‘The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada’ Blu-Ray Review – Neo-Western Tale Is A Gem Waiting To Be Discovered

This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the movie being covered here wouldn’t exist.

Oscar(R) winner Tommy Lee Jones (Best Supporting Actor, The Fugitive, 1993) directs and stars in this poetic and striking modern-day Western. Peter Perkins (Jones) is a veteran cowboy who embodies the values of the old west, living in a small Texas town bordering the U.S. and Mexico. He hires Melquiades Estrada as a ranch hand and quickly befriends the man. But when Estrada is gunned down under mysterious circumstances, Perkins takes justice into his own hands and kidnaps a trigger-happy border patrolman (Barry Pepper, Saving Private Ryan), forcing the patrolman to unearth Estrada’s body and accompany Perkins on horseback on the long and treacherous journey through the frontier mountains and back roads of Mexico to bring his friend’s body home.

For thoughts on The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:

[youtube https://youtu.be/l1PXBES-HHw?t=5038]

Video Quality

The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada debuts on Blu-Ray in its original 2.35:1 aspect ratio from an older master that looks really great. Sony handles the remastering of all of their titles, so it would not surprise us if this was prepared in the few years preceding this release. This is honestly a title crying out for a 4K UHD Blu-Ray release, but we are very excited to have it on Blu-Ray regardless. While we will be the first in line if the film is ever released on that superior format, this high definition upgrade is very welcome and serves this movie very well.

The film grain is natural and consistent while allowing subtle details to shine through in the environment. These tactile elements stand out with welcome clarity, especially in the weathered clothing and elements of the landscapes. Facial features are likewise detailed with stubble standing out alongside natural skin tones. Colors are warm and vibrant as they bring out the full depth of all the hues of the environment. The dusty palette is very particular in its presentation, but the aesthetic is captured favorably. Black levels are pretty deep without any noticeable blocking or compression artifacts. This Blu-Ray is an excellent presentation until we can be blessed with a 4K UHD Blu-Ray release. 

Audio Quality

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment brings us this Blu-Ray with a DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track that captures the reserved sonic ambitions well. Dialogue comes through clearly without being overshadowed by the score or sound effects. The score from Marco Beltrami is essential to establishing the atmosphere of the film, and the gentle tones float out of the speakers with nice fidelity. The environmental effects such as the wind are crisply defined and given a dynamic placement throughout the speakers. The soundscape brings nuanced life to the rear speakers which allows the world to feel expansive and desolate. This is a track that springs to life more than you might expect, and the movie is all the better for it. Sony has done a top tier job with this one. There are optional English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles provided.

Special Features

• Audio Commentary: Director/Actor Tommy Lee Jones and Actors Dwight Yoakam & January Jones deliver a low key and informative commentary track in which they discuss the movie scene by scene including motivations for various elements, how Marco Beltrami came up with certain sounds for the score, the disagreements over the use of pastels in the title treatment, working with local performers, the location shooting and much more. Jones has such a deep knowledge of the cinematic language and a strong creative vision that it is great to hear him throughout. 

• Theatrical Trailer: The two-minute trailer is provided here. 

Final Thoughts

The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada is an under-the-radar neo-western gem which deserves a second chance in the spotlight. Tommy Lee Jones crafts a layered portrait of friendship and moral bankruptcy that blooms in compelling ways. Everyone from the lead roles to the smallest supporting player puts in a great performance which makes the world feel that much more authentic. If this is what Jones can do in the director’s chair, we welcome more from him in this capacity. Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has released a Blu-Ray with a great A/V presentation and an informative commentary track. While a 4K UHD release would have been lovely, we are grateful to finally have this available in high definition. Recommended 

The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada can be purchased directly through MovieZyng or through 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.