Search - There Will Be Blood/Road to Perdition/Witness on DVD

K. K. (GAMER)
Reviewed on 5/24/2023...

The Road to Perdition - Solid Hanks and Newman entertaining but it still seemed to be missing something by the time you got the end.

Flawed Release from Paramount

T. Kuman | 07/24/2009

(1 out of 5 stars)

"Note: This review is intended to describe what the BOX SET presents, not the individual dvds of the films themselves, which are the standard releases (although "Witness" is presented in its widescreen special edition format).

It is immediately suspect that Paramount has released a box set with these three disparate (if exceptional) films: There is virtually no thematic link; none of the famous actors recur throughout; the director of each has carved out his own inimitable niche, and the styles between the three--Mendes, Paul Thomas Anderson, and Peter Weir--could not be more distinct. Why are these films together? What has prepossessed Paramount to package them with one another?

I cannot say. But even without a rhyme or reason, I like all three of these films, I owned none of them and wished to, and made the purchase. I regret it, but for two reasons I could not wholly suspect or predict.

One: The packaging is false. The cover "poster" indicated of "There Will Be Blood" on the box housing the 3 dvds is rare (with a stunning shot of an oil-smeared Day-Lewis in the foreground, and a spiraling column of flame issuing from the earth behind him), and is not contained in this set (the blu-ray has this cover--but at a higher price). The DVD edition collected here is the same uninspired cardboard design of the single-disc release, with Daniel-Day Lewis on the cover leaning forward like a shark out of a grey-green darkness.

Two: Do not believe what Amazon has indicated: It says "Widescreen" quite clearly under "product details", but the "Road to Perdition" included is FULLSCREEN. This is unforgivable, given the other two films are in widescreen, and "Road...", with its poetic sequences and stunning cinematography, is equally deserving of this format. (It is worth noting that the box itself indicates this, but when you're buying online, that isn't of any use.)

There are some (albeit minor) pros to this set:

One: The price. At a good price (easily found...), this set provides you with the following scenario: essentially $7 each for 2 of the films, and one free, which is a bargain considering their usual prices are $9.99 or upward.
Two: The dvds are given their own cases; these are the regular releases, nothing special, just sealed in a flimsy, and quite frankly pathetic, blue box.

These movies each possess their respective strengths (with "Road to Perdition" and "There Will Be Blood" being the two strongest, by a long shot, of the set), and are worthy or purchase. But do it separately, unless you're fond of FullScreen in this age of artistic integrity which above all prizes cinematography and directorial intent.
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