Project-Blu A Mighty Heart, by M. Enois Duarte

A Mighty Heart

By: M. Enois Duarte, 3.21.2009

The Movie Itself:
Using the memoirs of Mariane Pearl as its source, A Mighty Heart details the frantic search for Wall Street Journalist Daniel Pearl and those heart-wrenching days of apprehension before learning of his fate. Though most of us are familiar with the month-long ordeal, the film depicts those intimate moments of Mariane's mental agitation and inner torment, which at the time we could only imagine but never knew. We are there with her at every step and every clue that might lead us closer to Danny's whereabouts, and we feel for her when her life suddenly comes under media scrutiny. The docudrama is an effectively compelling and tensely absorbing portrayal of a strong woman suffering loss from a horrifying act of terror.

While investigating a possible connection between foiled shoe-bomber Richard Reid and al-Qaeda in Karachi, Pakistan, Daniel Pearl (Dan Futterman) left one afternoon to meet with an individual with strong terrorist ties. As the hours passed and no word from Daniel, Mariane (Angelina Jolie), who is pregnant with their first child, grew concerned and quickly began making phone calls to anyone with authority. Soon after, the home of close friend and colleague Asra (Archie Panjabi) is transformed into a command post for an assortment of agencies. Diplomatic security agent Randall Bennett (Will Patton), captain of the Pakistani counter-terrorist unit (Irrfan Khan), and Wall Street Journal senior John Bussey (Denis O'Hare) work together to locate Daniel and convince the jihadists to release him.

Michael Winterbottom takes a documentarian approach to focus on Mariane's courageous attempts at keeping her composure during distress, remaining calm and hopeful that her kidnaped husband would be released unharmed. And while she may have earned an Oscar nomination for Changeling, Angelina Jolie's portrayal as the French freelance journalist is really the pinnacle of her career. Her performance convincingly removes all traces of the person adorning weekly tabloids and captivates the audience with a simple blank stare that tells more than words could. Never reduced to a stereotype of hysterics or helplessness, Mariane is straightforward, commanding, resilient, and determined as she confronts her predicament between mourning and hope.

Winterbottom's technique may be a bit off-putting at first, but it actually works at establishing an air of authenticity. In remaining withdrawn and distant, the camera is unintrusive and places us in the middle of it all, recording the events as they happen without conviction or forced sentimentality. Judgment is reserved throughout and for so long that by the time we witness a scene of a shackled suspect hanging by the wrists, we find ourselves between understanding the necessary measures taken and disapproval of its use for information. With a shaky hand-held camera that only adds to the tension, Winterbottom admirably, and tactfully, resists sensationalizing these publicly intimate moments and remains focused on the apolitical atmosphere of loss and grief.

The film's most striking and compelling feature is our own knowledge that it will all end with a grisly video of an innocent man's death. Because of this omnipotent awareness of the final outcome, the whole thing makes for a suspenseful --- and sometimes disturbing --- experience as we listen to Daniel's parents and Mariane continuously express hope and suddenly forced to face a gruesome reality. Winterbottom artfully transcends the complexities of a police procedural and avoids mawkish melodrama to capture a wholly original film, not easily defined by genre. A Mighty Heart is an engaging depiction of courage and strength in light of the traumatic and frightening horrors of modern civilization.
Rating: 9/10

The Presentation:
Paramount releases A Mighty Heart in its original 2.35:1 aspect ratio and a rather pleasant AVC-encoded transfer that appears identical to the HD DVD release. Although the picture quality here improves upon its DVD counterpart, this hi-def presentation appropriately reproduces the intentional photography of long-time collaborator Marcel Zyskind. Unfortunately, this does not translate well when compared to other Blu-ray discs and the picture should be rated based on it own merits and consistency, with creative decisions in mind .

Shot mostly with HD cameras and the use of certain lens filters, the image displays a dirty, weathered appearance that perfectly captures the hot climate of Pakistan. As is often the case, resolution and definition suffer a tad with daylight exterior scenes looking best and revealing a nice amount of detail and clarity. But nighttime and low-lit interior scenes are inconsistent, sometimes distractingly so, with many instances of black crush and chroma noise. Contrast runs on the warmer side by design but steady, while black levels waver between true and deep to looking flat and indistinct. The color palette is subdued, but accurate throughout. Facial complexions can lack textural detail, but look natural enough. Overall, the picture quality is fairly satisfying, if only inconsistent.
Rating: 7.2/10

Much like the video presentation, this Dolby TrueHD soundtrack is an improvement over the DVD and identical to the HD DVD. For a dialogue-driven film, the mix is surprisingly engaging with plenty of rear activity for generating a pleasant envelopment of the listening area. Traffic noises of Pakistani streets are clear and discrete, with sounds panning smoothly between the channels. Interior acoustics are warm and convincing, while atmospheric effects of city noise create a realistic sense of ambiance. The mostly frontal presentation contains spacious imagery and a dynamic range that offers a wonderful immersive quality. Vocals are precise and intelligible within the center of the screen, while low frequency effects are mild but don't offer much in terms of depth. However, this is not the sort of film which would require it such activity. As it stands, this lossless track is an effective audio presentation that suits its subject matter well.
Rating: 8.0/10

Overall Presentation: 7/10

The Extras:
Arriving with the same supplemental package as the DVD and HD DVD versions, the bonus material in this Blu-ray edition of A Mighty Heart is unexpectedly mediocre, considering the historical seriousness of its subject. The features are presented in standard definition, except for the Theatrical Trailer.

A Journey of Passion: The Making of A Mighty Heart (30 min)
A behind-the-scenes look at the film's production.
Committee to Protect Journalists (9 min)
Members of the CPJ relate the history of the foundation and the services they provide.
Public Service Announcement (2 min)
Featuring Christiane Amanpour, this PSA is for the Daniel Pearl Foundation.

Rating: 3/10

Final Thoughts:
Chronicling the painful events of a wife coming to grips with the loss of her husband, A Mighty Heart is an emotionally absorbing film with an excellent performance by Angelina Jolie and expertly fashioned by Michael Winterbottom. The A/V presentation of the Blu-ray release adequately reproduces the intentional photography, while the lossless audio offers a surprising experience for a dialogue-driven film.
Rating: 6/10