The Dry Land (2010/Maya Blu-ray)
Picture: C+ Sound: C+ Extras: C+ Film: C+
One of
the oddest things to repeat itself dramatically lately has been the “he’s
coming home” military drama cycle that was invented in the Vietnam era is that
it is even more distant about the current wars than any of those late 1960s,
early 1970s films were, which makes them all dramatically and realistically
problematic. This is not to say some of
the films are not ambitious or trying to be honest, but it is that sense of
false, problematic distance that hurts Ryan Piers Williams’ new film The Dry Land (2010) about returning
soldier James (Ryan O’Nan) suffering serious memory loss upon his return.
This
hurts his wife (America Ferrera), best friend (Jason Ritter trying to stretch
himself dramatically to his credit) and mother (Melissa Leo), so he goes on a
road trip with another soldier (Wilmer Valderrama) and other best friend Henry
(Diego Klatenhoff) to help him out, but the return of the repressed may be more
than any of them can handle.
Throwing
in road movie elements does not save the film from a certain predictability,
but the actors are all good, making this worth a look, but don’t expect much
from the narrative otherwise. If the
intent was to do some kind of non-political film, that backfires and though it
is noble, it would have served the subject matter and real life people affected
by taking many more risks. Still, it is
professionally done and at this budget, is a good thing.
The 1080p
2.35 X 1 digital High Definition image was shot in Super 16mm film and has a
good look to it that helps the film on a narrative level take us somewhere we
have not been before, even when the script does not. The apparent grain creates an atmosphere that
helps make it oddly watchable. The Dolby
Digital 5.1 mix shows the low-budget of the soundmix and explains why there is
not a lossless audio option here. Expect
most dialogue to be monophonic. Extras
include resource for the care of those coming back, a Theatrical Trailer and
feature length audio commentary Williams and Ferrera.
- Nicholas Sheffo
