Blu-Ray Review:
Defiance
By Jason Gillard
*Screenshots are not from the Blu-Ray source.
Movie
Current Rottentomatoes.com score - 56% Fresh: 89 Rotten: 71
DEFIANCE is a different kind of World War II movie, one that looks at the Holocaust from a unique angle--telling the true story of a group of Jewish people in Eastern Europe who fought back. On the run from the Germans and the local police, the three Russian Bielski brothers--Tuvia (Daniel Craig), Zus (Liev Schreiber), and Asael (Jamie Bell)--hide out deep in the forest. Their numbers swell as more and more refugees join them, coming together to form a community while also patrolling with guns and shooting the enemy to stay alive. As food grows scarce, diseases increase, and the Nazis become determined to find and kill them. The Bielski Otriad struggles to survive, battling back when necessary, including taking up arms.
I remember seeing the trailer for this film thinking it looked quite good with a lot of action. The movie has good actors in Daniel Craig and Liev Schreiber. After watching the film I was a little disappointed. Although it has action, it definitely does not come at the pace I was lead to believe in the trailer. The story is an interesting one and should be told. I just felt that after seeing the movie there was not enough of an emotional connection between me and the story. On the front of the cover of the case a critic says one of Daniel Craig's most gripping performances. Although I think he was adequate in this film, I have seen him do better. I would say that Liev Schreiber was much better in this film. Overall I would have to say this movie is OK, but really that's all I can say about it.
7 out of 10
Video
Paramount gives us a wonderful 1:78.1 1080p transfer. Colours were very lush. Scenes in the forest have lush greens and also stark whites in the winter. Image detail was also very impressive. You could pick out individual dirt specs on Daniel Craig's face! Black levels were also excellent. There were many scenes at night that were only lit by candle light and they look fantastic as well. The transfer also does a good job with flesh tones which are very natural. A film-like grain is also evident throughout the picture which adds to the film-like image. Paramount has done an excellent job with this transfer and should be commended for bringing a transfer that would rival even the theatrical presentation.
10 out of 10
Audio
Paramount has given us a Dolby TrueHD 5.1 track. Ambiance is key in this track, whether it be the wind rustling through the trees to machine gun fire. You can also hear birds and insects and a stream somewhere not that far off. Rear channels are quite active in gun battles. I found that the sounds from the various guns could have used a little bit more bass then they are given in this track. Rifle's sound a bit more realistic than the other gunfire in the film. Dialogue is strong and I never had to adjust the volume to hear what was being said. Towards the end of the film there is quite a battle and this comes across loud and clear putting you right in the middle of the fight. Overall I think they have delivered a quality track that aims to put the viewer in the middle of these people's circumstances.
8 out of 10
Extras
Here is what you get in the way of extras:
Commentary track with Director Edward Zwick
Defiance: Return to the Forest
Children of the Otriad
Scoring 'Defiance'
Bielski Partisan Survivors
Theatrical trailers
There is a decent amount of extra material here. Children of the Otriad is a piece where the children of the Bielski brothers recount the emotional stories that inspired the film. I felt like this was a really important piece to include, because even though you're watching a movie this really happened to these people. I am a big fan of soundtracks and even though Scoring "Defiance" is brief I still liked it. The commentary track is filled with information about the movies production, so if you're looking for what went into the making of this film, it's best to hear it straight from the director. The feature Defiance: Return to the Forest plays out like your standard run of the mill behind the scenes feature. It does have some good info and may be worth checking out. Overall a decent amount of extras are included here.
8 out of 10
Overall
If you saw this film and liked it in theaters you will be happy with what Paramount has done with this disc. An amazing transfer, good audio and decent extras round out the package. Even though I didn't like the movie as much as I thought I was going to, I would still recommend this movie.
8 out of 10