Blu-ray Movie Reviews

Here’s a truth-pill for all of you single folk out there: Sometimes marriage can really suck. Don’t take my word for it, though; instead, spend some time with the Dunnes, Nick and Amy (Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike). After a nigh-fairytale meeting and courtship, their seemingly idyllic life together develops cracks. The deterioration is expedited over the years by family troubles that lead to money troubles, and contempt and infidelity follow. For Amy, marriage is a daily humiliation. For Nick, it’s a trap, one from which he yearns to escape.

But only one person could have predicted the sudden disappearance of Amy. Suspicions of foul play arise immediately, with Nick at the center, and his life becomes a slow-motion train wreck. His predicament is made worse not only by the revelation of people’s worst nature amid the scandal but by the increasingly hostile media focus as the escalating search for Amy uncovers a string of unpleasant realities. Director David Fincher, working with a script adapted by Gone Girl novelist Gillian Flynn, masterfully leads viewers down a path where we think we’re finally beginning to understand the facts of the case and their deeper ramifications… but a sudden bombshell proves us dead wrong. The rest of the film is nothing that we expected it to be, and for very different reasons, now we simply can’t look away.

Captured at 6K by frequent Fincher collaborator Jeff Cronenweth, the image has a stunningly natural visual quality. A series of gorgeous 2.4:1 pictures lures us into this deceptively charming world, all the more irresistible thanks to the effortless abundance of texture throughout, even the minute bumpiness of paper. Facial nuances are plain to see, impressively so in the inky shadows. A slight loss of detail during some panned shots is a rather minor compromise, as is the faint artificiality in a cloud of fine sugar in one key scene.

As with his work on The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, sound designer Ren Klyce has crafted a subdued multichannel mix, this time in DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1. This is largely a dialogue-driven movie without a lot of ostentation, as even the circumstances of the pivotal disappearance are left to the imagination, to lend further suspense. But the talk is always clear, ambient effects are deftly utilized with a healthy restraint, while the musical score by Oscar winners Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross helps to enliven long, slow stretches. This isn’t to say that there are no standout moments: A nice hard thump on a window provides a welcome sonic jolt, and a crucial confrontation in a master bathroom features the most realistic shower I’ve ever heard in a film.

Surprisingly, considering the typical treatment of Fincher’s films on Blu-ray, the bonus materials here are few, but they are enjoyable. His audio commentary is lively, blunt, and informative on a wide range of topics. The beautifully produced companion book, Amazing Amy: Tattle Tale— ostensibly a story for kids—ties in slyly with the movie. There’s also a unique printed code for a Digital HD copy of Gone Girl, redeem- able at a host of online retailers including iTunes and UltraViolet partners.

The subject matter is harsh stuff in more ways than one, and it calls to mind that old joke: Marriage isn’t a word… it’s a sentence.

Blu-Ray
Studio: Fox, 2014
Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1
Audio Format: DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1
Length: 149 mins.
MPAA Rating: R
Director: David Fincher
Starring: Ben Affleck, Rosamund Pike, Neil Patrick Harris