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| Reviewed by: Chris Burton 18 Feb 2008 Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, The
| |  Very long title. I bet that gave the studio execs pause. Also, I bet they weren't put at ease for the constant problems and delays associated with this film. Generally, delays mean disappointment. I was of course assuming that The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford would be just that. After all, they give away a whole lot of the plot in the title, don't they. But The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford is most impressive. To put it simply, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford is a long title, and will make this review much easier to write.
With this film and 3:10 to Yuma, there is a resurgence of the American Western- and that's a good thing. Andrew Dominik directs and has a firm grasp of the material here. Brad Pitt embodies the role of Jesse James here, its definitely one of his best performances in years. Casey Affleck is robert Ford, a young man who idolizes James and wants to join his band of misfit Missouri outlaws.
But instead of a standard-fare Western or action film, what we get here is an intricately layered character study about insecurity and jealousy. Ford may even have a great deal of sexual attraction to James, whether he knows it or not. We all know what's going to happen in the end, the title is pretty clear about that.
Filmed in the vast landscapes of Canada, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford is an epically beautiful piece. The actors fit in perfectly with the scenery. Massive sunsets, and horizons. Mountains off in the distance. The mythic American West.
The story begins in 1881, after the James gang has achieved a mythic status as the most famous outlaws in the West. Ford joins the gang and admires James. This grows and grows. From insecurity to jealousy to assassination.
Presented in 2.35:1 widescreen and encoded at 1080p, this disc boasts some truly excellent reference material. As I mentioned before, the scenery is beautiful. The beaming sun over the vast plains is brilliantly realized in high definition. The overall color palette is strong, as are blacks throughout. Detail on character's faces, and the grizzled facial hair of the West is very evident. No issues here with excessive grain, noise, or blemishes.
Audio is Dolby TrueHD 5.1 surround, and while not quite as amazing as the video, this mix works very well for the film. Some may be surprised just how low key the film is during most of its duration. The mix is very fitting. However, we still get some immersive detail. Wind blows and crickets chirp. When the action does kick in, however, the surrounds don't hold back. Bass is very strong as well. |
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Copyright (c) 2007 Rock Star Media Works, Inc. All rights reserved.
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