The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Them Blu-ray Review

The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Them's Blu-ray presentation delivers an overall solid visual experience with a few notable distinctions. The 1080p resolution with MPEG-4 AVC encoding provides a crisp, balanced image, even if it exhibits a digital sheen typical of arthouse films shot on mid-range equipment. The film's aspect ratio of 2.40:1 ensures that it captures a good depth in various city and indoor scenes, especially during sequences involving multiple characters. Throughout the movie, fine details are prominently seen in facial features, clothing textures, and background elements, although occasional softness can be detected.

The video quality reveals strengths in contrast handling, with 'Them' boasting robust black levels that deliver rich shadows and strong shadow delineation in night scenes. However, there are murky segments at both ends of the film with imperfect black levels and noticeable noise. Daytime scenes exhibit an excellent white balance, bright but not overblown, enhancing the film's overall clarity and detail. Colors stand out vividly, particularly blues, reds, and purples, offering a vibrant experience that often contrasts with paler or rosier skin tones depending on context. Minor banding may be observed in some scenes, but there's a negligible amount of noise and artifacting.

Overall, 'Them' provides a primarily flat yet satisfying visual reproduction, with light warmth pervading throughout offering strikingly detailed images despite the film's otherwise subdued aesthetic. The depth is well-handled across multiple scenes, and facial textures are well-defined, contributing significantly to an immersive viewing experience. While there are slight issues with black levels and occasional softness, the Blu-ray transfer successfully captures the film's artful presentation.

The Blu-ray release of "The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Them" features an exceptional DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack that ensures outstanding auditory performance throughout the film. The audio track is never asked to be excessively bold or dynamic but accomplishes its tasks with finesse. Dialogue is consistently clear and firm, exhibiting some natural reverberation in various settings such as the lecture hall scenes. Additionally, the environmental sounds—from city background noise to creaking wooden stairs—are effectively balanced and immersive, drawing the listener more profoundly into the film's atmosphere.

Technical aspects elevate the audio experience significantly. The use of music is robust and well-balanced, providing a comprehensive aural texture that varies from light musical notes to bass-heavy beats. Particularly impressive is the sound of a car in a rainstorm scene, where the balance between dialogue, music, and atmospheric effects creates a striking, all-encompassing auditory landscape.

The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix surpasses the Dolby Digital 5.1 mix used in related versions 'Her/Him'. The former's increased intensity, especially in musical cues by Son Lux, enriches the soundscape, fully utilizing all available speakers and creating an overwhelming, room-filling auditory experience that heightens the immersion. Notably, this mix supports detailed dialogue reproduction across all scenes and maintains a consistent tone for the actors' voices throughout. Overall, this DTS-HD track offers a technically sound and rich listening experience that stands out in its clarity and engagement.

The Blu-ray extras for "The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Them" offer compelling additional content, headlined by an engaging Q&A session with Jessica Chastain and James McAvoy. This 22-minute feature provides valuable insights into character development from the actors, making it a worthwhile watch for fans and cinephiles alike. Additionally, the inclusion of two alternate versions of the film, "Her" and "Him," allows a deeper exploration of the narrative, presenting it from two distinct perspectives. These supplementary films are presented in full HD quality with Dolby Digital 5.1 sound and optional English SDH subtitles, ensuring an immersive viewing experience.

Extras included in this disc:

• Q&A with Jessica Chastain & James McAvoy: Insightful discussion moderated by Thelma Adams.
• The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Her: The narrative from Jessica Chastain’s perspective.
• The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Him: The narrative from James McAvoy's perspective.

The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Them presents an intriguing yet incomplete narrative that stems from merging what was originally two separate films, Her and Him. This edit aims to piece together the diverging perspectives of Jessica Chastain's Eleanor and James McAvoy's Conor, who are grappling with their crumbling relationship following the tragic death of their child. While the effort to condense a broader, more detailed exploration into a single film is commendable, it results in a choppy progression that lacks the depth and intimacy seen in the distinct perspectives of the individual films. The overall structure feels fragmented, often sacrificing character development and narrative coherence, leaving viewers with substantial gaps in understanding these characters fully.

Despite the structural shortcomings, the performances by Chastain and McAvoy are undeniably the film’s saving grace. Their portrayals deliver a profound sense of emptiness and sorrow, effectively making up for the narrative void. Chastain's nuanced depiction of Eleanor adds emotional weight, further supported by strong performances from William Hurt and Viola Davis, while McAvoy’s depiction of Conor, though less compelling in this cut, still manages to resonate due to his authentic execution. The film’s production handles its somber themes adequately, but its inherent point-and-shoot style leaves much to be desired aesthetically.

The original bifurcated narrative uniquely captures divergent perspectives but loses significant impact when forced into a singular storyline. The attempt to present both sides concurrently ends up homogenizing what could have been a richly textured narrative. This amalgamation dilutes the powerful emotional undertones that are more vividly explored in the individual His and Her versions, rendering Them an intriguing yet somewhat lackluster overview of a deeply personal tragedy. Overall, while Them provides enough context and emotional engagement to hold attention, it remains a less potent representation of the story's full emotional and narrative potential.

"The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Them" on Blu-ray offers a multifaceted experience with three distinct versions of the narrative: 'Them', 'Him', and 'Her'. The primary disc presents 'Them' with a high-quality lossless soundtrack, while 'Him' and 'Her' on the second disc are regrettably restricted to Dolby Digital 5.1 audio. Despite this, the bundle still provides excellent value, allowing viewers to explore the intertwined stories without needing separate purchases.

The film itself is polarizing, geared more towards art house cinema enthusiasts who appreciate slow, deliberate storytelling modes amplified by standout performances. Jessica Chastain's nuanced portrayal stands out, ensuring the series remains compelling. For those new to the trilogy, beginning with 'Them' can offer a comprehensive view, which can then be detailed by 'Him' and 'Her'. Alternatively, starting with 'Her' or 'Him' and culminating in 'Them' can present the narrative more gradually but may introduce repetitiveness.

Technically, the Blu-ray excels with fine video and audio quality that caters to a discerning audience. While the set may lack extensive extras beyond the alternate cuts, it remains a recommendable release for its content and versatility. The option to experience the drama in different formats embodies a unique viewing opportunity tailored to personal preferences.

In conclusion, "The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Them" Blu-ray is recommended for those who appreciate complex narratives and exemplary acting. Its technical presentation upholds high standards, making it a worthy addition to any collection despite minor audio shortcomings in the supplementary cuts.