Blu-ray Movie Reviews

Los Angeles, circa 1920‘s, a little immigrant girl finds herself in a hospital recovering from a fall. She strikes up a friendship with a bedridden man who captivates her with a whimsical story that removes her far from the hospital doldrums into the exotic landscapes of her imagination. Making sure he keeps the girl interested in the story he interweaves her family and people she likes from the hospital into his tale.

The Fall is the newest piece of living art by controversial director Tarsem. You may remember him as the director you brought the brilliantly photographed but poorly received thriller The Cell to the big screen. This new film continues his knack for captivating imagery and superb use of cinematography. The film is essentially a tale being told to a child and the imagery is her mind’s take on it as the story unfolds. Because this tale is for a child the subject matter tends to go in different directions and is somewhat silly at times. But it works considering the principle ideas. If the film falls short it is in pacing, which can be a tad slow at times.

Sony has been one of the most consistent studios for quality releases on Blu-ray and this may be one of their best yet. The photography lends itself perfectly to the format with plenty of rich eye candy. Colors are extremely vivid with rich hues and magnificent detail. This is a film that is all about visual excess and the rich contrast and rich detail keeps the imagery diverse and compelling. Since this was shot in so many different locations the backdrops are constantly changing and every one adds something new to the palette. I would recommend this title simply for its beauty alone.

The Dolby True HD 5.1 mix is inventive, but pales in comparison to the rich visual design of the film. Nevertheless the dynamics and involving score add to the experience and tone of the film. Surrounds are active but not overly aggressive and the soundstage seems a tad anemic at times. Dialogue is balanced nicely within the mix and timbre sounds very natural with only a slight hint of varying noise floor in the recording. The lower end isn’t as aggressive as I would expect given some of the production design but it kicks in on occasion.

Extras include some deleted scenes and a pair of behind the scenes features with on location footage. There is also a nice photo gallery, a feature commentary and access to BD-Live content including trailers.

Like Tarsem’s previous film this is a bit of a mixed bag. You can’t deny the beauty of the imagery but the pacing and tone of the film make this a film for a limited audience. But if you are looking for stunning and inventive imagery, look no further.