Blu-Ray Review:
Primal Fear
By Jason Gillard
*Screen shots are not from the Blu-Ray source.
Movie
First off let me start by saying I really love a good court room thriller movie. I have to say that this is definitely one of them. The movie stars Richard Gere and Edward Norton. This was Edward Norton's breakout performance and I must say he is chilling as the altar boy Aaron Stampler. When Aaron Stampler is accused of killing a revered Arch bishop, a big shot defence attorney Martin Vale (Richard Gere) takes on his case. Just when Vale starts to believe Aaron didn't commit this crime, he discovers a secret that could potentially save Aaron's life and could validate Aaron's theory- that there was a third man in the room at the time of the murder. The lead prosecutor, who Vale knows well, is very good and Vale will have to pull out all the stops to win this case for his client. That plot description might come off sounding cliche if it wasn't for an outstanding performance by Edward Norton. He plays his character so well and elevates this court room thriller up a notch. I found the movie to be a lot of fun with twists and turns along the way. The performances are great, the story is certainly interesting and if you haven't seen this film you really should give it a chance if you like this type of movie.
8.5 out of 10
Video
Paramount has given us a nice 1080p transfer that for the most part is a definite upgrade to the DVD releases of this film. I would have to say that consistency is the problem here. Some scenes detail is crisp and sharp showing excellent detail, where other scenes come over as soft. Also, I noticed heavy grain in some shots, but not all. Black levels are also inconsistent. Colours in the film are very neutral. There is not a lot of colour with most of the palette settling on browns and greys. This was how the film was meant to look, but it does not make for something super enjoyable to look at. Don't get me wrong there are a bunch of issues with this transfer, but like I have said time and time again, it's still better than what we have been treated to in the past. I also noticed a little bit of DNR in some scenes but it wasn't too bad. Overall, a decent transfer that I am sure could have been better.
7 out of 10
Audio
The audio on this disc is actually pretty good. Paramount has give us a 5.1 Dolby TrueHD soundtrack. Given this is a courtroom movie, you wouldn't expect much in the way of amazing sound but I think you will be surprised by what you hear. Rear surrounds are active to give us that immersive quality. Bass is good when it needs to be. Dialogue comes across crisp and clear. Little details come across well too. When something is happening that is supposed to be tense, like the chase of Aaron Stampler right after the murder, the soundtrack ramps up making it tense and bringing the heartbeat of the chase to life. Overall, Paramount has done a marvelous job with this track and fans of the film are sure to be pleased with it.
8 out of 10
Extras
Here is what you get in the way of extras:
Filmmakers' Audio Commentary
The Final Verdict
Star Witness
Psychology of Guilt
Theatrical Trailer
There isn't a lot here, but I give Paramount the thumbs up for having these extras in HD. For me the best extra would have to be "Star Witness." This mini documentary goes into Edward Nortons casting and performance. It doesn't really go that in depth though and could be viewed as promotional fluff. "Psychology of guilt" is a look at the disorders and behaviours in the film. Again this is not that in depth and would have been a really interesting feature if fleshed out a bit more. Overall the extras included are not that great. I was going to give it a 5 out of 10 but I will give it and extra point for having the extras in HD.
6 out of 10
Overall
If you're a fan of the film or a fan of court room thrillers then I would recommend the disc to you. Others might want to give it a rental before committing to purchase it. The video and audio is decent and even though the extras could have been better, I still think the movie deserves a spot in your collection.
7 out of 10
Primal Fear Blu-ray is available now from Amazon.com