Citizenfour Blu-ray Review

"Citizenfour" arrives on Blu-ray with a commendable 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 encode, presented in a 1.85:1 aspect ratio. The digital photography, notably captured primarily on high-quality Sony NEX-FS100 cameras, provides a clean and sharp presentation. Textural details in Snowden's hotel room scenes stand out, with facial features and fabrics captured vividly. Despite some footage shot with lesser cameras, especially in Brazil, the clarity and sharpness overall maintain a consistent standard. While there are occasional moments of lower resolution or higher compression, such as a pixelated evening shot of Rio de Janeiro or noise in a Hong Kong nighttime scene, these are infrequent and do not significantly detract from the viewing experience.

The transfer also showcases a minimalist visual style, punctuated by flat but adequate color rendering. Skin and clothing details are precise, even when juxtaposed against challenging backgrounds like Snowden's white T-shirt against his predominantly white hotel room. Meanwhile, outdoor shots sporadically offer natural yet subdued greens. In terms of artifacts, issues like noise, banding, macroblocking, and dead pixels occur but remain generally unintrusive. For instance, dead pixels may intermittently distract in long single takes but are minor in the grand scheme. Importantly, the pulled news footage from CNN and similar sources suffers at times, but this degradation is attributable to the original content rather than the Blu-ray transfer.

Ultimately, while "Citizenfour’s" presentation isn't a high-definition showcase, Anchor Bay's transfer delivers solid performance within the documentary's inherent production constraints. Its ability to maintain detail and clarity through varied shooting conditions ensures that viewers can appreciate the intricate visuals and minute expressions integral to the film's narrative.

The Blu-ray release of "Citizenfour" features an understated yet effective DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack. From the opening hum, which sets a minimalist yet dark tone, the track expertly utilizes subtle auditory elements to complement the film's inherent tension. As a dialogue-driven documentary, the spoken word is presented with admirable clarity despite the clandestine nature of the filmmaking. There's a slight hollowness and occasional hiss, but dialogue remains generally clear and effortless. Notable sound moments include an intermittent fire alarm in the background and environmental effects like ringing telephones and background TV sounds, all meticulously captured for an immersive audio experience.

The DTS-HD Master Audio mix does a commendable job given the documentary format's usual audio constraints. Most subjects wear lapel mics, ensuring strong vocal recordings, although occasional mic brushes create rare rough scratches. While Poitras' voice from behind the camera is audible but not as clear as the others due to lack of miking, the mix remains robust overall. Surround channels primarily come alive in key scenes; for instance, natural jungle sounds envelop the viewer during scenes set in Greenwald's rural Brazil home and during the intense blaring of a fire alarm in a hotel hallway. These effects, along with booming thunder in the third act, provide moments of dynamic engagement amidst the otherwise dialogue-centric audio landscape.

The Blu-Ray extras for "Citizenfour" offer a compelling and in-depth extension to the film, providing enriching insights and additional context. The package includes three deleted scenes that reveal more about Snowden's motivations, philosophical underpinnings, and investigative processes. Furthermore, the New York Times Talks present a comprehensive, hour-long conversation with Poitras, Greenwald, Snowden, and Carr—despite the latter's somewhat distracting moderation due to illness. The Film Society of Lincoln Center Q&A is another valuable inclusion, where Poitras delves into the filmmaking process and Snowden's life post-revelations. Finally, "The Program" short documentary sheds light on government spying from Binney's perspective and features significant footage that complements the main film.

Extras included in this disc:

Deleted Scenes: Extended insights into Snowden’s ethical and philosophical motivations and investigative efforts.

New York Times Talks: Comprehensive sit-down with key figures discussing the film's creation and implications.

Film Society of Lincoln Center Q&A: Poitras discusses the filmmaking process and Snowden's life post-leaks.

The Program: A short documentary on government spying featuring William Binney.

"Citizenfour" is a gripping documentary that explores the intricacies of the digital age and its impact on privacy and freedom. The film captures the intense, real-time journey of Edward Snowden, the NSA whistleblower who exposed the United States government's unlawful surveillance activities. Viewers are taken into Snowden’s clandestine meetings with journalists Glenn Greenwald, Ewen MacAskill, and filmmaker Laura Poitras. Although much of the story unfolds within a Hong Kong hotel room, the tension remains palpable as Snowden reveals the depth of digital surveillance. His meticulous precautions—like unplugging telephones and changing passwords—highlight the omnipresent threat posed by government intrusion under the guise of national security.

At its core, "Citizenfour" delves into critical questions about the balance between security and privacy. Snowden emerges as a polarizing figure; some view him as a hero advocating for transparency and others see him as a traitor undermining national security. The documentary adeptly shifts focus from Snowden to the broader implications of his revelations. It portrays the government's efforts to obscure the severity of its actions by shifting attention onto the whistleblower himself. This narrative tactic underscores a society’s struggle with digital privacy, suggesting the dilemma is far from resolved.

The film's strength lies in its ability to distill the complex events surrounding Snowden's leaks into an engaging and accessible format. "Citizenfour" succeeds not just as a documentary but as an urgently important record that forces audiences to confront uncomfortable truths about government surveillance in the modern era. By watching, viewers gain a deeper understanding of the ethical and moral dilemmas posed by unchecked governmental power. Winning the Best Documentary Academy Award in 2015, "Citizenfour" is a must-watch for anyone concerned with civil liberties in the digital age.

"Citizenfour" offers a captivating and urgent narrative revolving around whistleblower Edward Snowden's unprecedented disclosures on global surveillance. The film, directed by Laura Poitras, is not only a gripping look at the events as they unfolded but also a crucial document that illuminates the depth and breadth of government surveillance. The real-time nature of the documentary, much of which occurs within the confined space of a Hong Kong hotel room, enhances its intensity and realism. Despite its confined setting, the movie succeeds in keeping viewers engrossed with its complex issues and unrelenting pace, making it a standout in the genre.

The Blu-ray release by Anchor Bay captures this intricate storytelling with commendable technical finesse. The video and audio quality exceed typical documentary standards, ensuring that the visual and auditory experience is as engaging as the subject matter warrants. The Blu-ray supplements, including an hour and a half of interviews and Q&A sessions, provide additional layers of context and insight, although the deleted scenes contribute only marginally to the overall narrative. This comprehensive package ensures viewers gain a fuller understanding of the stakes and implications of Snowden's revelations.

Just a few days prior to this review's publication, in the first debate of the 2016 presidential campaign season, presidential hopefuls Chris Christie (New Jersey Governor) and Rand Paul (Kentucky Senator) exchanged a fiery salvo over the very core issue presented in Citizenfour. Christie favored the bulk collection of data in an effort to stymie potential terror attacks while Paul championed Constitutional protections and due process under the law. The point is that the story told in "Citizenfour" remains relevant even up-to-the-minute and will no doubt continue to shape the debate—and the course of the country and quite possibly humanity—for a long time to come. The film itself is marvelous, a true-to-life Thriller that's more intense and palpably realistic (because it is real) than most anything out there. It's got relevancy on its side, too, and it represents first-rate storytelling that, no matter whether one falls on Christie's side, Paul's side, or the side of the shadow government, represents must-see cinema. Anchor Bay's Blu-ray is a winner, too, yielding good video and audio along with several quality supplements. Very highly recommended.