The Women Blu-ray Review

"The Women" arrives on Blu-ray with a 1080p/VC-1 encode, framed at the theatrical aspect ratio of 1.85:1. Unfortunately, the visual presentation falls short of expectations, delivering a lackluster experience. The source is clean with visible film grain, but the overall picture quality is disappointingly dull. Blacks lack the depth and richness typically desired, while midrange contrast appears overly bright, contributing to a flat and uninspiring image. Colors are noticeably underwhelming, with primaries lacking vibrancy and flesh tones appearing somewhat artificial.

Detail preservation is reasonably competent; facial lines, hair strands, and background objects display good clarity. However, the transfer suffers from occasional edge enhancement and shimmering, detracting from the overall viewing experience. Noise is present throughout, though major compression artifacts are absent. Despite the sharpness in some areas, the video lacks significant depth, making the beautiful cast of women look less appealing than intended.

Overall, the 1080p/VC-1 encode provided by New Line/Warner for "The Women" demonstrates technical flaws that result in a bland presentation. The film's visual aesthetics come across as flat and unremarkable. This transfer does injustice to what could have been a visually engaging portrayal of its characters and setting.

The audio presentation on the Blu-ray release of "The Women" is distinctly underwhelming, predominantly featuring a lossy Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround track encoded at 640kbps. Unfortunately, this does not provide the dynamic range or immersive experience that more advanced formats like DTS or Dolby Atmos could offer. The sound design is heavily front-centric, with the rear channels largely inactive, offering only minimal spillover of music and ambient noises from the front. This results in a flat and uninspired soundscape.

Despite low expectations for the film’s audio, it's clear that more effort could have been made to enrich the soundtrack. The audio lacks substantial LFE and struggles to drop below 50 Hz, leading to an absence of impactful bass. Moreover, dynamic range is essentially non-existent, making the overall listening experience monotonous. The dialogue is the sole redeeming feature in this audio mix—clean, clear, and well-recorded, yet it too fails to impress due to the lack of any significant supporting enhancements. This soundtrack is devoid of excitement and engagement, rendering it one of the least compelling audio experiences on a Blu-ray release in recent memory.

The Blu-ray of "The Women" offers a limited set of extras that do little to enhance the low-budget feel of the release. The content varies in quality, presented in both HD and SD resolutions, and offers brief insights rather than in-depth analyses. The most substantial inclusion is a series of featurettes, though these are more promotional than informative. The Women, The Legacy delivers an 18-minute interview with director/producer Diane English, comparing the 1939 original with its lackluster remake. Behind the Women provides a standard 19-minute making-of segment with interviews from cast and crew, but it serves also as a somewhat off-key PSA for women's issues, sponsored by Dove Products. Lastly, Deleted Scenes include a few dialogue snippets in poor-quality SD.

Extras included in this disc:

• The Women, The Legacy: Interview with Diane English focusing on the original film and its remake.
• Behind the Women: Making-of documentary with cast and crew interviews.
• Deleted Scenes: Additional scenes presented in SD quality.

The 2008 adaptation of "The Women" diverges sharply from the iconic 1939 version and Clare Boothe Luce's original Broadway play. While retaining the central narrative involving Mary Haines (Meg Ryan) and her friends Sylvie (Annette Bening), Edie (Debra Messing), and Alex (Jada Pinkett Smith), this version significantly lacks the wit, bite, and finesse of its predecessors. Many critics, especially women, found the film to be muddled and poorly executed, although some, particularly men, found it intermittently amusing. The film suffers primarily from pacing issues, shallow dialogue, and direction that lacks visual spark, feeling more like a made-for-television movie than a serious cinematic endeavor.

Despite a stacked cast featuring prominent talents such as Annette Bening, Jada Pinkett Smith, Candice Bergen, and Eva Mendes, the script does not provide them with sufficient material to shine. Bening delivers a notable performance amid weak writing, while Smith adds moments of comic relief. Conversely, Meg Ryan's portrayal of Mary Haines is underwhelming and forgettable, largely due to a character that fails to resonate. Debra Messing and Bette Midler also suffer from poorly written roles that do them no justice. The attempt to update the story for modern audiences includes ill-advised references and clichés that detract rather than enhance the plot.

One of the film’s most glaring failures is its inability to transcend beyond its high-concept premise—an all-female cast discussing their lives primarily in relation to men. While the film tries to maintain the spirit of female camaraderie, it ultimately leans heavily on stereotypes and trivialities rather than providing any profound commentary on modern relationships or femininity. The direction by Diane English feels pedestrian; scenes lack depth and rely on superficial pop culture references. Comparisons to more sophisticated contemporaries like "Sex and the City" underscore how far short this version falls. Overall, "The Women" is an uninspired remake that squanders its potential despite its star-studded ensemble.

The Blu-ray release of "The Women" presents a film that struggles to capture the charm and impact of its 1930s predecessor. While the ensemble cast features notable female talent, their performances are notably hindered by underdeveloped characters and a lackluster narrative. The video quality fares poorly, marred by elements such as soft focus shots and muted color palettes which do not do justice to the high-definition format expected of a Blu-ray release. Similarly, the audio track is uninspired and flat, failing to immerse viewers effectively or enhance the viewing experience.

The supplemental content provided on this Blu-ray is underwhelming and of limited value, offering little in the way of insightful commentary or meaningful additions to the experience. The extras appear to be more an afterthought than an enhancement, lacking substance and depth. This further detracts from the overall value proposition of the Blu-ray, making it a less compelling purchase option for fans or collectors.

In conclusion, "The Women" is a mixed bag that doesn't quite live up to its potential. While it entertains to an extent, it falls short of the excellence achieved by both the original film and comparable modern works like "Sex and the City." The movie offers moments that might appeal to some, yet others may be left disappointed by its execution. Given the mediocre visual and auditory presentation, along with forgettable characters, it's advisable to rent this title before deciding on a purchase. The film has an impressive roster of talent but lacks the necessary substance and technical execution to make it a recommendable buy.