Mystic River
What?
My respect for those able to sport a director’s hat as well as an actor’s hat is truly deep and undying. Multi-talented renaissance-like artists who are versatile yet capable both in front of and behind the camera are a sight to behold. Clint Eastwood is of a special breed. He’s been an iconic motion picture actor, is probably one of the most recognized individuals in the world, and proves to be a tremendously talented director to top it all off. He consistently directs films that become smash hits both critically and commercially. Mystic River (2003) is the epitome of an Eastwood work that just oozes his tight directorial style and cinematography. However, the foundation for this award-winning masterpiece comes from a multi-faceted, character infused script. Centering on three child hood friends and their lives in Boston after a tragedy, Mystic River offers a great window into three polar opposite individuals whose choices affect the lives of everyone in a small, close-knit community. What did it for me was the notion that all this information and exposition is balanced so well. The audience is never pulled down by too many twists and turns or—the opposite—given too little information to go on. Rather they’re presented with just enough tantalizing developments so that they have a chance to put the pieces of the puzzle together themselves. In what has become a modern classic, Mystic River is everything a drama, mystery, or thriller should be—it keeps you guessing to the very end and beyond. Not very often does a film ends with the majority of the loose ends tied up and still leave the viewer wanting more. These intriguing characters grab on tightly to those audience members willing to take the interesting yet sometimes freighting journey. All three of our dynamic protagonists carry with them their own personal struggle while still managing to try and over come a shared tragedy of collective youth. Had it not been for the spellbinding performances of Kevin Bacon, Sean Penn, Tim Robbins, Marcia Gay Harden, Laura Linney, and Laurence Fishbure, I’m not sure Mystic River would have the impact it so definitely does.
Clint Eastwood’s phenomenal Mystic River is a story about three boys who became three men.
Optics:
The ominous, foreboding mood gives Mystic River a sharply contrasted and highly filmic look. Warner has provided Mystic River with a healthy transfer that showcases deep blacks along with bright, clean whites. The image is just about spotless, which allows for the detail to clearly pop through so that a new sense of dimensionality is reached. A VC-1 encode on a 50GB disc offers up a pressed and well-groomed image that never seems to falter. Although framed appropriately at 2.40:1, I can’t really say that colors gushed or that there was an eruption of spectacle. But that’s the intended purpose. Muted, de-saturated colors give the eerie tone a beautiful appeal. Henry Bumstead’s production design does contribute to this motif, and, overall, I especially love the filmic aesthetic Mystic River lays claim to. A near flawless visual presentation that compliments the film especially well, this BD is a beast!
Sonics:
I’ll be the first to admit that the audio on this disc left me with a smile on my face. Since this is such a somber film, the music plays a key role in creating sound bridges and facilitating an emotive rhythm throughout the motion picture. The score is indeed forceful and can be felt heavily with the bass and sound field. Surly the lossless, 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio has worked wonders for this gut-wrenching thriller and helps in drawing the audience in from beginning to end. Not once did I notice any audio blemishes or feel that something could be improved upon. A powerful and moving musical score coupled with a sturdy soundtrack and what we have adds up to being a quality audio section.
Extras:
Even though there aren’t any new features, we still get the lovely supplementary material that was on the DVD releases. It starts out with a commentary featuring Tim Robbins and Kevin Bacon, a featurette called Mystic River: "Beneath the Surface," the Bravo TV Special: "From Page to Screen," interviews with Clint Eastwood, Tim Robbins, and Kevin Bacon, lastly the teaser and theatrical trailer. With enough bonus material to quench the thirst of the most insatiable extra lovers, Mystic River puts forth quality extras and a bunch of them.
Well?
Mystic River is a very well put together narrative and triumphs upon every avenue it pursues. Filled to the brim with a myriad of strengths—namely brilliant performances by an all-star cast—Clint Eastwood’s contemporary classic is in all probability one of the finest films of the last decade. The BD transfer is just as stunning as the film itself and is sure to please any audience. I have to give this my highest recommendation considering the first-class nature of the film and HD presentation. Practically must-own!
Grant Iwan
My respect for those able to sport a director’s hat as well as an actor’s hat is truly deep and undying. Multi-talented renaissance-like artists who are versatile yet capable both in front of and behind the camera are a sight to behold. Clint Eastwood is of a special breed. He’s been an iconic motion picture actor, is probably one of the most recognized individuals in the world, and proves to be a tremendously talented director to top it all off. He consistently directs films that become smash hits both critically and commercially. Mystic River (2003) is the epitome of an Eastwood work that just oozes his tight directorial style and cinematography. However, the foundation for this award-winning masterpiece comes from a multi-faceted, character infused script. Centering on three child hood friends and their lives in Boston after a tragedy, Mystic River offers a great window into three polar opposite individuals whose choices affect the lives of everyone in a small, close-knit community. What did it for me was the notion that all this information and exposition is balanced so well. The audience is never pulled down by too many twists and turns or—the opposite—given too little information to go on. Rather they’re presented with just enough tantalizing developments so that they have a chance to put the pieces of the puzzle together themselves. In what has become a modern classic, Mystic River is everything a drama, mystery, or thriller should be—it keeps you guessing to the very end and beyond. Not very often does a film ends with the majority of the loose ends tied up and still leave the viewer wanting more. These intriguing characters grab on tightly to those audience members willing to take the interesting yet sometimes freighting journey. All three of our dynamic protagonists carry with them their own personal struggle while still managing to try and over come a shared tragedy of collective youth. Had it not been for the spellbinding performances of Kevin Bacon, Sean Penn, Tim Robbins, Marcia Gay Harden, Laura Linney, and Laurence Fishbure, I’m not sure Mystic River would have the impact it so definitely does.
Clint Eastwood’s phenomenal Mystic River is a story about three boys who became three men.
Optics:
The ominous, foreboding mood gives Mystic River a sharply contrasted and highly filmic look. Warner has provided Mystic River with a healthy transfer that showcases deep blacks along with bright, clean whites. The image is just about spotless, which allows for the detail to clearly pop through so that a new sense of dimensionality is reached. A VC-1 encode on a 50GB disc offers up a pressed and well-groomed image that never seems to falter. Although framed appropriately at 2.40:1, I can’t really say that colors gushed or that there was an eruption of spectacle. But that’s the intended purpose. Muted, de-saturated colors give the eerie tone a beautiful appeal. Henry Bumstead’s production design does contribute to this motif, and, overall, I especially love the filmic aesthetic Mystic River lays claim to. A near flawless visual presentation that compliments the film especially well, this BD is a beast!
Sonics:
I’ll be the first to admit that the audio on this disc left me with a smile on my face. Since this is such a somber film, the music plays a key role in creating sound bridges and facilitating an emotive rhythm throughout the motion picture. The score is indeed forceful and can be felt heavily with the bass and sound field. Surly the lossless, 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio has worked wonders for this gut-wrenching thriller and helps in drawing the audience in from beginning to end. Not once did I notice any audio blemishes or feel that something could be improved upon. A powerful and moving musical score coupled with a sturdy soundtrack and what we have adds up to being a quality audio section.
Extras:
Even though there aren’t any new features, we still get the lovely supplementary material that was on the DVD releases. It starts out with a commentary featuring Tim Robbins and Kevin Bacon, a featurette called Mystic River: "Beneath the Surface," the Bravo TV Special: "From Page to Screen," interviews with Clint Eastwood, Tim Robbins, and Kevin Bacon, lastly the teaser and theatrical trailer. With enough bonus material to quench the thirst of the most insatiable extra lovers, Mystic River puts forth quality extras and a bunch of them.
Well?
Mystic River is a very well put together narrative and triumphs upon every avenue it pursues. Filled to the brim with a myriad of strengths—namely brilliant performances by an all-star cast—Clint Eastwood’s contemporary classic is in all probability one of the finest films of the last decade. The BD transfer is just as stunning as the film itself and is sure to please any audience. I have to give this my highest recommendation considering the first-class nature of the film and HD presentation. Practically must-own!
Grant Iwan
Director:
Clint Eastwood
Starring:
Tim Robbins
Sean Penn
Kevin Bacon
Laurence Fishburne
Marcia Gay Harden
Laura Linney
Emmy Rossum
Best line:
"Sometimes I think, I think all three of us got in that car..."
Tagline:
"We bury our sins, we wash them clean."
Description:
Warner Bros
UK
Region free
Rated 15
2Hrs 17 Min
2.40:1
VC-1/BD50
DTS-HD MA 5.1
(Eng, French, German, Italian, Spanish)
Subtitles: Eng, Fr, Ger, It, Spa, Dutch, Dan, Finn, Rom, Sww, Por
Audio commentary with Tim Robbins and Kevin Bacon
'Mystic River: Beneath the Surface'
Bravo TV Special: 'From Page to Screen'
3 Interviews
Trailers
Ratings: (Out of 10)
Film 9.0
Optics 9.0
Sonics 8.0
Extras 8.0
Overall 9.0
