BLU-RAY REVIEW

Hell Or High Water

Featured In Issue 212, December 2016

Picture4
Sound4
WSR Score4
Basic Information on new release titles is posted as soon as titles are announced. Once reviewed, additional data is added to the database.
(Studio/Distributor):
Lionsgate Home Entertainment
(Catalog Number):
50355
(MPAA Rating):
R
(Rating Reason):
Some strong violence, language throughout and brief sexuality.
(Retail Price):
$$39.99
(Disc Type):
Single Side, Dual Layer (BD-50)
(Widescreen Edition):
Yes
(Full Screen Edition):
(Running Time In Minutes):
122
(Color Type):
Color
(Chaptered/Scene Access):
Yes
(Closed Captioned):
Yes
(Regional Coding):
(Theatrical Year):
(Theatrical Release):
Yes
(Direct-To-Video Release):
(Disc Release Date):
11/22/2016
(THX® Digitally Mastered):
(Director):
David Mackenzie
(Screenplay/Written By):
(Story):
(Music):
(Director Of Photography):
(Production Designer):
(Visual Effects):
(Costume Designer):
(Editor):
(Supervising Sound Editors):
(Re-Recording Mixers):
(Executive Producers):
(Co-Producers):
(Producers):
(Academy Awards):
(Principal Photography):
(Theatrical Aspect Ratio):
(Measured Disc Aspect Ratio):
(Disc Soundtrack):
DTS HD Lossless 5.1
(Theatrical Sound):
(Theatrical Re-Issue Soundtrack):
(DTS Bit Rate):
(Dolby Digital Bit Rate):
(Additional Languages):
(Spanish Language):
(Subtitles):

Hell Or High Water is a modern western about two brothers who turn to crime in order to save their family farm from the clutches of the bank. When a desperate father (Pine) learns that the bank is going to take his family's land, he and his ex-con brother (Foster) are left with no choice. They decide to rob the bank's branches, putting themselves in the crosshairs of an aging Texas Ranger (Bridges) in a riveting story of crime, punishment, and brotherly love. (Gary Reber)

Special features include the featurettes Enemies Forever: The Characters Of Hell Or High Water (HD 13:35), Visualizing The Heart Of America (HD 09:27), and Damaged Heroes: The Performances of Hell Or High Water (HD 12:22); a Red Carpet Premiere (HD 01:54); a filmmaker Q&A (HD 29:49); upfront previews; and an UltraViolet digital copy.

The 2.40:1 1080p AVC picture exhibits a generally natural appearance with a nicely saturated color palette. Hues are rich and warm, with colorful highlights prominent in the casino scene. Outdoor scenes are brightly hued throughout. Fleshtones appear natural during exterior scenes and can exhibit a reddish hue in the casino and other interior scenes. Contrast is well balanced with solid blacks and revealing shadow delineation. Resolution is a bit soft, with better detail evident in close-ups. Overall, this is a decent presentation with a warm color palette. (Gary Reber)

The DTS-HD Master Audio™ 5.1-channel soundtrack is dialogue focused, with effective small town atmospherics and the occasional loud sound effects, such as with the roar of cars on the run, trucks chasing a truck, and gunfire. At times deep bass is energized but briefly. The music score is strictly country and well recorded with excellent fidelity. Dialogue is intelligible throughout, but spatial integration is often wanting with an ADR forwardness. Overall, the music provides the dynamics and surround envelopment, but there is too much inconsistencies to rate this great. (Gary Reber)