Film:

Extras:

( Max score: 100 )

96

Acclaimed filmmakers Joel and Ethan Coen deliver their most gripping and ambitious film yet in this sizzling and supercharged action-thriller. When a man stumbles on a bloody crime scene, a pickup truck loaded with heroin, and two million dollars in irresistible cash, his decision to take the money sets off an unstoppable chain reaction of violence. Not even west Texas law can contain it. Based on the novel by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Cormac McCarthy, and featuring an acclaimed cast led by Tommy Lee Jones, this gritty game of cat and mouse will take you to the edge of your seat and beyond - right up to its heart-stopping final act.

I was very excited at the opportunity to review this film. It has received 8 Oscar nominations and as well as created an incredible amount of media buzz. After watching it I can see why. No country for old men is a really powerful movie. I am hesitant to say that it is a great movie because I don‘t think that the term applies in this case. Where this film succeeds is in the WAY it tells its story. It does so with a startling and often brutal visual style which is strong enhanced by superb acting. After watching the film I was left with several questions that were never answered. Its ending was rather abrupt and while it may have seemed poignant at that moment it felt disconnected from the rest of the film.

I am a fan of the Coen brothers as several of their films are favorites of mine. The pacing and visual style used to tell this story was simply amazing. I have not read the book so I can’t comment on how well they adapted the screenplay from it. The way the story flowed definitely states vintage Coen brothers style. Make no mistake, No country for old men is one of the most powerful, thought provoking , violent, and beautifully told films of the year (and perhaps ever).

Strong graphic violence, some language. Definitely not for younger viewers.

REFERENCE = 92-100 / EXCELLENT = 83-91 / GOOD = 74-82 / AVERAGE = 65-73 / BELOW AVERAGE = under 65

(Each paw rating is worth 4 points with a max of 5 paws per category)

Dynamics:

Low frequency extension:

Surround Sound presentation:

Clarity/Detail:

Dialogue Reproduction:

The 4.6 mbps uncompressed 5.1 PCM audio contained on this soundtrack was of reference quality. It was clear right from the opening monologue by Tommy Lee Jones that this presentation was going to be something special. Dialogue was crisp, well articulated and offered excellent characterization from one actor to the next. Sonically it was first rate as it cleanly reproduced the various sounds used throughout the film to paint a picture of the bombastic nature of some of it’s elements. At times the entire soundstage was used to bathe the listening position in richly textured and sometimes finely detailed sounds. Spatial cues were spot on and never drew unnecessary attention away from what was happening onscreen. Low frequency effects were punchy and extended which was especially notable during the various exchanges of gun fire and the desert chase scene in the first act.

**My audio ratings are based upon a comparative made against other high definition media/blu-ray disc.**

(Each paw rating is worth 4 points with a max of 5 paws per category)

Resolution/Clarity:

Black level/Shadow detail:

Color reproduction:

Fleshtones:

Compression:

The 1080p MPEG-4 (AVC) encoding presented on this blu-ray disc is of reference quality and looked absolutely stunning. The opening moments features long wide pans across large desert flatlands. They start out at dawn and as the sun rises it creates large areas of light and dark over the rocky, sand covered landscape. Detail was impeccable with beautiful texture and subtle division. Detail within the shadowy areas was rendered with aplomb. As the shot progressed the vistas became fully bathed in sunlight. Fine detail could easily be discerned in the long distant shots. The image took on an incredible three dimensional look that could only be described as awesome. Contrast levels seemed to be spot on which made the presence of mountains and bluffs which were miles away become visible where they met up with the plains against the bright sky.

Blacks were deep, noise free and seemed to have extended dynamic range. There are several scenes in the film shot at night or in the dark. Whether in the desert or within the limit’s of a small town image quality was delivered with superb resolve and an almost endless depth of field. The color palette was not extensive or overly vibrant. This was almost certainly intentional and helped set the mood of the film. The colors used were natural and cleanly reproduced. Skin tones were as natural as I have ever seen on film and looked amazing throughout. This transfer was whistle clean and exhibited no signs of compression related artifacts of other video anomalies. It had an average bit rate of around 27 mbps which dipped as low as 14 mbps and jumped up to 30 mbps on occasion. This is one of the best video presentations on blu-ray that I have seen to date. My hat is off to Disney on a job well done (again !).

**My video ratings are based upon a comparative made against other high definition media/blu-ray disc.**

The bonus features on No country for old men consisted of three featurette segments. None of them were in high definition and I found them as a whole to be just average. Disney has done a wonderful job with their interactive Blu-ray disc menus. Navigation is much improved and access simpler which reduces the number of layers required for accessing audio features etc. I noticed this same change on Gone Baby Gone.

A shot segment which looks at working with and collaborating with the Coen brothers from the perspective of the cast and crew.

This was your basic making documentary and was the longest segment of the three (24 minutes or so). It was just fine and featured interviews with the cast, production crew and the Coens.

This 7 minute piece looked at the contrast between the compassionate character played by Tommy Lee Jones versus the brutal and cold one played by Javier Bardem.

No country for old men is not the type of film that will appeal to everyone. It tells a story that is graphic and sometimes brutal in nature. I think that the telling of the story is where its strengths lie and not so much in the story itself. Often when films get such a build up in the media viewers feel somewhat let down after watching them. If you go into this one with the wrong mind set you will more than likely fall into the aforementioned group. I believe no matter how you go into this you will probably feel some level of disappointment in the film’s ending. What makes it great is what happens prior to that. This is a film worthy of your time. The audio/video presentation provided by Disney simply makes it all the better. I give it my highest recommendation.

• weez Said:

• Chris_G Said:

Ralph,

I just watched the BD and I agree with your review.. It is an excellent transfer....

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• Ray Charland Said:

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