The
Homesman (2014/Lionsgate Blu-ray)
Picture:
B+ Sound: B+ Extras: B Film: B
Tommy
Lee Jones directs and stars in The Homesman (2014), which is a
very moody, tense, and operatic Western that looks and sounds great
on Blu-ray disc! Based on the 1988 novel of the same name by Glendon
Swarthout, the film stars Jones and Hilary Swank and also features an
ensemble cast that includes Meryl Streep, Hailee Steinfeld, John
Lithgow, and James Spader. The title refers to the task of taking
immigrants back home, which was typically a man's job to carry out,
hence The Homesman.
When
three women living on the edge of the American frontier are driven
mad by harsh pioneer life, the task of saving them falls to the
pious, independent-minded Mary Bee Cuddy (Hilary Swank).
Transporting the women by covered wagon to Iowa, she soon realizes
just how daunting the journey will be, and employs a low-life
drifter, George Briggs (Tommy Lee Jones), to join her.
The
unlikely pair and the three women (Grace Gummer, Miranda Otto, Sonja
Richter) head east, where a waiting minister and his wife (Meryl
Streep) have offered to take the women in. But the group first must
traverse the harsh Nebraska Territories marked by stark beauty,
psychological peril and constant threat.
Hilary
Swank is extraordinary in the film and you totally buy into the harsh
conflicts that she faces throughout. Jones is a great anchor to her
throughout their journey and at first gains more and more connection
to her and becomes a guardian to the women that they are transporting
despite coming up against deadly Indians and Drifters along the way.
Presented
in glorious 1080p digital high definition transfer in 2.40:1
widescreen aspect ratio and also incredible sound mix with a lossless
DTS-HD Master Audio (MA) 5.1 track that mirrors theatrical exhibition
in your home entertainment system, this disc offers strong playback
throughout. Extras include three in depth behind the scenes
featurettes including Origins, Shooting The Film, and Beyond The
Western.
If
you're a fan of Westerns then this is definitely one not to miss with
great performances and breathtaking production design.
-
James Harland Lockhart V
www.facebook.com/jhl5films
