WAR HORSE Blu-Ray Review
By: RAMA
Here is RAMA's review of the Blu-Ray of WAR Horse.
WAR HORSE was not one of my favorite films of 2011, but it was a very well-film. It had to be especially when you’re dealing with masters like director Steven Spielberg, composer John Williams, editor Michael Kahn, and cinematographer Janusz Kaminski, that’s filmmaking dream team right there. They say ‘you are only as good as the people you work with’ and these are people Spielberg trusts with his works.
Stunning is how I’d describe this period piece that’s also tender and genuine. It was made with the best of intentions and the 4-disc combo blu-ray pack, which I highly recommend, is a testament to that..
“War Horse,” the Academy Award®-nominated Best Picture, is a story of incredible friendship, loyalty, courage, hope and tenacity. Based on the Tony Award®-winning play, and set against the sweeping canvas of World War I, this deeply heartfelt tale begins with the remarkable friendship between a feisty colt named Joey and his young trainer Albert (Jeremy Irvine). When they’re forced apart by war, the film follows Joey’s extraordinary journey as he changes and inspires the lives of everyone he meets. No matter where they go or what they experience both boy and horse keep forging ahead, driven by devotion and the hope of returning home. Filled with spectacularly rich visuals, “War Horse” is one of the most powerful and moving stories of friendship and love ever filmed.
There were shots in this film that completely embraced the environment around them and the audience as well, the British soldiers rising from the wheat field and on to their horses, an image of the little girl in the eye of Joey, the horse, some of these visuals were just absolutely fascinating, you can’t get them out of your head for days, it takes you back to Spielberg’s old films like Empire Of The Sun, which was one of my favorite of his.
I really love this blu-ray because it cares for the fans, it’s not one of those that would just throw in audio commentary and that’s it. The blu-ray extensively covers the process from start to finish in the filmmaking journey segment.
Up until October of last year, I didn’t know that WAR HORSE was based on a play that was based on a book, so the journey of the original material itself has gone through several years and occasions as rich as Joey’s journey.
WAR HORSE is not necessarily or solely a WWI film, Spielberg made it clear that he did not intend on making a movie about WWI, it’s a story about a boy and his horse and how we see the world through the perspective of this horse because fate or destiny has him go through all kinds of joy and tribulation. The objective that this film always had in mind is to find the humanity in the horse, to find the humanity in this story about friendship and courage.
Great ensemble cast that includes such Brit thesps as David Thewlis, Benedict Cumberbatch, Tom Hiddleston, Eddie Marsan, Toby Kebbell, basically talented people who’s be willing to work even for a few minutes of screentime if it means a chance to work with the great Spielberg.
The costume design was elaborate and detailed, the sound mix was carefully selected, the editing was done with such precision and attention that the film moved so seamlessly. Masterful score composition, great use of the flute in the beginning parts of the movie, solemn and heartfelt.
Having England as its location was an advantage because the landscapes provide the perfect backdrop and scenery needed to tell the story and much credit to the set designer for creating the WWI trenches that looked and possibly smelled exactly like the real deal, the production spared no expense.
Another favorite part of the blu-ray is through the producer’s lens, I love photography but I’m just an amateur and I didn’t know that producer Kathleen Kennedy’s passion is photography and she’s quite pro at it. I can only imagine how exhilarating it must feel for her to make use of her hobby on the set, to capture each candid moment to sharpen her skills.
My problem with WAR HORSE, and I mentioned this in my review of the film last year, was that every scene desperately wanted to make you cry, one scene and after another, so much so that you, or at least I, did not end up crying. It’s designed to be a tearjerker. If only if the film wasn’t too sentimental, if only each segment or each story didn’t aim for an emotionally draining experience, then probably the film would’ve been more deeply affecting, if you will.
But I do appreciate the theme of courage that keeps coming back in the film. Which brings one to wonder what it is exactly that makes a person courageous?
4-Disc Combo Pack (2-Disc Blu-ray + 1 Disc DVD + Digital Copy )
Includes:
· A Filmmaking Journey – Academy Award®-winning Director/Producer Steven Spielberg provides a unique and unprecedented look into the making and filming of “War Horse.”
· Editing & Scoring – Multi-Oscar® winners Michael Kahn (film editor) and John Williams (composer) discuss specific aspects of editing the film and composing music for “War Horse,” as well as the secret to their long and successful collaborations with Steven Spielberg.
· The Sounds of “War Horse” – Seven-time Academy Award®-winning sound designer Gary Rydstrom takes us through the sophisticated sound design he created for “War Horse.”
· Through The Producer’s Lens – Producer Kathleen Kennedy shares the photos she took during filming and recounts how she discovered the source material, as well as her appreciation of Steven Spielberg’s vision, the team that sounds him, and why “War Horse” appealed to her.
· “War Horse”: The Look – Director/Producer Steven Spielberg introduces us to his creative team of production designer Rick Carter, costume designer Joanna Johnston and director of photography JanuszKaminski, who discuss what it took to design the look for the film.
· An Extra’s Point of View – Film extra Martin Dew explains how and why he was brought in––along with a hundred other men––to be featured alternately as both German and British soldiers.
2-Disc Combo Pack (Blu-ray + DVD)
Includes:
· “War Horse”: The Journey Home
· An Extra’s Point of View
1-Disc DVD
Includes:
· “War Horse”: The Look
Digital
Includes:
· “War Horse”: The Look
· An Extra’s Point of View
On-Demand
Does not include bonus features
DISC SPECIFICATIONS:
Street Date: April3, 2012
Release Formats & 4-Disc Blu-ray Combo Pack = $45.99U.S./$52.99 Canada
Suggested Retail Pricing: 2-Disc DVD Combo Pack = $39.99 U.S./$46.99 Canada
1 Disc DVD = $29.99U.S./$35.99Canada
High Definition Digital =$39.99 U.S./$46.99 Canada
Standard Definition Digital =$ 29.99U.S./$ 35.99Canada
On-Demand =Please check with your television provider or favorite digital retailer for pricing
Feature Run Time: 146 minutes
Ratings: U.S.: PG-13/Canada: PG (Bonus material is not rated)
Aspect Ratio: Blu-ray: 2.40:1 / DVD:2.40:1
Audio: Blu-ray: 7.1 DTS HD-MA; 5.1 and 2.0 Dolby Digital / DVD: 5.1 and 2.0 Dolby
GRADE: 4 out of 5
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