Our Brand Is Crisis Blu-ray Review

The Blu-ray presentation of "Our Brand Is Crisis" is commendable, showcasing a meticulously detailed and sharp image quality that stands out in various settings. Shot by acclaimed cinematographer Tim Orr in 35mm film using the Panavision Millennium XL2 model, this release retains an impressive filmic texture. Exteriors particularly shine, with lush landscapes providing vivid color saturation and depth. Contrast and black levels are generally solid, though indoor and darker scenes exhibit noticeable grain and can appear slightly flat. Skin tones are handled with a cool but consistent approach, adding to the overall realistic portrayal.

Despite the potential for superior quality, Warner Home Video's choice of a 23.99 Mbps bitrate on a BD-50 disc leaves room for optimization. Nevertheless, careful compression management has prevented significant artifacts, resulting in a clean video presentation free from aliasing, banding, or excessive noise. This pristine transfer excels in highlighting details such as the intricate furnishings of Castillo's residence and the chaotic vibrancy of crowd scenes. Even though some scenes display chroma variability, the color palette effectively conveys the film’s shifting emotional tones, ranging from sullen to inviting.

In summary, while not without its minor imperfections, the Blu-ray video presentation of "Our Brand Is Crisis" demonstrates high-quality clarity and sharpness. It marries detailed and textural visuals with effective color use, ensuring an engaging viewing experience despite some limitations in bitrate allocation and occasional grain inconsistencies.

The Blu-ray of "Our Brand Is Crisis" impressively features a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround mix that delivers a robust and engaging audio experience. Dialogue is rendered with superior clarity, presenting full-bodied tonal characteristics and maintaining prominent soundstage positioning. High-level detail is evident, with subtle sound effects, music, and voices distinctly articulated, contributing to a rich auditory texture. The mix predominantly utilizes atmospheric sounds to enhance the depiction of exterior and interior venues without relying heavily on active surround activity or extended dynamics. This creates an immersive soundscape that deftly supports the film's varied settings.

Despite being primarily a dialogue-driven film, the audio track makes excellent use of ambient noises through the rear speakers and integrates slight directionality during scenes such as crowd protests and bus sequences. There is a broad dynamic range and impressively deep bass extension for a non-action film, ensuring that even the more understated elements come through with fidelity and precision. Dave Wingo's dramatic score enriches the audio presentation, providing a sense of foreboding that aligns with the film's themes. Essential dialogue remains clear and intelligible throughout, even in instances when multiple characters speak simultaneously. Additionally, the Blu-ray includes a 5.1 Dolby Digital English Descriptive track and 5.1 Dolby Digital tracks in French, Spanish (Latin), and Portuguese, with subtitles available in English SDH, French, Spanish (Latin), and Portuguese. This versatility ensures accessibility for a diverse audience while maintaining the high-quality audio standard.

Overall, while "Our Brand Is Crisis" may not push the limits of one's home theater system, its audio mix is executed with finesse and attention to detail, ensuring an enjoyable listening experience free from any technical glitches.

The extras included in the Blu-ray release of "Our Brand Is Crisis" provide an insightful look into the film's development, particularly focusing on Sandra Bullock's character, Jane Bodine. The highlight is a comprehensive 11-minute featurette titled "Sandra Bullock: A Role Like No Other," which delves deep into Bullock's character arc and personal connection to the role. This Electronic Press Kit (EPK) interview sessions with key cast and crew members, including Bullock, Thornton, McNairy, Mackie, Kazan, director Green, and producer Heslov. The featurette emphasizes Jane Bodine's redemption journey with detailed topic headings such as Understanding Jane's Arc and Jane at the End of the Movie. Notably, the disc includes trailers for "Black Mass" and "The 33," playable only at startup.

Extras included in this disc:

• Sandra Bullock: A Role Like No Other: Deep dive into Sandra Bullock’s character and her journey. Includes interviews with cast and crew.
• Bonus Trailers: Trailers for "Black Mass" and "The 33," viewable at startup only.

"Our Brand Is Crisis" stars Sandra Bullock as Jane Bodine, a politically savvy but troubled strategist drawn out of retirement to help a floundering Bolivian presidential candidate, Pedro Castillo (Joaquim de Almeida). The central narrative pits Jane against her old nemesis, Pat Candy (Billy Bob Thornton), setting up a battle of wits between two seasoned political operatives. The film takes cues from Rachel Boynton's 2005 documentary but falls into predictable Hollywood patterns. While the setup promises a biting satire on political manipulation, it struggles with tonal inconsistencies, oscillating uncomfortably between sharp political critique and personal redemption arcs.

The movie shines during Jane's confrontations with Candy and her attempts to rebrand Castillo, despite his problematic history. Jane's strategic pivot to capitalize on the country's fear rather than attempting to soften Castillo's authoritarian image is especially insightful. However, the film falters by interjecting a conscience crisis for Jane, epitomized by her relationship with Eduardo (Reynaldo Pacheco), a naive idealist whose eventual disillusionment forces Jane to reckon with her tactics. This narrative turn dilutes the potency of its political satire, making Jane’s journey feel forced and disjointed.

Director David Gordon Green keeps the pace brisk with dynamic interactions and clever dialogues, particularly between Bullock and Thornton. Yet, "Our Brand Is Crisis" ultimately fails to commit to a singular vision. Its attempts to blend dark comedy with poignant drama yield mixed results, leaving the audience with an uneven portrayal of political consultancy. Despite stellar performances and some sharp writing, the film's dual ambitions—to expose electoral scheming and depict personal redemption—undermine each other, rendering it more forgettable than impactful. Notable for its incisive moments and star power, it remains a one-time watch rather than a political classic.

"Our Brand is Crisis" offers a technically excellent Blu-ray presentation, underscored by strong performances from Sandra Bullock and Billy Bob Thornton. However, the film falls short in its storytelling, struggling to balance its ambition as either a cynical comedy or drama. While the protagonist, Calamity Jane Bodine, is brought to vivid life by Bullock, the narrative unfortunately meanders, failing to fully capitalize on its intriguing premise of political manipulation. Comparisons to more successful films in the same genre, such as Barry Levinson's "Wag the Dog," highlight its narrative shortcomings.

From a technical perspective, the Blu-ray excels. Visuals are crisp and detailed, with vibrant colors and deep contrasts that enhance the viewing experience. The audio mix is equally impressive, boasting clear dialogue and an immersive soundscape that faithfully reproduces the film's varied settings. Despite the lackluster story, the disc's technical merits make it a standout in terms of home entertainment quality.

In conclusion, while "Our Brand is Crisis" boasts notable performances and top-tier technical specifications on Blu-ray, its unfocused narrative renders it less satisfying than it could have been. The film may still warrant a rental for political junkies or fans of the lead actors, but it lacks the compelling cohesiveness needed to deem it indispensable for your movie collection. Rent it for a one-time watch, but don't feel compelled to purchase.