Hostiles (UHD Blu-ray) review

[David Vaughn]

Plot
Set in 1892, Hostiles tells the story of a legendary Army captain (Christian Bale) who, after stern resistance, reluctantly agrees to escort a dying Cheyenne war chief (Wes Studi) and his family back to tribal lands. Making the harrowing and perilous journey from Fort Berringer, an isolated Army outpost in New Mexico, to the grasslands of Montana, the former rivals encounter a young widow (Rosamund Pike), whose family was murdered on the plains. Together, they must join forces to overcome the punishing landscape, hostile Comanche, and ruthless outliers that they encounter along the way.

My Thoughts
I tend to enjoy westerns because of the way they portray a simpler time in our history, but that doesn’t mean I enjoy all of them. There’s a lot to like about this film. First, the acting is excellent, especially from Bale and Pike. Second, the direction from Scott Cooper is well done and he does a great job of ratcheting up the tension, especially when the Indians are on the hunt for the caravan. Third, the cinematography is outstanding from Masanobu Takayanagi, who provides visuals that rival what we saw in The Revenant, which won an Oscar for Emmanuel Lubezki.

The story itself starts out really fast and then hits the brakes pretty hard after the initial scene, which does a good job of setting the tension for the rest of the film. Bale’s character is a man of honor and he shows personal growth throughout the film, which is really what makes the screenplay work so well. After the first act, I was not sure I’d like it but once it grabbed me, it didn’t let go until the credits began to roll.

Video 9.5/10 (MVC)

Audio 9/10 (DTS-HD MA 5.1)

Special Features:

• “A Journey to the Soul: The Making of Hostiles” 3-Part Documentary
  
  • “Provenance” Featurette
  • “Removing the Binds” Featurette
  • “Don’t Look Back” Featurette
  
  
• Blu-ray + UV Digital Copy

Conclusion
While not a perfect film, I can see why it garnered 73% on the Tomatometer. The first act could turn a lot of people off with its glacial pacing, but stick with it because the reward is there in the final two acts. The presentation is excellent and it’s something I can see myself watching again at some point in the future because of the performances. Recommended.

[Ralph P.]

Greetings,

Nice job buddy, and I wholeheartedly agree with your review of the film. I didn't find the quality of the UHD presentation to be as high. It's not bad, but the film's elements are lent to bringing forth the best in the medium.

[David Vaughn]

Greetings,

Nice job buddy, and I wholeheartedly agree with your review of the film. I didn't find the quality of the UHD presentation to be as high. It's not bad, but the film's elements are lent to bringing forth the best in the medium.

Thanks Ralph. I really liked the cinematography, so maybe that influenced me a bit. Are you using an Arve curve or the Oppo conversion?

[Ralph P.]

Thanks Ralph. I really liked the cinematography, so maybe that influenced me a bit. Are you using an Arve curve or the Oppo conversion?

Greetings,

Dave, I went back to using the custom curves. Yes, the cinematography is gorgeous.

[David Vaughn]

Greetings,

Dave, I went back to using the custom curves. Yes, the cinematography is gorgeous.