The Promise Blu-ray Review

The Blu-ray presentation of "The Promise" impressively captures the film's digital cinematography with sharp visual clarity and remarkable detail. The 1080p image utilizes the AVC codec to present a 2.40:1 aspect ratio, delivering an image rich in texture and definition. This transfer showcases exquisite detail in facial features, hair, costumes, and the diverse environments, from the bustling medical school to the rugged labor camp. The prominent use of honey-colored tones and earth browns effectively simulates a nostalgic period feel, while the black levels remain dense and inky despite a slight softness that adds a dreamy quality to certain scenes.

The color grading is superb, maintaining a fairly subdued yet natural palette that enhances the historical war drama's somber tone without sacrificing visual appeal. Primary colors are bold, skin tones are rendered naturally, and the careful application of contrast results in a consistently engaging picture. Light noise is occasionally visible, even in well-lit scenes, but it does not detract from the overall viewing experience. The film's usage of the Arri Alexa XT digital camera allows for crisp detail, although it sometimes makes the green screen and CGI elements more apparent. Nonetheless, this Blu-ray transfer provides viewers with an immersive and visually satisfying experience that preserves the film’s artistic intent while rendering it accessible to modern audiences.

The Promise's audio presentation on Blu-ray is commendably robust, featuring a 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track that goes beyond the expectation for drama-centric titles. Universal includes both a lossless 7.1 track and a Dolby Digital+ 2.0 track, ensuring superb sound quality with high immersive potential. The DTS-HD MA track delivers a compellingly epic sound field, achieving a seamless balance between heavy dialogue scenes and intense action sequences. The sound design benefits from deep, dense low-end frequencies that underscore explosive scenes and create a palpable sense of dread when cannon fire and falling debris are meticulously rendered. Ambient noises from the Turkish cityscape enhance the immersive experience, particularly when coupled with the deep bass reverberations from distant explosions.

The audio track impressively handles various sonic elements, from gentle dialogue and romantic interludes to chaotic moments of war and horror. Around the 49-minute mark, audibly striking scenes include a rumbling train segment characterized by driving, stinging rain saturating the sound stage, although the lack of a dedicated top layer slightly curtails full immersion. Gabriel Yared's emotionally evocative background score is beautifully spread across the fronts and rears, ensuring that both atmospheric effects and musical elements resonate powerfully. The split atmospheric effects are notably precise, enhancing scenes of war and powerful storm sequences with a complex thread of sound placements that amplify the film's dramatic tension.

Dialogues are clear and well-prioritized with natural front-center placement, supported by discrete ambient effects that contribute to the richness of the soundtrack. The inclusion of ambient sounds, from pained cries in labor camps to the ringing bell signaling class start, heightens the overall auditory experience. Subtleties in the audio mix ensure seamless integration into the broader soundscape, making this one of the more impressive audio presentations for a drama-centric title. Additionally,there are subtitles available in English SDH and Spanish for accessibility.

The extras on the Blu-ray of "The Promise" are a solid but concise offering that illuminate both the historical context and the behind-the-scenes efforts to bring the film to life. Director Terry George and Producer Eric Esrailian share detailed insights through an informative, albeit occasionally dry, feature commentary. The deleted scenes, totaling just over six minutes, come with optional commentary from George, providing additional context to the narrative choices. The three featurettes, each under four minutes, offer brief but engaging explorations of the film's love story, the war scenario, and the overarching cause behind the movie, with input from key cast members such as Christian Bale, Oscar Isaac, and Charlotte Le Bron.

Extras included in this disc:

• Feature Commentary: Director Terry George and Producer Eric Esrailian dissect the film.
• Deleted Scenes: Betrothal, Cleansing the Empire, and Morgenthau Resigns, with optional commentary.
• The Love Story: Cast and crew discuss the romantic plot.
• War and Struggle: Focus on war and genocide depiction.
• A Cause: Exploration of the film’s message on global genocide.

"The Promise," authored by Terry George, endeavors to shine a light on a less frequently depicted historical atrocity: the Armenian genocide during World War I. The central narrative unfolds through the lens of a love triangle involving Mikael Boghosian (Oscar Isaac), an Armenian medical student; Ana Khesarian (Charlotte Le Bon), his fellow Armenian; and Chris Myers (Christian Bale), an American journalist. Despite the film's robust technical foundation and the notable performances from its lead actors, it struggles to distinguish its romantic element from the historically charged backdrop. Isaac delivers a compelling portrayal of Mikael, and Le Bon's charm enhances her role, although Bale's performance falls short of his usual intensity.

The film's ambition to tackle such grim historical material is commendable, and it does so through evocative cinematography and unsettling depictions of wartime atrocities. George's direction ensures that the film's depiction of the genocide is hard-hitting and authentic, providing a much-needed recount of these events. However, the romantic subplot feels inauthentic and at times detracts from the film's more serious themes, making it less impactful overall. Although the final acts bring an intensified emotional climax, much of the midsection succumbs to cliché scenarios that dilute potential audience engagement.

Where "The Promise" excels in portraying historical devastation, it falters in delivering a gripping love story. Despite a predictable plot trajectory, the pathos surrounding the trio's plight captures attention enough to sustain viewer interest. Secondary characters add emotional depth but can't wholly elevate the primary romance. This complexity, along with high production values, suggests moments of near-greatness. While "The Promise" stands as a noble attempt to highlight a dark chapter of history with solid performances and lavish production design, its inability to fully marry its romantic and historical elements leaves it slightly short of cinematic excellence.

"The Promise" is a historical drama that faces the challenging task of recounting the Armenian genocide while weaving in a romantic narrative. The film is bolstered by a commendable cast featuring Oscar Isaac, Charlotte Le Bon, and Christian Bale, who deliver strong performances despite the occasionally formulaic script. Director Terry George crafts a visually compelling experience, utilizing the 2.40:1 AVC aspect ratio to enhance the period setting's authenticity. However, while the film manages to maintain viewer engagement, it struggles to distinguish itself within the genre and doesn't quite achieve its potential to truly captivate.

Technically, the Blu-ray release from Universal is impressive, offering excellent video and audio quality. The DTS-HD MA 7.1 English track delivers dynamic sound, matched by pristine visuals that highlight the film’s sweeping landscapes and intimate moments alike. The bonus content provided is adequate, offering further insight into the film’s production though it may not be extensive enough to warrant multiple viewings. Despite the narrative limitations and a somewhat generic storyline, the production values ensure an immersive viewing experience.

In conclusion, while "The Promise" falls short of being remarkable, it remains a solid period piece drama worth exploring, especially for those interested in historical fiction or the film's star-studded cast. The Blu-ray’s exemplary technical presentation elevates the viewing experience, making it suitable for at least a rental. Fans of the actors or those with an interest in this often-overlooked historical event may find it particularly worthwhile.