BLU-RAY REVIEW

Filth

Featured In Issue 189, September 2014

Picture4
Sound4
WSR Score3
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):
Magnolia Home Entertainment
(Catalog Number):
10706
(MPAA Rating):
R
(Rating Reason):
Strong sexual content, graphic nudity, drug use, language and some violence
(Retail Price):
$29.98
(Disc Type):
Single Side, Dual Layer (BD-50)
(Widescreen Edition):
Yes
(Full Screen Edition):
No
(Running Time In Minutes):
98
(Color Type):
Color
(Chaptered/Scene Access):
Yes
(Closed Captioned):
Yes
(Regional Coding):
A
(Theatrical Year):
2013
(Theatrical Release):
Yes
(Direct-To-Video Release):
No
(Disc Release Date):
08/12/14
(THX® Digitally Mastered):
No
(Director):
Jon S. Baird
(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):
(French Language):
(Spanish Language):
(Chinese Language):
(Subtitles):
(Cantonese Language):
(Mandarin Language):
(Japanese Language):
(Italian Language):
(German Language):
(Portuguese Language):

In Filth, James McAvoy plays Detective Sergeant Bruce Robertson, a scheming, manipulative, misanthropic man who spends his time indulging in drugs, alcohol, sexually abusive relationships, and "the games"—cruel plots and systematic bullying of his coworkers and friends. While working on the murder case of a Japanese student, he starts coming unhinged, slowly losing his grip on reality and suffering from a series of increasingly severe hallucinations, as he desperately tries to hold his life together. Based on the novel by Irvine Welsh. (Gary Reber)

Special features include commentary with Director Jon S. Baird and Author Irvine Welsh; deleted, extended, and alternate scenes (HD 23:21); outtakes (HD 07:35); the featurettes On The Set: Merry Filthmas (HD 04:15) and James McAvoy As Detective Bruce Robertson: The Antihero (HD 11:58); an AXS TV Look (HD 02:57); and upfront previews.

The 2.35:1 1080p AVC picture is warmly filmic, with strongly saturated hues that exhibit richness. Occasionally hues really pop. Fleshtones appear healthy and generally natural. The imagery is often stylized for dramatic effect. Resolution is revealing of fine detail in facial features, hair, clothing, and object texture. Contrast is well balanced with bright highlights that are often pushed, deep blacks, and revealing shadow delineation. Overall, this is an engaging visual picture with dramatic color renderings, deep blacks, and stylized contrast. (Gary Reber)

The DTS-HD Master Audio™ 5.1-channel soundtrack is wildly engaging, with a rockish and orchestral music score that fills the soundstage and extends to the surrounds. Deep bass is executed in the .1 LFE channel to the music. Atmospherics and sound effects are effectively descriptive of the sonics associated with each scene. Dialogue is nicely recorded, but the thick Scottish accent is often difficult to understand. Still, this is a lively and engaging soundtrack that is pleasing throughout. (Gary Reber)