When his young daughter’s beloved companion—an android named Yang—malfunctions, Jake (Colin Farrell) searches for a way to repair him. In the process, Jake discovers the life that has been passing in front of him, reconnecting with his wife (Jodie Turner-Smith) and daughter across a distance he didn’t know was there.
For in-depth thoughts on After Yang, please see my colleague Michael Cook’s review from its Sundance Film Festival screening here.
Video Quality
After Yang comes to Blu-Ray in a very detailed 1080p presentation in its original shifting aspect ratios that truly stuns in high definition. This is a visually dynamic film with various distinct environments in liminal states of being which all look quite striking. The clarity throughout is outstanding with subtle flourishes in the futuristic production design coming through perfectly. While relatively reserved, the color saturation is great with the palette evolving with the needs of the story with warmth registering in some memories while other moments are more subdued. The film uses shadows to create a memorable visual aesthetic which Kogonada shapes into something artistic and not garish. Black levels are pretty deep and do not fall victim to any noticeable digital noise or errors of the sort. Skin tones are natural to the lighting conditions with a grand amount of minute detail on display. Lionsgate Home Entertainment has delivered a quality high definition presentation here.
Audio Quality
The Blu-Ray disc comes with a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track that conjures every ounce of nuance from this subdued film. The sound design is impeccably conceived with all of the sounds positioned just right in the mix. The track becomes memorable with the environmental sounds that offer a transportive quality you will not soon forget. The score from Aska Matsumiya is showcased impeccably here with an enveloping use of the surround speakers. The dialogue comes through crystal clear without ever being overpowered by the environmental effects. Activity in the low end is decent, but it mostly aids in providing some texture. A standout moment is during the transcendent opening credit sequence where music fills the room exactly as you want it to in that moment. This is a terrific audio presentation that brings the movie to life in a really substantial way. Optional English and Spanish subtitles are provided on this disc.
Special Features
- The End Is A Beginning – After Yang: A pretty great 24-minute featurette in which the cast and creative team discuss the inspirations for adapting this short story, the delicate touch that Kogonada brought to the material, the themes tackled in the story, the facets of each character, how the performers worked with one another, the collaboration during production, the makeup effects, the production design, the global dance sequence and much more.
Final Thoughts
After Yang is a gentle and thought-provoking exploration of what it means to be alive. The fact that this is not more widely cited as one of the best of the year so far is fairly distressing, as you rarely get such deeply poignant filmmaking executed with such a deft hand. Kogonada works with the flawless ensemble to dial into the precise frequency that gets to the heart of the matter without veering into saccharine territory. The film may be too internal for some audience members, but those who do connect to the material will scarcely be able to think of little else. Lionsgate Home Entertainment has released a Blu-Ray featuring a wonderful A/V presentation and an insightful supplemental feature. This film is worthy of greater exploration for all that it brings to the table. Highly Recommended
After Yang is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray, DVD and Digital.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Lionsgate Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
