Kern County Deputy Sheriff Joe “Deke” Deacon (Denzel Washington) is sent to Los Angeles for what should have been a quick evidence-gathering assignment. Instead, he becomes embroiled in the search for a killer who is terrorizing the city. Leading the hunt, L.A. Sheriff Department Sergeant Jim Baxter (Rami Malek), impressed with Deke’s cop instincts, unofficially engages his help. But as they track the killer, Baxter is unaware that the investigation is dredging up echoes of Deke’s past, uncovering disturbing secrets that could threaten more than his case.
For in-depth thoughts on The Little Things, please see my colleague Kevin Dawson’s review from its original theatrical release here.
Video Quality
The Little Things comes to Blu-Ray with a stunning 1080p transfer, which comes from a 4K source. Once again, Warner has treated a film that is tailor-made for the 4K UHD Blu-Ray experience poorly by not releasing it on that format. The film leans toward the cooler side of the spectrum with blue and grey tones taking more of a precedent in the presentation. The color palette is fairly neutral throughout most of the film, but there are the occasional pops of color, such as certain costume pieces, elements of the production design and even a key piece of evidence. Black levels hold up well with no glaring instances of black crush present. 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 something to behold. 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 drawback is the fact that this is a film that would have looked incredible on 4K UHD Blu-Ray.
Audio Quality
The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track is extremely engaging, and it never fails to deliver something truly stellar. It may only be viewed as a disappointment when compared to what we could have had with a Dolby Atmos presentation. The soundscape on display here is very rich with a nuanced design from the varied settings. This film is mostly suspenseful with dramatic revelations driving the narrative, but there are moments where certain kinetic sequences arise to provide a boost to the proceedings. The instances of gunfire in the film pack a punch that you will not soon forget. The unsettling score fills the room quite well without being too overwhelming to the competing elements. Dialogue comes through crystal clear 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 of a news conference 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 a knockout throughout the entire runtime.
Special Features
- The Little Things – Four Shades of Blue: A nine-minute look at the role of law enforcement in Denzel’s filmography as shown through his work in Ricochet, Fallen, Training Day and The Little Things. There are some interesting insights from the creative team behind The Little Things as to what this film means in the larger context of the world at the moment.
- A Contrast In Styles: An eight-minute featurette which discusses the production and chemistry of the cast members, as well as specific choices within each performance. This is pretty standard stuff but fairly entertaining. The most interesting discussions are in regards to Leto.
Final Thoughts
The Little Things seems like a slam-dunk on paper with the combination of its all-star cast and eerie subject matter, but all of the individual elements do not quite come together in a way that is satisfying. Jared Leto seems to be the only person giving his crazy best to the film, as Denzel Washington feels as if he is on autopilot and Rami Malek is acting in a different movie than everyone else. The movie is not a total misfire, but it misses the mark compared to its potential. Warner Bros. have given the film a Blu-Ray with a perfectly pleasing A/V presentation and a couple of decent special features. If you are a fan of the film, the the technical presentation should more than satisfy in the absence of a 4K UHD Blu-Ray release.
The Little Things will be available to purchase on Blu-Ray and DVD on May 4, 2021. The film is currently available on Digital.
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.
