- Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
- Video Codec: AVC/MPEG-4
- Resolution: 1080p/24
- Audio Codec: DTS-HD Master Audio, French & Japanese Dolby Digital 5.1
- Subtitles: English, Spanish
- Region: A (Region-Locked)
- Rating: Not Rated
- Discs: 1 (1 x Blu-ray)
- Studio: 20th Century Fox
- Blu-ray Release Date: March 5, 2013
- List Price: $16.99
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Overall
[Rating:2.5/5]
The Film
[Rating:2/5]
Video Quality
[Rating:4.5/5]
Audio Quality
[Rating:4.5/5]
Supplemental Materials
[Rating:1.5/5]
Click thumbnails for high-resolution 1920X1080p screen captures
(The below TheaterByte screen captures are lightly compressed with lossy JPEG at 100% quality setting and are meant as a general representation of the content. They do not fully reveal the capabilities of the Blu-ray format)
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The Film
[Rating:2/5]
This Blu-ray release of a 2006 film, One Night with the King, is a retelling of the story of Queen Esther (Tiffany Dupont) and her courageous stand to prevent her husband King Xerxes of Persia (Luke Goss) from killing the Jews. While the credits prominently list screen legends Peter O’Toole (Samuel the Prophet) and Omar Sharif (Prince Memucan), their contributions to the film are relatively modest. Those familiar with the Book of Esther will readily recognize that certain liberties have been taken with storyline as well as the characters. Luxurious period sets and costumes, countless extras, and a sweeping score attempt to convey the elements of an epic blockbuster. As will be noted later, the realization of the film’s drama falls well short of the quality of its picture and soundtrack.
The film opens as Persia is on the verge of war with Greece. When Xerxes’s Queen Vashti (Jyoti Dogra) refuses to attend her husband’s drunken banquet, the King seeks a new wife. A Jewish woman, Hadassah, changes her name to the more politically correct Esther (taken from the Babylonian Ishtar), on the advice of her uncle Mordecai the Scribe (John Rhys-Davies). Once Esther is taken to the royal palace, she receives “tutelage” from Hegai, the royal eunuch (Tommy “Tiny” Lister) for her “one night with the king” that will decide her fate. When she reads to Xerxes, Esther gains the inside track and, eventually is chosen over the other candidates. The evil Prince Admantha (John Noble), a king wannabe, plans to poison Xerxes, but Haman, captain of the guards (James Callis) foils the plot. Haman, now elevated to prince of the realm, intends to kill all of the Jews in revenge for the slaughter of his people, the Agagites, by King Saul of Israel. Before this plan can be set in motion, Esther intercedes at her own peril to rescind Haman’s order and saves her people.
Video Quality
[Rating:4.5/5]
Being a recent film, shot in high-definition, we get a beautiful watch, the CGI effects being inoffensive, with terrific close up shots and larger than life panoramas.
Audio Quality
[Rating:4.5/5]
The surround soundtrack has a plethora drum beats (think Lion King) and a magisterial score by J.A.C. Redford. Dialogue is clear, perhaps a bit too clear, in view of its considerable campiness. There is a Whitney Houston-esque end credit “One Night with The King,” sung by Jeannie Tenney, wife of Tommy Tenney on whose book the script was based.
Supplemental Materials
[Rating:1.5/5]
Not much here, just audio commentary.
The Definitive Word
Overall:
[Rating:2.5/5]
Biblical epics have generated many iconic films like The Ten Commandments and King of Kings. It is difficult to put One Night with the King in the same pantheon as its predecessors, although it is clear that no expense was spared on its production. With the exception of Rhys-Davies (and Sharif in his limited screen time), the remaining cast is largely TV actors who do not adapt as well to the big screen. Granted, nearly everyone is given a raft of rather thankless lines, but principals Goss and Dupont have truly limited emotional palettes, ranging from stone-faced (Goss) to teardrops (Dupont). “Tiny” Lester’s portrayal of the royal eunuch takes its cues from his role as the galactic president in The Fifth Element, providing much unintended humor. Aside from its high quality audio/video values, there is not much in this leaden-paced picture to salvage the two hours spent on what could have been a magnificent story of courage and resolution.
Additional Screen Captures
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BestBuy.com:
Purchase One Night with the King on Blu-ray at CD Universe
Shop for more Blu-ray titles at Amazon.com
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[amazon-product]B00AQMGQAA[/amazon-product]
BestBuy.com:
Purchase One Night with the King on Blu-ray at CD Universe
Shop for more Blu-ray titles at Amazon.com
Overall
[Rating:2.5/5]
The Film
[Rating:2/5]
Video Quality
[Rating:4.5/5]
Audio Quality
[Rating:4.5/5]
Supplemental Materials
[Rating:1.5/5]
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