Big Bad Wolves Blu-ray Review

"Big Bad Wolves" arrives on Blu-ray with a robust 1080p, AVC-encoded transfer, retaining the film's visual artistry. Cinematographer Giora Bejach utilized the Arri Alexa and opted for wide lenses to capture both comedic and horror elements effectively. The purposeful restriction of yellows and reds enhances the dramatic impact, especially in key scenes like the memorable opening shot at 120 fps, which effectively draws viewers into the film's somber yet vivid world. This meticulous choice ensures that every detail, from the characters' tormented expressions to the textured environments, is portrayed with striking clarity and precision.

Magnolia Home Entertainment ensures a high level of visual fidelity with an average bitrate of 33.99 Mbps, mitigating any concerns regarding compression artifacts. The transfer benefits from strong contrast, deep black levels, and solid shadow delineation, providing a sense of depth even in dimly lit settings. While there are occasional mild artifacts such as subtle aliasing or minimal grain-like noise in dark scenes, these are negligible and do not detract from overall image quality. Colors, especially reds, are vividly reproduced without venturing into unnatural territory, maintaining a balanced and gritty aesthetic consistent with the film's darkly whimsical tone.

Overall, "Big Bad Wolves" on Blu-ray delivers an impeccably clean and artifact-free image that is both technically proficient and artistically aligned with the filmmakers' vision. This transfer allows the viewer to fully appreciate the film's detailed textures and nuanced color palettes, ensuring an immersive visual experience.

The Blu-ray of "Big Bad Wolves" offers an impressive audio presentation with its Hebrew DTS-HD MA 5.1 and English DTS-HD MA 5.1 (dubbed) tracks, alongside optional subtitles in English, English SDH, and Spanish. The most notable feature of the soundtrack is the extraordinary orchestral score by London-based Israeli composer Frank Ilfman, performed by the London Metropolitan Orchestra. The score, which draws inspiration from Bernard Herrmann's work with Alfred Hitchcock, is reproduced with exceptional richness and detail, featuring a wide dynamic range and deep low-frequency extension that effectively conveys the film's dark tone. The track maintains the clarity of dialogue, keeping it distinct and centered even amidst the complex score.

The sound design enhances the film's twisted and dramatic ambiance perfectly, with excellent directionality and immersive surround effects that pan effectively between speakers. The movie's more tense moments are accentuated by spine-tingling sounds of disturbing cracks and smashes, all reproduced with fierce fidelity and a commendable lack of distortion in the low frequencies. The mix also includes periods of sudden silence designed by Ilfman, adding to the film's eerie quality. Notably, scenes involving ambient sounds, such as birds or traffic, utilize the rear channels effectively, contributing to a wider soundstage.

Despite being a front-heavy film in terms of sound, the utilization of the rear channels during outdoor sequences adds a layer of realism. Dialogue reproduction is impeccable, maintaining clear depth and balance throughout varying scenes of hushed conversation or intense screams. Overall, "Big Bad Wolves" on Blu-ray boasts a near-reference quality audio track that captures the film's disturbing yet darkly comedic essence with precision and atmospheric depth.

The Blu-ray release of "Big Bad Wolves" includes a well-rounded, albeit limited, selection of extras that supplement the viewing experience with insightful behind-the-scenes content. All of the special features are presented in high definition with DTS-HD MA audio. The standout is the making-of featurette, which delves into the film’s unique blend of dark humor and horror through engaging interviews with the cast and crew. Additionally, there is a repackaged AXS TV segment that condenses interview snippets from the making-of featurette, and the theatrical trailer, which showcases the film's disturbing yet intriguing narrative.

Extras included in this disc:

• Making of Big Bad Wolves: A behind-the-scenes look featuring interviews with cast and crew discussing various production aspects including influences, special effects, and casting.
• AXS TV: A Look at Big Bad Wolves: An extended trailer incorporating interview segments.
• Theatrical Trailer: A high-definition trailer capturing the film's unique tone.

"Big Bad Wolves" by writer/directors Aharon Keshales and Navot Papushado effectively melds disturbing violence, unnerving evil, and dark humor into a compelling thriller. The narrative revolves around a suspected pedophile serial killer named Dror, a renegade cop Micki, and a grief-stricken father Gidi, all engaged in a cat-and-mouse game fraught with torture and deception. Keshales and Papushado, influenced by Quentin Tarantino and Sergio Leone, unfurl an adult fairy tale layered with whimsical yet horrific elements. This blend of horror, crime, and dark comedy ensures a haunting and unique viewing experience that leaves one questioning who the true "wolves" are.

The film opens with an elegant yet foreboding title sequence, setting an uneasy tone as children play hide-and-seek, only for one to vanish. This disappearance ignites the film's central conflict: Micki's relentless pursuit of justice and Gidi's insatiable thirst for vengeance against Dror, the prime suspect. The directors' mastery shines as they balance unsettling themes—pedophilia, murder, torture—against darkly humorous moments. For example, Gidi's brutal interrogation is interrupted by his mother's phone call, adding bizarre levity to the grim scenario. This intricate dance of tension and humor ensures the film remains engaging and thought-provoking throughout its runtime.

The characters, particularly Gidi portrayed by Tzahi Grad, add depth to the narrative. Gidi's evolution from a grieving father to a psychotic avenger is both chilling and entertaining. The film’s cinematography, music, and editing amplify its sinister undercurrents. Noteworthy is the slow-motion sequence of children playing hide-and-seek, which corrupts innocence with impending dread. "Big Bad Wolves" skillfully challenges moral boundaries and perceptions of justice, making viewers question right from wrong in increasingly complex situations. In sum, it’s a disturbing yet fascinating film that artfully intertwines horror and humor without trivializing its heavy themes.

"Big Bad Wolves" is a deeply disturbing horror thriller masterfully interwoven with darkly playful comedy. This intriguing blend of genres shouldn't logically work, yet the directors have skillfully melded these contrasting tones, resulting in an unsettling and occasionally humorous experience. The movie's graphic depictions of torture and dark subject matter set a heavy tone, counterbalanced by a surprisingly funny undercurrent. Visually, the Blu-Ray release delivers a stellar video transfer, with vibrant colors and sharp details, making the film's tension palpable. The audio mix further enhances the experience, most notably supported by a Tim Burton-esque musical score that amplifies its eerie atmosphere.

However, the extras accompanying the Blu-ray are scant, featuring only a brief behind-the-scenes look with some intriguing insights shared by the directors. Despite this limitation, the strong technical presentation - outstanding video clarity and immersive audio - compensates for the lack of substantial supplements. Fans of horror, dark comedy, and striking visual storytelling will particularly appreciate this release.

It is challenging to discuss "Big Bad Wolves" without delving too far into its intricate plot. The film juxtaposes shocking events that raise profound questions and leaves viewers with deeply unsettling riddles to ponder. The directors have pointed out that the film serves as a sinister revenge against adults who scare children with fairy tales, a theme it executes brilliantly. This Blu-ray edition of "Big Bad Wolves" stands out visually and sonically and offers a disturbingly reflective viewing experience that is highly recommended for those with a taste for twisted humor and gore.