Thursday
Mar172011
Mar 17 The Fighter Blu-ray Review
The Fighter - HT Guys Review - Overall 4.4 Stars (out of 5)
Synopsis
After a string of defeats, Mickey Ward rediscovers his fighting will with help from trainer and half-brother Dicky (Oscar winner Christian Bale) -- a once-talented pugilist and small-town hero now battling drug addiction. (Buy Now $19.99)
Starring:
Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Melissa Leo
Director:
David O. Russell
Blu-ray Release Date:
March 15, 2011
Subtitles:
English, English SDH, French, Spanish
Rating
Overall rating weighted as follows:Audio 40%, Video 40%, Special Features 20% Movie - its just our opinion so take it with a grain of salt
Audio 4.4 Stars (out of 5)
Dolby and DTS Demo Discs used as basis for comparison- Subwoofer – 4.0 Stars
- Dialog – 4.5 Stars
- Surround Effects – 4.5 Stars
- Dynamic Range – 4.5 Stars
The audio for this Blu-ray is a knockout. The thuds of the punches, the mumbling Boston accents, and the early 90’s rock soundtrack are all stylishly represented in this DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack. At the end of the first fight, the bell rings so clearly and echoes so perfectly, I rewound it twice. During the fight the roars of the crowd fills the room and makes you feel like you are in the crowd.
Video 4.5 Stars (out of 5)
Spears & Munsil Benchmark Blu-ray Edition used as basis for comparison- Color Accuracy - 4.5 Stars
- Shadow detail – 4.5 Stars
- Clarity – 4.5 Stars
- Skin tones – 5.0 Stars
- Compression – 4.0 Stars
This movie makes sweating look good. This Blu-ray pays a lot of attention to the details. Bloody faces, dirty clothing, weathered skin, and shag carpet all somehow look appealing and inviting. Most of this film is brightly lit, whenever when there was darkness it performed like a champ. During the boxing matches, a drastically different style was used to make it look like it was televised on HBO in the 1990’s. It may seem silly to do something like this, but it added a level of nostalgia that drew me into the film. This movie is close to perfect, however there was one of two scenes where banding was noticeable.
Bonus Features 4.0 Stars (out of 5)
- Audio Commentary
- The Warrior's Code: Filming The Fighter
- Keeping the Faith
- Deleted Scenes
- Theatrical Trailer
- DVD/Digital Copy Disc
Movie – 4.5 Stars (out of 5)
Review:
At times, I found this movie hard to watch. It wasn’t because of the subject matter, but rather how it is presented with such authenticity. I felt like these actors weren’t really acting, it almost seemed like they became the people they were portraying. In fact, during shooting, some family members confused Christian Bale with their brother Dickey. They said his movements and mannerisms were just like their brother’s. With dedication like that, it’s no wonder why Bale won the Oscar for this role.
The Fighter tackles heavy themes of drug addiction, dysfunctional families, and redemption with class and without going overboard. It’s the type of film that has something for everyone. It’s a love story for the ladies and a sports movie for the guys. At its core it is a movie about perseverance and heart. It’s the kind of movie that reminds you that if you want something good in life, you have to fight for it.
The Fighter tackles heavy themes of drug addiction, dysfunctional families, and redemption with class and without going overboard. It’s the type of film that has something for everyone. It’s a love story for the ladies and a sports movie for the guys. At its core it is a movie about perseverance and heart. It’s the kind of movie that reminds you that if you want something good in life, you have to fight for it.
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