Disc:
Region: ALL
(as verified by the
Momitsu region FREE Blu-ray player)
Runtime: 2:06:38.591
Disc Size: 38,211,943,154 bytes
Feature Size: 34,858,229,760 bytes
Video Bitrate: 28.32 Mbps
Average Total Bitrate: 36.70 Mbps
Chapters: 22
Case: Standard Blu-ray case
Release date: May 26th, 2009
Video:
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Resolution: 1080p
Video codec: VC-1 Video
Bitrate:
Audio:
DTS-HD Master Audio English 4317 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 4317
kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)
DTS Audio French 768 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 768 kbps / 24-bit
DTS Audio Spanish 768 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 768 kbps / 24-bit
Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps
/ Dolby Surround
Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps
/ Dolby Surround
Subtitles:
English (SDH), English, French, Spanish, none
Extras
• Commentary by Director Tony Scott
• Commentary by Producers Marc Abraham & Douglas Wick
• Clandestine Ops
• Deleted Scenes w/ Director's Commentary – in SD (5:26)
• Alternate Scenes w/ Director's Commentary – in SD (14:17)
• Script-to-Storyboard Process – in SD (2:51)
• Requirements for CIA Acceptance
Exclusive to Blu-ray:
• BD-Live 2.0
Comment:
The Movie:
7
Critical reception was lukewarm, which is why I passed on
Spy Game when it came out in 2001, just ten weeks after
the attack on the World Trade towers. Perhaps the real life
incident influenced judgment about the movie, which would
have seemed at odds with real-life events. In any case I
approached the Blu-ray with lowered expectations, often a
good idea, as it was in this case.
Tony Scott, Ridley's younger, and less celebrated director,
has nevertheless directed a number of memorable films:
The Hunger (1983), Top Gun (1986), Crimson
Tide (1995), and Man on Fire (2004). I think
Spy Game marks Scott's first movie with Robert Redford
and his second with Brad Pitt (the first being True
Romance form 1993.) It was also the first time that
these gentlemen worked with Catherine McCormack (who
memorably played the title role in Dangerous Beauty,
1998) in a feature film. Also on board is Stephen Dillane,
whom you might remember as Thomas Jefferson in the HBO
series (soon to be released on Blu-ray) John Adams.
There are certain expected clichés for the genre, and most
of them are present in Spy Game, which is not
necessarily a bad thing. But we are spared one of the most
common – in every sense of the word. The movie starts with
what turns out to be a botched rescue attempt in a Chinese
prison by Brad Pitt's character, Tom Bishop. (The person
Bishop was trying to secure an early release for is not made
known to us for quite some while.) Bishop is captured and
tortured, and a bad outcome is expected sooner rather than
later. His former colleague at the CIA, Nathan Muir
(Redford), learns of this from a contact in Hong Kong on the
day of his retirement from the company. (For some reason I
keep seeing flashes of Joe Turner – the irony was
irresistible.)
When Muir arrives at his office he strives to learn as much
as he can about Bishop's circumstances and what his
soon-to-be former boss plans to do about it. For various
reasons, only one of which that he is about to turn in his
badge, the task force considering the matter wants to get as
much information from Muir about Bishop as possible, but
keep him ignorant their intentions. When we learn that
Bishop has 24 hours before he is scheduled for execution,
clearly Muir is not going to hop on a plane and make that
happen. (So much for the cliché.) But he is invested in
getting the company to take care of its own, which they seem
reluctant to do.
The main body of the story is revealed to the task force by
Muir in flashbacks about how he came to run across Bishop in
Vietnam and how he laid the groundwork for bringing him on
board as an operative for the CIA. Phrases like "boy scout"
and "don't ever risk your life or your career for an asset"
stick in our mind as Muir begins what turns out to be a 20
year partnership with Bishop – the latter being the
operative who goes in to the trouble spot, sets up a plan
and executes it. More than one operation leads Bishop to
question the CIA's goals in terms of the collateral damage.
He walks away from his job after one such action took the
lives of too many innocent people just to nail a single,
albeit important, terrorist, to say nothing of the strain it
placed on a romantic entanglement that had the potential of
exposing him. A few years later, Bishop turns up in his
present predicament.
The supporting players, particularly a compelling McCormack
as the romantic interest (less routinely positioned as
politically ambiguous for a change, thank you) and Dillane
as the task force company man who dogs Muir for 24 hours,
certain he is up to something, are excellent. The busy
photographic effects and snappy editing that nearly consumes
the movie in its opening scenes lets up once Muir gets on
the case. Whew!
Image: 7/8
NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were ripped directly from the
Blu-ray disc.
The first number indicates a relative level of excellence
compared to other Blu-ray video discs on a ten-point scale.
The second number places this image along the full range of
DVD and Blu-ray discs.
Universal’s VC-1-encoded 1080p image appears confident at
first glance on large screen projection, but a closer
examination reveals a degree of oversaturation here and
softening of textures there. I assume the inconsistent film
grain comes with territory, but I'm not so sure about the
occasional noise. Otherwise, the filmmakers’ choice of
filters and effects is well captured, and the movie’s
wide-ranging contrast is given its due. Dimensionality is
very good in long shots and on-and-off elsewhere. All that
said, I found the film engaging enough that these
imperfections did not stand up and shout at me.
CLICK EACH
BLU-RAY
CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION
Audio & Music: 9/8
I’m more attentive to responsibly differentiated timbres and
acoustical spaces than I am directional surround sound cues,
though it’s nice to have both. From the first bars of Harry
Gregson-Williams’ (Gone Baby Gone, Prince Caspian)
colorful, swirling, impulsive score through the tightly
framed, frantic confusion of the attempted prison break-in,
the DTS HD-MA mix places us right in the middle of the
chaos. The various metallic sounds familiar to prison
movies are all there, but surrealized, as is the imagery of
the rescue itself. Later, Langley’s conference rooms,
offices and corridors are subtly defined and distinguished
with a nice touch of proper ambience added to the usually
crisp and clear dialogue. In the many flashbacks, from
Vietnam to Berlin to Beirut, all manner of firepower is
convincingly brought to bear down on, from and around Bishop
with the requisite, if not whacking explosive impact.
Operations: 7
Loading leads us directly to the feature menu, which is laid
out like other Universal Blu-rays. Arrows tell you which way
to direct your remote, and the bonus feature instructions
are intuitive. No U-Control on this one. In its place is a
feature called "Clandestine Ops." When activated from the
main menu, an icon appears often enough throughout the
movie. Click on it and the movie is paused and replaced
with behind-the-scenes information. You can return to the
movie with a click of the chapter advance.
Extras: 6
Two commentaries: Tony Scott concentrates more on his work
with the actors, how some of the shots were set up and the
editing process. The producers' commentary is wider in
scope as they discuss the challenges of international
shooting, the script and the director himself. "Clandestine
Ops" offers behind-the-scenes information, interviews and
background on the characters. The Deleted & Alternate
Scenes in letterboxed standard definition are more
interesting than usual, especially with Scott's comments re
how he agonized about how much backstory some of them might
reveal.
Recommendation: 7
Spy Game
is a better than average spy thriller that avoids one or two
tiresome clichés, with very good performances from all,
especially the supporting players. The image is better than
my discussion of its imperfections suggests, and the audio
is excellent, making the Blu-ray version the way to go, even
if it doesn't measure up to a fully satisfactory upgrade.
Leonard Norwitz
May 29th, 2009
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Re-issued March 22nd, 2011
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