Based on the novel by Vladimir Nabakov and set in the late 1920s, THE LUZHIN DEFENCE tells the story of a shambling, unworldly chess Grand Master who arrives in the Italian Lakes to play the match of his life and unexpectedly finds the love of his life. But it is a world he is not equipped to deal with, and his two worlds collide to tragic effect.

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[youtube https://youtu.be/e75oPdYf6F0?si=7M0yjBKJROgfqwY9&t=2533]

Video Quality

The Luzhin Defence debuts on Blu-Ray in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio from a master that holds up quite well, but we see room for improvement. Sony handles the remastering of all of their titles, and this one appears to be derived from an older source that could use a refresh. Highlights do hold firm without veering into blooming, and black levels are decent without traces of significant blocking or compression artifacts. Some shadowy moments struggle somewhat, but this is far from a consistent issue.

The rich natural film grain present resolves evenly without swarming or clumping while bringing forth sumptuous detail. Facial features are tactile in close-up shots with makeup finely textured alongside natural skin tones. The picture overall has a softer appearance that struggles with acute clarity, especially in the texture of the costumes and the production design. There are lovely hues within the clothing and landscapes that make an impression with the colors naturally saturating the frame. This presentation provides a fine HD transfer, but we would not be opposed to seeing it remastered in the future.

Audio Quality

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment delivers a Blu-Ray with a DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track that handles this material without a hiccup. Dialogue emanates clearly without being drowned out by the score from Alexandre Desplat or any environmental effects. This is not the most bustling track, but the nuances keep things sonically engaging. The sounds in the rear speakers provide a thoughtful expansion of the spaces. The environmental effects are gently defined and given a careful placement throughout the speakers. Sony has done a lovely job with this one. There are optional English, English SDH, French, and Spanish subtitles provided.

Special Features

Audio Commentary: Director Marleen Gorris provides a steady commentary track that is very informative in which she discusses the production of the film, shooting in the childhood home of a famous director, the larger idea behind certain scenes, working with a chess master to get all of the moves right, working with the performers, the score from Alexandre Desplat, and more that is well worth a listen.

Making-Of Featurette: A three-minute featurette in which the cast and creative team discuss the movie in very broad terms.

Theatrical Trailer: A two-and-a-half-minute trailer is provided.

Final Thoughts

The Luzhin Defence is an uneven balance of historical drama and sweeping romance that is not completely satisfying on either point. From a character analysis standpoint, you do get a pretty good sense of what events have led to this genius struggling with his mental health, a storyline that works in tandem with the conventions of a sports drama. Where the film stumbles is in the depiction of the romance, as you are not given a good foundation to believe these two should be together. Everything happens so quickly and unbelievably that not even the presence of the great John Turturro and Emily Watson can completely sell it. Some moments work here, but nothing functions as well as it should on paper. Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has released a Blu-Ray with a good enough A/V presentation and some fine special features. This is still worth seeking out if you have affection for the performers. Recommended

The Luzhin Defence can be purchased directly through MovieZyng or various other online retailers.

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.