Drive (2011) | Blu-ray Review
By thisguyoverhere | January 11, 2012
Cast: Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan, Albert Brooks
Directed by: Nicolas Winding Refn
Written by: Hossein Amini
Genre: Crime
Rating:
Video:
Audio: 1/2
Extras: 1/2
Value:
Review:
Video:
Sony’s high definition presentation of Drive is something to behold. It packs a wallop with its tactile textures, vibrant colors (particularly in facial tones), and it’s broad range of contrast. There are quite a number of dimly lit scenes, particularly the dark of the interior of the car, that display an amazing quality of blacks that are as deep as they can run, while never overwhelming with murkiness. The picture is also clear and void of any debris, and no compression has compromised the image in bringing this to home video. It’s quite a beautiful thing.
Presented in 1080p 2.39:1 aspect ratio.
Drive (2011) | Carey Mulligan and Ryan Gosling
Audio: 1/2
It may or may not seem like it, but Drive’s sound design is essential to the movie’s success, and thankfully it has been preserved with the utmost care. The opening ten minutes of the film paints a grand picture for the rest of the film, providing nuanced and grandiose sound design, dialogue (though minimal), and heart-thumping music over the opening credits. Though the bass doesn’t have quite as much of an impact as it did in the theater, particularly in the second chase sequence, owners of impressive sound systems probably won’t be able to tell the difference. Overall, this is a very fine demonstration worthy audio track.
English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
Extras: 1/2
The special features here are scant, but very informative. An audio commentary would have been very appreciated, however there is quite a lot of information packed into a small amount of features.
I Drive (HD, 05:26)
The cast and producers speak about the story of Drive, and director Nicolas Winding Refn.
Under the Hood (HD, 11:50)
The cast, writer, and producers discuss working on Drive, as well as with each other.
Driver and Irene (HD, 06:14)
The cast, writer, and producers talk about the love story that underlines Drive.
Cut to the Chase (HD, 04:35)
The producers and second unit director reveal the choreography that went into the design of the three different car chases in the film.
Drive Without a Driver: Q&A with Nicolas Winding Refn (HD, 25:41)
Director Nicolas Winding Refn reveals anecdotes on how Drive was made, how he approached the content, and was able to realize his vision.
BD Live Enabled
Value:
While the supplements department is less than ample, the picture and audio quality of this disc more than make up for any indiscretions. The extras do pack a lot of insight into a small amount of time though, and shouldn’t be underestimated. Overall, this is a very high quality release that can easily get my highest recommendation.
Will There Be A Double Dip?
If ever there were a film that would find its legs on home video, it feels like Drive would be it. With that in mind, it’s quite possible that down the line there might be a retrospective version that is released with additional supplements, though for how busy these filmmakers are, I would highly doubt that they would sit down for a commentary track or additional interviews. I’d say that even if there was another version of this disc to be released in the next few years, it still couldn’t look or sound as great as it already does.
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