Acclaimed director Claire Denis’s jagged, daringly fragmented and darkest film is a genuinely contemporary film noir inspired by recent French sex ring scandals involving men of wealth and power. Vincent Lindon (Denis‘s Friday Night) stars as Marco, a sea captain gone AWOL to avenge his brother-in-law‘s suicide and to rescue his estranged sister and his teenaged niece (Lola Créton, Goodbye First Love); Chiara Mastroianni (A Christmas Tale) is Lindon’s married lover, who has sold her soul in exchange for the security of her young son; and the remarkable Michel Subor is her husband – a sleazy financier who is the very embodiment of an evil beyond comprehension. Denis takes the viewer into the very heart of darkness in her most unsettling film yet, an unforgettable and thrilling commentary on late capitalism.
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Video Quality
Bastards debuts on Blu-Ray with an excellent 1080p video presentation after being released on DVD domestically back in 2014. This is a very dark film, both aesthetically and narratively, but the transfer ensures you are getting the most out of every scene. Black levels are appropriately deep and detailed with no discernible digital noise. The image is clean with the reserved color palette saturating the screen. The film deploys occasional splashes of colors within the production design and lighting. The flesh tones are natural with a stellar amount of detail in close-ups. The frame provides an admirable depth to the city as our haunted victim walks through the streets. The production design and fabrics of clothing provide clear textural details. This Blu-Ray is a great representation of the movie.
Audio Quality
This Blu-Ray comes with a faithful DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track in the original French that captures the narrative through nuanced sound design. Dialogue is one of the key elements of the film, and it always comes through clearly without being overshadowed by any competing sounds. There is not much in the way of kinetic moments, but the environmental sounds of the world permeate the surround speakers in a haunting way. Ambient details flesh out the setting during various key moments. The score emanates with rich fidelity on this disc. Certain songs fill the speakers in a wonderful, well-balanced way. Sound effects such as a roaring car engine engage the low end of the track in a way that provides the necessary texture to the proceedings. The audio track easily accomplishes everything it needs to.
Special Features
- Audio Commentary: Film historian Samm Deighan provides a very insightful new commentary in which she discusses the neo-noir aspect of the film, how this fits into the career of Claire Denis, the background of the performers, the use of elliptical narratives, the loose adaptation of William Faulkner, the themes of the film, and so much more that is a vital listen.
- Adapting William Faulkner’s Sanctuary: A new 13-minute visual essay by Alexandra Heller-Nicolas which explores the lurid breakthrough from legendary author William Faulkner, the way it influences Bastards, how the story has been adopted on screen over the years, the thematic explorations, and more.
- Archival Casting Featurette: A 20-minute featurette in which Claire Denis narrates the tests of certain scenes from the production of the film.
- Original Trailer: The nearly two-minute trailer is provided here.
- Booklet: A multi-page booklet featuring the essay “She’s Filled With Secrets” by Madelyn Sutton is provided that offers a deeper analysis of the film that is very valuable.
Final Thoughts
Bastards is a truly disturbing and powerful effort from Claire Denis that looks at the dark soul of humanity with an unsparing eye. Through careful plotting and deliberate revelations, this tale unfurls with a sickly calm that threatens to engulf you in complete despair. The performances are in top form, especially the always-engaging Vincent Lindon. This is not a pleasant watch, but there is much to admire from this masterful filmmaker. IFC Films has released a stellar Blu-Ray featuring a strong A/V presentation and a good selection of supplemental features. If you are a fan of this director, you owe it to yourself to pick this up. Recommended
Bastards is currently available to purchase on Standard Edition Blu-Ray or with a Limited Edition Slipcover exclusively through Vinegar Syndrome.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: IFC Films and OCN Distribution have 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.
