Will (Winston Duke) and Kyo (Benedict Wong) spend their days in a remote outpost watching the live Point of View (POV) on TV’s of people going about their lives, until one subject perishes, leaving a vacancy for a new life on earth. Soon, several candidates — unborn souls — including Emma (Zazie Beetz) and Kane (Bill Skarsgård) arrive at Will’s to undergo tests determining their fitness, facing oblivion when they are deemed unsuitable. But Will soon faces his own existential challenge in the form of free-spirited Emma, a candidate who is not like the others, forcing him to turn within and reckon with his own tumultuous past. Fueled by unexpected power, he discovers a bold new path forward in his own life. Making his feature-film debut after a series of highly acclaimed and award-winning short films and music videos, Japanese Brazilian director Edson Oda delivers a heartfelt and meditative vision of human souls in limbo, aching to be born against unimaginable odds, yet hindered by forces beyond their will…
For in-depth thoughts on Nine Days, please see my colleague Dom Fisher’s review from its original theatrical release here.
Video Quality
Nine Days comes to Blu-Ray in a 1080p presentation that is truly stunning. This is a visually involved film with wonderfully composed shots of the precise production design of the house throughout where you can see an incredible amount of detail. The film is not bursting with vivid colors, but there are specific moments that radiate warmth such as the recreations of the dream moments. The interiors are razor sharp in their clarity with objects maintaining their form even in the darkest corners of the rooms. The white levels are handled beautifully, along with the intensely deep blacks that do not appear to suffer from any compression artifacts. The skin tones look very detailed and natural all around. This presentation is definitely a knockout on the Blu-Ray format.
Audio Quality
The Blu-Ray disc comes with a DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track that conjures a very specific mood that transports you right into this world. The luscious score from Antonio Pinto is showcased beautifully here with a gently enveloping use of the surround speakers. The dialogue comes through crystal clear without ever being overpowered by the sound effects or the score. The sound design is just as precisely thought-out as the on screen visuals with all of the sounds positioned just right in the mix. The environmental effects create a really dynamic soundscape with sounds emanating from distinct points. This is not an action-heavy film, so the activity in the low end is nearly nonexistent throughout the presentation. This is a lovely sounding release that brings the movie to life in a really beautiful way.
Special Features
- The Making Of Nine Days: A ten-minute featurette in which the cast and crew discuss the origins of the story, what drew the talent to the project, the personal connections with the material, the characteristics of each character, the shooting locations and much more. There are some decent insights, but I personally crave much more.
- Theatrical Trailer: The lovely two-minute trailer is provided here.
Final Thoughts
Nine Days is one of the strongest directorial debuts that has been seen on screen in some time. The script contains the type of inventive and introspective ideas that you crave more of from cinema. The flawless ensemble brings these overwhelmingly moving moments to life on screen in a way that will leave you reeling long after the credits have finished rolling. Sony Picture Home Entertainment has released a Blu-Ray featuring a stellar A/V presentation, but not much in the way of special features. For my money, this is the best film that has been released all year, and it is one that will enrich your life if you carve out the time to view it. Essential
Nine Day will be available to purchase on Blu-Ray, DVD and Digital on November 2, 2021.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Sony 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.
Check out Dillon’s interview with director Edson Oda here
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
