Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant follows US Army Sergeant John Kinley (Gyllenhaal) and Afghan interpreter Ahmed (Salim). After an ambush, Ahmed goes to Herculean lengths to save Kinley’s life. When Kinley learns that Ahmed and his family were not given safe passage to America as promised, he must repay his debt by returning to the war zone to retrieve them before the Taliban hunts them down.
For in-depth thoughts on Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant, please see my colleague Lane Mills’ review from its original theatrical release here.
Video Quality
Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant comes to Blu-Ray with a stunning 1080p transfer which comes from a 4K source. MGM and Warner have done this film a disservice by not releasing it on 4K UHD Blu-Ray. The film leans toward the warmer side of the spectrum to suit the environment. The color palette is fairly natural throughout most of the film, but there is not a lot offering pops of color outside of the generally tan environment and outfits.
Black levels hold up well with no glaring instances of black crush present outside of a minimal amount in the very darkest scenes. Digital noise and artifacting are a non-issue with this release. The amount of distinct clarity and detail present on this Blu-Ray is truly a sight to see. Subtle details on faces are amazingly clear and fine texture such as facial hair holds up surprisingly well both in close-ups and long shots. This is a great presentation for a very visually polished film. The only underwhelming element is the fact that this is a film that would have looked incredible on 4K UHD Blu-Ray.
Audio Quality
The Dolby Atmos track is extremely engaging, and it never fails to deliver something truly stellar. The soundscape on display here is very rich with a nuanced design from the harrowing journey. This film is pretty suspenseful with kinetic moments punctuating the narrative and providing a boost to the proceedings. The numerous instances of gunfire in the film pack a punch that you will not soon forget. The finale is especially chaotic and hard hitting in this respect as bullets whizz by from every direction. This especially helpful when the complementary height channels.
The score fills the room admirably without being too overwhelming to the competing elements. Dialogue comes through clearly with none of the information feeling lost to the music in the film or the sound effects. All of the effects have a nice sense of direction within the mix with noises such as the chatter in the vehicle really standing out. The movie uses environmental sounds to great effect, and the track retains strong detail even in the more chaotic developments. The track is a flawless effort throughout the entire runtime. There are optional English SDH and Spanish subtitles provided.
Special Features
There are no special features included on this disc.
Final Thoughts
Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant is a really good chance for the director to stretch his talents a bit and bring a bit of style to a genre that is not always one for grand innovation. This is not a tremendously unique war film by any means, especially when it comes to the finale, but the blend of tonal plasticity and earned emotion brings something enjoyable for audiences. Jake Gyllenhaal gives a truly wonderful performance, and Dar Salim matches him pound for pound. There are some underwhelming elements, but for the most part this is a solid entry into Ritchie’s legacy and the war genre at large. Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has released a Blu-Ray with a great A/V presentation but nothing in the way of special features. If you are a fan of war films or the talent involved, it is worth checking out. Recommended
Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant will be available to purchase on Blu-Ray and DVD on June 20, 2023.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Warner Bros. 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.
