Blu-ray Movie Reviews

After assassinating Congo’s Minister of Mining in 2006, Jim Terrier (Sean Penn) must flee the country, leaving the woman he loves (Jasmine Trinca) to his friend Felix (Javier Bardem). Eight years later, Terrier returns, only to discover that he has become a target. Searching for answers as he struggles to stay alive, Terrier manages to either murder or precipitate the death of everyone he meets, including his closest friends. In the end, with the help of a clever Interpol agent (Idris Elba), Terrier learns that his former employer is trying to eradicate all evidence of the crime—including him. As the carnage subsides, he pays for his sins then reunites with Trinca: an ending that surprises no one. Although The Gunman features solid supporting performances from Ray Winstone, Mark Rylance, and especially Elba, Penn’s portrayal crosses the line from restrained to just plain flat and—coupled with a predictable plot line, cliché dialogue, and uninspired direction—results in a film that evokes neither empathy nor excitement.

But while The Gunman disappoints from artistic and entertainment perspectives, its production values are extraordinary. Set design is lavish and authentic, costumes are scrupulously realistic, and Marco Beltrami’s soundtrack—one of the film’s few highlights—is suspenseful and nuanced. Video quality is outstanding. Colors are naturally rich, with great breadth, canny balance, and minimal saturation. Fleshtones are unfailingly natural, changing with lighting and environment. Blues pop in many scenes, adding a welcome bit of interest. Black levels are deep and detailed, with superb rendition of shadows. Whites are equally dimensional, featuring a rich tonal palette that never becomes washed out, even during the brightest outdoor scenes. Textural details such as clothing, hair, and the plentiful shots of Penn’s chiseled torso (remarkable for a 55-year-old) are meticulously resolved while more subtle visual cues—the vintage drilling equipment featured early in the film, for example—are rendered with microscopic precision.

Good as The Gunman’s image quality is, audio is even better. Gunshots and explosions, sonic staples of this film, are conveyed with extraordinary power and impact. A bit of bass boost adds a welcome dollop of definition to percussive effects and ensures your subwoofer will take you on a two-hour thrill ride. Dialogue is crisp and natural, with the specific inflections and tonalities of each actor’s voice rendered distinct as DNA. Foley effects are plentiful and startlingly natural, possessing a palpable, reach-out-and-touch-it quality that heightens realism. Music scoring is beautifully balanced, notable for its wonderful tonal and instrumental detail. Most impressive, however, is the spacious and seamless re-creation of space. Chapter two includes a scene that finds Bardem and Trinca conversing in a hospital while a car passes from the left rear through the left front speaker, by which time the actors have moved outside. The rear-to-front transition is tangible—the stuff of goose bumps—just one of the sonic delights that make The Gunman a true showoff disc. Though not evaluated here, the supplied Dolby Atmos option should only improve the audio experience.

This Blu-ray package’s total absence of extras is both surprising and disappointing: Were the cast and crew embarrassed? Owners of high-performance home theaters—and anyone else who appreciates cinematic craftsmanship—will find The Gunman decadent eye- and ear candy. Those who crave quality entertainment, however, will develop a case of indigestion.

Blu-ray
Studio: Universal, 2015
Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1
Audio Format: Dolby Atmos/TrueHD 7.1
Length: 116 mins.
MPAA Rating: R
Director: Pierre Morel
Starring: Sean Penn, Idris Elba, Javier Bardem