- Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1
- Video Codec: AVC/MPEG-4
- Resolution: 1080p/24 (23.976Hz)
- Audio Codec: Near Field and Theatrical English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz/24-bit)
- Subtitles: English SDH
- Subtitles Color: White
- Region: A (Region-Locked)
- Rating: R
- Discs: 1 (1 x Blu-ray )
- Digital Copies: N/A
- Run Time: 128 Mins.
- Studio: Criterion Collection
- Blu-ray Release Date: September 18, 2012
- List Price: $39.95
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Overall
[Rating:4/5]
The Film
[Rating:4/5]
Video Quality
[Rating:4/5]
Audio Quality
[Rating:4/5]
Supplemental Materials
[Rating:3/5]
Click thumbnails for high-resolution 1920X1080p screen captures
(All 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:4/5]
San Francisco, a consistently evocative setting for films, gives The Game one leg up from the start. Michael Douglas, already an accomplished actor by this film’s 1997 release, portrays a successful post-Gordon Gekko financier Nicholas Van Orton. As we find out, he has a dysfunctional younger brother Conrad (Sean Penn) who gives him an unusual birthday present: an entrée into “The Game.” Of course there is a backstory about the Van Orton family including Nicholas’s witnessing of his father’s suicide leap. What separates The Game from the usual thrillers is how the conceit of a game leads to the redemption of a truly lost soul. Without offering up the spoiler, The Game chronicles the journey of a self-centered entrepreneur through a series of hazardous, often nearly fatal events. As Van Orton’s life appears to spiral out of control, you get the distinct impression that what was intended as a game is now a sheer struggle for survival against all odds. Director David Fincher (The Fight Club, The Social Network, and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) weaves the plot’s web as well as anyone can and creates an edge-of-your-seat drama that makes two hours disappear in a flash.
(For a different take, read our The Game [Criterion Collection] Blu-ray Review by Brandon A. DuHamel
Video Quality
[Rating:4/5]
Thrillers depend on sleight of hand cinematography that draws the viewer in and refuses to let him go. The Game receives excellent treatment by Harris Savides who serves director Fincher’s intentions perfectly. The frequently damp atmosphere of the city by the bay is quintessentially realized in scene after scene. There is just a touch of softness to the details but not enough to spoil the impact of the frequent up close and personal shots. The black levels appear appropriately inky, an important consideration for a film that contains a lot of night scenes.
Audio Quality
[Rating:4/5]
Howard Shore has composed a very atmospheric score with a lot of Jaws-like LFEs. Periodic quiet stretches with a tinkly piano are perforated by the occasional explosive sound effects that will literally lift you out of your chair. There are actually two DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtracks: a full Monty theatrical version and a tamer near-field version intended for smaller home theaters. To get the most impact, I would recommend the former version if your ear can handle its occasional high volume levels.
Supplemental Materials
[Rating:3/5]
In typical Criterion Collection style, we are rewarded with some good supplements:
- Audio Commentary
- Alternate Ending
- Psychological Test Film
- Behind the Scenes
- Film-to-Storyboard Comparisons
- Teaser and Trailer
- Booklet with essay by David Sterritt
The Definitive Word
Overall:
[Rating:4/5]
The thriller-chase film has always been one of the most difficult cinematic types to pull off. The Game raises the stakes even higher as the story line is extremely complex, and, early on, we become convinced that the game is not really a game. In the best tradition of Alfred Hitchcock (North by Northwest), our hero always seems to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. There are so many twists and turns that the viewer is kept as off balance as is Nicholas Van Orton. Michael Douglas gets excellent support by Deborah Kara Unger (female interest Christine), Peter Donat (lawyer Samuel Sutherland) and even a cameo by Carroll Baker (housekeeper Ilsa). What makes this movie really tick is the hand in glove relationship between director Fincher, his cast, cinematographers, and sound engineers. Dark thriller fans, rejoice, this is one of the best of the breed to hit the screen in a long time.
Additional Screen Captures
[amazon-product]B008CJ0JTI[/amazon-product]
Purchase The Game [Criterion Collection] on Blu-ray at CD Universe
Shop for more Blu-ray titles at Amazon.com
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[amazon-product]B008CJ0JTI[/amazon-product]
Purchase The Game [Criterion Collection] on Blu-ray at CD Universe
Shop for more Blu-ray titles at Amazon.com
Overall
[Rating:4/5]
The Film
[Rating:4/5]
Video Quality
[Rating:4/5]
Audio Quality
[Rating:4/5]
Supplemental Materials
[Rating:3/5]
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