano's "Wildlife" (2018) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion. The supplemental features on the disc include new programs with the director, screenwriter Zoe Kazan, actors Carey Mulligan and Jake Gyllenhaal, cinematographer Diego Garcia, and other members of his team, as well as an archival conversation featuring novelist Richard Ford. The release also arrives with an illustrated leaflet featuring an essay by critic Mark Harris and technical credits. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-A "locked".

The beginning of the end

“Life is not a matter of holding good cards, but of playing a poor hand well.” Robert Louis Stevenson made this statement a long, long time ago, and he was of course correct. The earlier one realizes that it is so, the quicker one can begin taking control of one’s life.

The events that are chronicled in Paul Dano’s directorial debut take place during the 1960s and mostly in the quiet town of Great Falls, Montana. There are limited opportunities for young families to make a living here, but it is the place the Brinsons have chosen to settle down and they are doing their best to adapt. Jerry (Jake Gyllenhaal) has landed a mediocre job at a local country club and assured his wife Jeannette (Carey Mulligan) and teenage son Joe (Ed Oxenbould) that even though they are going through a rough patch it is only a matter of time before he finds something better that would put them back on the right track. He has already started talking to the club’s wealthy members and a few have agreed to put in a good word for him if any of their friends happen to have an opening for an honest man. But when the owner of the club discovers that his newest employee has ignored his previous warnings to stop bothering the members, he is promptly fired. Jerry does not panic but reluctantly agrees with Jeannette that perhaps it is time for her to finally look for a job as well. Eventually, even Joe interviews for a part-time gig in a local photography studio.

After a number of humiliating rejections, the frustrated Jerry joins a group of amateur firefighters that are heading up in the mountains where a massive firestorm has been raging for weeks. The job does not pay much, but it is the only one available and he bids his family goodbye. However, his unpopular decision immediately splits the family in half and shortly after Jeannette quietly begins reconsidering her role as a wife and mother. Without Jerry around, Jeannette also undergoes a dramatic transformation, and the clearer it becomes that it is irreversible, the more Joe struggles to come to terms with the collapse of the family.

The cards that are dealt to the Brinsons are so bad that for a while it certainly looks like their only logical play is to turn on each other, which is precisely what they do. The trust that is needed to protect the foundation of the family is then quickly wiped out and after Jerry’s departure the three essentially become strangers.

Instead of going down a familiar path and evolving into a miserabilist soap opera, however, the film quietly embraces the youngest member of the family, almost as if to comfort him during the difficult times, and then begins preserving his impressions of the drama. It is a very risky move because he is constantly seen readjusting and learning from situations whose magnitude might crush him emotionally, prompting reactions that could easily replace the drama with melodrama of the worst kind. But something very different happens. As the boy begins to grasp the nature of the reality in which the family is dying, the film produces numerous truths about life and the choices people ought to make to survive its worst moments. There is nothing earth-shattering here, but the calmness and clarity with which the film operates are mighty impressive.

The flawless camera control and pacing coupled with pitch-perfect performances by the three leads make the film an astonishing first effort. Needless to say, Dano has his work cut out for him now, because neither the critics nor the public will be pleased with a sophomore effort that does not at least match the brilliance of his directorial debut.

*Criterion’s release of Wildlife is sourced from a brand new 2K digital master that was supervised and approved by the film's director.

Wildlife Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Wildlife arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion.

The following text appears inside the leaflet that is provided with this release:

"This film was completed in fully digital workflow and features a fully digital soundtrack. The 5.1 surround soundtrack was remastered from the original digital audio files using Avid's Pro Tools."

This film looks incredible in high-definition. It is immediately obvious that was shot with modern equipment -- apparently the Alexa XT camera -- whose ability to capture fine details and nuances is really remarkable, which makes viewing the film at home quite an experience. I thought that the outdoor panoramic shots as well as the more intimate indoor footage looked equally striking, revealing different layers of visual information that probably only modern equipment can capture with such precision. I was very impressed. Fluidity was also of what I consider to be 'reference level', so if you can, project the film. Color are very natural, with wide ranges of fantastic nuances. Image stability is outstanding as well. So, this is an outstanding technical presentation of a seriously great looking film. (Note: This is a Region-A "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-A or Region-Free player in order to access its content).

Wildlife Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

This film likely has a fully digital soundtrack, so the 5.1 track should be a replica of the post-production mix that was finalized for it. Clarity and stability are outstanding. Separation is excellent as well, though you should expect to hear plenty of organic nuances that introduce unique dynamic contrasts, not carefully mixed sequences. On the other hand, the minimalistic score is used very nicely to further strengthen the desired atmosphere. There are no encoding anomalies to report in our review.

Wildlife Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• From Script to Screen - in this new program, screenwriter-director Paul Dano, screenwriter Zoe Kazan, and actors Carey Mulligan and Jake Gyllenhaal discuss the original material from Richard Ford's novel that inspired Wildlife as well as their collaboration on the film. The program was produced for Criterion in 2020. In English, not subtitled. (25 min, 1080p).

• The World of Wildlife - in this new program, Paul Dano, cinematographer Diego Garcia, production designer Akin McKenzie, and costume designer Amanda Ford discuss the visual style of Wildlife and how it affects the narrative and ultimately the film's artistic identity. The program was produced for Criterion in 2020. In English, not subtitled. (25 min, 1080p).

• Postproduction - in this new program, Paul Dano, editor Matthew Hannam, and composer David Lang discuss how the final version of Wildlife came to exist. There are a number of quite interesting observations about the tone of the film and how it begins to evolve after the three main characters are established. The program was produced for Criterion in 2020. In English, not subtitled. (27 min, 1080p).

• Paul Dano and Richard Ford - in this filmed conversation, Paul Dano and novelist Richard Ford discuss the novel that inspired Wildlife and how personal experiences experiences the two had are reflected in both. The conversation is moderated by critic Eric Hynes. It was recorded at Lincoln Center in New York in 2018. In English, not subtitled. (45 min, 1080p).

• Leaflet - an illustrated leaflet featuring an essay by critic Mark Harris as well as technical credits.

Wildlife Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

I sat down to view Wildlife not knowing anything about Paul Dano's personal life and about twenty or so minutes later I could tell that part of it was being brilliantly exposed through his film. Yes, the original material comes from Richard Ford's novel, so Dano obviously wasn't offering some sort of a veiled confession, but it was very easy to recognize his intimate connection to the boy that witnesses the collapse of his family. This film really is one of the best directorial debuts to emerge in America in quite some time, so kudos to Criterion for giving it a spot in the Collection. Don't miss it, folks. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.