Out
Of The Furnace
(2013/Fox Blu-ray)
Picture:
A Sound: A Extras: B+ Movie: A
Out
of the Furnace
is a powerful and gritty drama from Scott Cooper, the director of
Crazy
Heart.
The cast alone is staggering - Christian Bale, Woody Harrelson,
Willem Dafoe, Casey Affleck, Zoe Saldana, Sam Shepard, and Forest
Whitaker to name a few. Oh and it was also produced by some guys
named Ridley Scott and Leonardo DiCaprio. In my opinion it was one
of the best films of last year.
The
film is about struggle, brutality, loss, and hope and isn't for the
squeamish. Out
of the Furnace
was primarily shot in Braddock, Pennsylvania and Moundsville, West
Virginia and has a very realistic, gritty, and run down feel.
Nothing is glorified but rather true to what you would actually see
if you went to the locations. Due to the film's early December
release, I feel as if it was overshadowed by The
Hunger Games: Catching Fire
and other Oscar hyped releases and didn't get the numbers it deserved
in the box office. Luckily for us, Fox has released this great disc
with some really cool extras and a great transfer and now the film
should find its full audience in all its glory. If you missed this
in the cinemas then you owe it to yourself to check it out.
Working
hard at the local steel mill to provide for himself and his dying
father, Christian Bale plays Russell Baze who is a man with both
heart and dedication. He's in a loving relationship with his
girlfriend Lena Taylor (Zoe Saldana), but has a soldier brother
Rodney (Casey Affleck) who has a habit of getting himself in too
deep. When Russell finds out Rodney is betting on horse races and is
in debt way over his head with shady club owner John Petty (Willem
Dafoe) he attempts to help him in any way that he can. But when
Russell goes out drinking one night, he finds himself in an
accidental DUI incident, killing an innocent child and thrown behind
bars.
Convicted
in a state penitentiary for several years, Russell finds out that his
Father has passed and that his Brother has just come back home from a
tour in Iraq. Once released from prison and put back out in the real
world again, Russell finds out that Rodney has been making money by
underground fighting in a desperate attempt to get him out of debt
with John Petty. He also finds out that his old flame Lena Taylor
(Zoe Saldana) has been dating a local Police Officer (Forest
Whitaker) and is going to start a family with him. Times get tougher
when Rodney disappears upon the appearance of the shady Harlan
Degroat and leaves Russell on a desperate search to find him.
The
antagonist of the film is Woody Harrelson who plays Harlan Degroat,
and his performance is simply stellar. Harlan is a man you don't
want to mess with, which is proven in the first scene of the film
where he assaults a woman with a hot dog and beats the thunder out of
a man at a drive in theater. His chemistry with Christian Bale in
the film is fantastic and you really feel like they are both at each
others throats during the film's final act. Especially after seeing
True
Detective
on HBO and The
Hunger Games: Catching Fire
a few months ago and then Woody's performance in this you can really
see his range as an actor. Another great addition to the film is the
soundtrack, with a main theme by Pearl Jam and a haunting score by
Dinkon Hinchcliffe that set the stage for the film's intensely
realistic setting.
The
2.35 X 1, 1080p digital high definition transfer was shot on 35mm
film and is full of deeply saturated colors and beautiful tones that
are crisp and crystal clear throughout the film. The transfer is
simply stunning and detailed- every fiber in the clothing is visible
in the close-ups and dirty exterior shots are captured fragment by
fragment. The DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) lossless 5.1 mix is equal
with beautiful sound environments including the busy steel mill
sequences and much softer for some of the characters' more intimate
conversations. Punches during the fight sequences hit you from all
sides and makes you feel like you're in the middle of it all. Aside
from the seeing the film in the theater, you really can't ask for a
better presentation.
Extras
include Inspiration
as the stars of Out of the Furnace reveal what inspired them to
become actors, A
Conversation with Co-Writer and Director Scott Cooper,
Crafting
the Fight Scenes,
and The
Music of Out of the Furnace.
Ultraviolet Digital Copy is also included.
-
James Lockhart
