BELFAST is a poignant story of love, laughter and loss in one boy’s childhood amid the music and social tumult of the late 1960s. Buddy’s family lives in a largely Protestant district with a few Catholic families, but one day his community and everything he thought he understood about life is suddenly turned upside down. Buddy’s family gets caught in the mayhem and must decide to stay or leave the only place they have ever called home. Through it all, his passionate parents (Balfe and Dornan) and quick-witted grandparents (Dench and Hinds) keep the joy alive through music and the magic of movies in this feel-good story that reminds us that no matter how far you go, you never forget where you came from.
For in-depth thoughts on Belfast, please see my colleague Dom Fisher’s review from its original theatrical release here.
Video Quality
Belfast arrives on Blu-Ray courtesy of Universal Studios Home Entertainment with a stellar AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 2.39:1. The lovely black-and-white photography has some nice contrast and natural gradients. There are a couple bursts of color during the opening sequence that add a bit of visual flair which pop off the screen. Facial features appear very natural across the entire cast with even the most minor details on display. The level of detail in this presentation remains as strong as ever, as all of the subtle aspects of the costumes and production design are razor sharp. Black levels are appropriately deep and give way to a nice amount of detail in shadows. The bright whites do not fall victim to any blooming in this presentation. There are no egregious instances of aliasing or compression artifacts detectable here. This Blu-Ray is simply gorgeous as Universal continues to impress with its output.
Audio Quality
The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track is extremely engaging, and it never fails to deliver something truly immersive. The Oscar-nominated soundscape on display here is very rich with a nuanced design from beginning to end. This film is far from a full-throttle action film, but there are numerous moments such as an opening mob scene which pack a bigger punch than you might expect. The numerous explosions in the beginning will get your pulse racing immediately. Dialogue comes through crystal clear with none of the information feeling lost to the music in the film or the sound effects. The soundtrack and score maintain their fidelity without being too overwhelming to the competing elements. All of the effects have a nice sense of direction within the mix with noises such as crowds chanting really springing to life. The movie uses environmental sounds to great effect, and the track retains strong detail even in the more chaotic developments. The track is an assured effort from start to finish.
Special Features
- Audio Commentary: Writer and director Kenneth Branagh delivers a pretty solid commentary track in which he discusses the numerous personal elements folded into the film, the music of Van Morrison, the performances from the cast young and old, the larger thoughts behind certain creative choices and more.
- Alternate Ending: A six-minute alternative ending which shows a grown-up version of the main character played by Branagh returning to Belfast. This would have been an incredible misfire and it is very lucky we did not get this in the final version. This is presented with an optional audio commentary by Branagh in which discusses exactly why they decided against the ending and how the script was originally structured.
- Deleted Scenes: Three minutes of unused material is provided here including a scene in which Buddy is revolted by a certain “delicacy”, a scene of Ma working at a shop and more. This is also provided with optional commentary from Branagh in which he discusses some ties to his real life.
- A City of Stories – The Making of Belfast: A ten-minute featurette in which the cast and crew discuss the personal nature of the story, the importance of cinema to a burgeoning mind, ties to characters, creating the settings, the magic of Belfast and more.
- Everyone’s Inner Child: A two-minute piece in which the cast and crew reflect on various elements of their childhood. There are some fun anecdotes shared in here.
Final Thoughts
Belfast is a perfectly enjoyable and illuminating look back at a contentious point in history that is given a much-appreciated personal touch by writer and director Kenneth Branagh. While not exactly one of the best films of the year, the guiding hand of this movie is assured and grounds the action within the emotions. The entire cast are very charming in their roles and handle the material well, especially young Jude Hill. Universal Pictures Home Entertainment has released a Blu-Ray featuring a terrific A/V presentation and a nice assortment of special features. If you are a fan of family dramas, this one is worth a watch. Recommended
Belfast 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: Universal Pictures 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.
