The Passage Blu-ray Review

The Blu-ray presentation of "The Passage" is framed in a 2.35:1 aspect ratio and encoded via AVC, reflecting a challenging effort to upgrade the film to HD. Despite the attempts to improve the visual quality, the overall image leans heavily towards a dim and dark palette, resulting in drab colors and lackluster brightness. Daylight sequences, notably those featuring snowy landscapes, appear unnaturally gray instead of white. While the subdued color scheme aligns with the film's thematic tone, it translates to pasty and lifeless flesh tones. Additionally, the source material exhibits persistent speckling, scratches, and a specific anomaly at the 85-minute mark where the image becomes briefly squeezed, indicating substantial wear and tear.

On a more positive note, the film's grain structure provides a tangible texture, especially highlighting period costumes and set designs with satisfactory detail levels. The mountainous establishing shots benefit from a decent sense of depth, presenting a more impressive visual experience in certain scenes. However, the viewing experience remains inconsistent due to varying cinematography quality—ranging from sharp to gauzy—and the overarching dimness that hinders clear delineation during darker scenes.

Overall, while the transfer from a 2015 HD scan attempts to bring "The Passage" up to modern standards, significant limitations in both the source material and the presentation impact the final output, making this Blu-ray release an average enhancement suitable primarily for dedicated fans who appreciate its vintage character despite notable flaws.

The Blu-ray audio presentation of "The Passage" utilizes a DTS-HD MA 2.0 sound mix that presents several notable inconsistencies. Dialogue, while intelligible, often feels thin and artificial due to the evident and substantial ADR work, which disrupts the aural flow and creates noticeable pitch changes mid-conversation. This distortion can give the film a somewhat fragmented auditory experience. Although basic dramatic efforts are adequately supported, the overall experience remains underwhelming, especially given the era's technical limitations.

Furthermore, the soundtrack, plagued by age-related issues, also displays elements such as his and pops, albeit minor and non-distracting. The score itself suffers from a muted sweep with prominent shrillness and clouded instrumentation. This inadequacy affects the immersive quality of the film. Nevertheless, sound effects are more insistent, providing clear experiences of loud gunfire and explosions. Unfortunately, the overall sound mix lacks vitality and coherence, making it a passable yet noticeably flawed effort that could benefit significantly from additional refinement.

The Blu-ray extras for "The Passage" offer a fascinating deep dive into the film's production through a series of insightful interviews and additional content. Malcolm McDowell and Paul Clemens provide lively discussions filled with anecdotes, reflecting their experiences and opinions on both the film and their co-stars. Particularly, McDowell shares mixed feelings about the final product but amusingly recounts his creative endeavors and interactions with James Mason and Christopher Lee. Clemens contributes youthful enthusiasm, emphasizing his admiration for McDowell and detailing memorable moments from the set, including risky stunt work and bonding with cast mates. The alternate ending, while more hallucinatory, rightly didn't make the final cut, signaling a wise editorial decision. Promotional content is also present, albeit in standard definition, rounding out a compelling package.

Extras included in this disc:

• Interview with Malcolm McDowell: Engaging anecdotes about production, co-stars, and creative efforts.
• Interview with Paul Clemens: Enthusiastic memories of working on set and with fellow actors.
• Alternate Ending: A more surreal take on the climax that was ultimately trimmed.
• Theatrical Trailer: The original promotional cinema trailer.
• Television Spots: Short promotional TV clips.

"The Passage," directed by J. Lee Thompson, revisits the tried-and-true "Men on a Mission" formula, transplanting the action to the treacherous Pyrenees mountains during World War II. Despite its ambition, the film struggles to balance high-octane action with its dramatic underpinnings, often shifting erratically between earnestness and camp. Anthony Quinn's portrayal of The Basque, tasked with shepherding Professor Bergson (James Mason) and his family out of Nazi-occupied territory, serves as a sturdy anchor amidst the chaotic landscape. However, the narrative is frequently derailed by abrupt tonal shifts and disjointed scenes that disrupt character development and story cohesion.

The movie excels in its visual presentation with awe-inspiring locations that transform the Pyrenees into a veritable maze. The action sequences, bolstered by lavish pyrotechnics, offer a spectacle reminiscent of classic war films, yet this spectacle sometimes overshadows the more subtle mechanics of suspense. Malcolm McDowell’s portrayal of Captain Von Berkow, a deranged Nazi officer, injects a much-needed jolt of energy with his over-the-top villainy—a performance that is memorable for its operatic excesses. The climax is replete with thrilling chases and explosive encounters, yet these moments occasionally lack emotional weight due to the superficial handling of character arcs and motivations.

Technically, the film aims high but is let down by uneven editing that sacrifices narrative clarity for immediacy. Essential character introductions and plot development are truncated, causing confusion and diminishing the film's potential impact. Despite this, the central cast delivers credible performances; Quinn embodies the reluctant hero effectively, while McDowell's hammy stereotype-psychopath approach surprisingly enhances the viewing experience. "The Passage" ultimately encapsulates what could have been an outstanding WWII thriller hamstrung by execution flaws, yet it remains an intriguing cinematic endeavor for fans of the genre.

'The Passage' on Blu-ray presents a mixed bag, offering both engaging moments and notable flaws. The film struggles initially with its character introductions and motivations, leading to a disjointed start that may confuse viewers. However, as the narrative progresses, it eventually finds a more coherent rhythm, particularly during its action set pieces. The cast delivers solid performances that lend weight to the unfolding drama, though the plot sometimes stalls with unnecessary scenes. Ultimately, the actors' efforts do lift the film to a watchable level of entertainment.

Kino Lorber's Blu-ray release of 'The Passage' brings with it an A/V presentation that shows its age. While the transfer is respectable, it suffers from certain age-related issues that slightly detract from the viewing experience. However, the disc compensates with a set of engaging extras, including insightful and entertaining interviews with two of the film's lead actors. These features provide additional context and enjoyment for fans and new viewers alike.

In conclusion, 'The Passage' is a film with potential hampered by its pacing and occasional aimlessness. While it deploys violence and action effectively in its latter half to engage its audience, earlier scenes often fail to build sufficient momentum. Despite this, the committed performances and additional content in the Blu-ray release make it a worthwhile viewing for fans of the genre. It's not a standout film, but it delivers enough intrigue and entertainment to merit a watch.