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147 of 172 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
'To this we've come', March 16, 2008
Cormac McCarthy's novel NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN has been successfully transformed into a film in the skilled hands of Ethan and Joel Coen. The story is intact, the characters are given the dialog so uniquely McCarthy's invention, and the horror of the message of the book - that we have come to a point in time when crime, especially random murder, surrounds our lives - is, if anything, even more pungent than on the pages of the book. It is an amazing, and a highly disturbing movie, and while this viewer is one of the few who does not believe it deserved the Oscar for Best Picture, there is little doubt that it is a brilliant piece of cinema.
The story is fairly simple: on the raw plains of Texas a slaughter of men and dogs engaged in a drug deal is discovered by a simple guy Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin). Moss observes the mayhem, sees the drugs, finds the 2 million dollar payoff money, takes the money, and embarks on an escape, leaving his wife Carla (Kelly Macdonald) to escape the pursuit of a mad killer Chigurh (Javier Bardem) who in turn is being pursued by the local sheriff (Tommy Lee Jones) and a hired hitman (Woody Harrelson). The satchel of money contains a tracking device and Chigurh has the instrument necessary to follow the trail the device leads. The remainder of the film is the pursuit both in Texas and in Mexico, accompanied by countless brutal murders of all sorts by the crazed Chigurh, until a surprise ending.
But the toughest part of this violent film is more in the discussion of shared philosophies between the sheriff and his old cronies: they reflect on the sad state of universal crime that is so different and more malevolent than in the 'old days'. The conversations, in the superb dialog of these old men, bring our attention to some realities we would rather not confront, and those realities are even more disturbing than the repeated images of bloated bodies and senseless murders that fill the screen. Jones, Brolin, and Bardem are indeed superb in their roles, but the small cameos of the townsfolk of Texas are little gems of acting and direction. This is a difficult film to watch because of all of the violence, but the message is one we must heed. We may be allowing the creation of 'no country for any men'. Grady Harp, March 08
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14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The 2-Disc Collector's Edition on Blu-ray is the definitive version to own!, April 7, 2009
Violent, dark, gripping and an off-humor tone that is like no other. `NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN' is indeed a Coen Brothers masterpiece!
The film is possibly the most ambitious film from the Award winning filmmakers, Joel and Ethan Coen ("Fargo", "The Big Lebowski", "O Brother, Where Art Thou?", "Raising Arizona") based on the 2005 novel by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Cormac McCarthy. "NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN" was nominated for eight Academy Awards and won four which include "Best Achievement in Directing", "Best Motion Picture of the Year", "Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role" and "Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published".
"NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN" makes its re-appearance on Blu-ray with a new audio track, five hours of bonus footage and a digital copy.
VIDEO & AUDIO:
"NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN" is featured in 1080p High Definition with an aspect ratio of (2:35:1). One thing you will notice is how the colors of the rugged outdoors really pops. The earth tones and its vibrancy during the day, to the dark black and blues during the night. I saw no major artifacting or high grain during the low light conditions.
Also, when you see the characters in High Definition, you see the wrinkles, the pores...very detailed picture quality. Even the people who were shot and killed, good amount of detail in the bullet wounds and showcasing how much detail the crew went into making sure the these wounds look realistic. There is no denying that the picture quality for "NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN" is amazing and right up there with the top tier titles. The backgrounds of Southwest Texas, the multiple colors that showcase the vibrancy of the film, to the dark scenes that exhibit no problems and of course the overall details that you just never think of, are seen quite clearly on this title.
Director of Photography Roger Deakins ("A Beautiful Mind", "O Brother, Where Art Thou?", "The Big Lebowski", "Fargo", "The Shawshank Redemption") continues to be one of the top DP's in the industry and was definitey deserving of an Academy Award nomination for his awesome cinematography.
As for audio, this is where "NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN" takes a big step up to perfection. Buena Vista Home Entertainment made sure the new soundtrack for this second version release utilized an English 5.1 DTS-HD (48 kHz/24-bit) track over the PCM version. And boy, does it make a difference. If you thought the gun shots as the bullets hiss, the rifle shots, a dogs being shot, vehicles moving, those action scenes alone sound clearer and punchier than the previous PCM track. The dialogue is clear and there is just a sense of more clearer sound than the PCM track. Quite frankly, this is the best audio treatment of the film and the last one was magnificent but for this 2-Disc Collector's Edition, audio is excellent!
And again, the film was definitely deserving for its Academy Award nominations for its achievements in Sound and Sound Editing. The crew did a wonderful job!
SPECIAL FEATURES:
This second version Blu-ray release of "NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN" is packed with special features. From December 2007 to February 2008, television, live, online and radio interviews are presented on disc. So, the hardcore filmmaker or the fans of the film definitely have plenty of content to watch and listen to. As mentioned earlier in the review, this 2-Disc Collector's Edition comes with a new audio track, a digital copy of the film and five hours of special features. Included are:
* The Making Of No Country For Old Men - (24:29) A behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to create a Coen Brothers' movie. Featuring interviews with the Coen Brothers, cast and crew. Included on the last Blu-ray but nevertheless, very informative and entertaining to watch. Also, how certain cast members were selected. Surprising especially when you find out that Kelly Macdonald (Carla Jean) is from Scotland and has a strong, thick accent but played the character of a girl with a Southern drawl quite well!
* Working with the Coens - (8:07) The cast and crew of No Country for Old Men talk about working with the legendary duo. It's great to hear the cast and crew talk about working with the brothers and talk about how they want a certain scene a certain way. Fun featurette that was included on the last Blu-ray.
* The Diary of A Country Sheriff - (6 min.) A look at the relationship between Javier Bardem's Anton Chigurh and Josh Brolin's Llewelyn Moss through the eyes of Sheriff Ed Tom Bell (Tommy Lee Jones). A good explanation of how this proud Sheriff who is about to retire notices that he probably is in no league to take on the crimes of today and the types of killers out there. The days of being a sheriff with no weapons are a thing of the past.
* Josh Brolin Unauthorized - (9 min.) An interesting perspective of "behind-the-scenes" as Josh Brolin interviews certain cast members and the crew. A dramatic "behind-the-scenes" featuring the cast members with some sort of an edge. A very interesting featurette.
* Press Timeline - A treasure trove of in-depth interviews and conversations with the Coen Brothers, Tommy Lee Jones, Josh Brolin and Javier Bardem--never before available on disc--offering viewers the most comprehensive look ever at the making of No Country for Old Men. This is where the bulk of the special features are featured and what's so cool is that some of these are online interviews, live with audience interviews, radio interviews, etc.
1. Lunch with David Polan (10/25/07) - 26:21 interview with both Josh Brolin and Javier Bardem.
2. L.A. WGAW - (11/06/07) - 24:13 Q&A Panel featuring the Coen Brothers, Josh Brolin, Javier Bardem and Kelly Macdonald.
3. Variety Q&A - (11/06/07) - 3:08 Feat. interviews hosted by Brian Lowry with Josh Brolin, Javier Bardem and Kelly Macdonald
4. ew.com - Just A Minute - (11/08/07) - 12:55 Feat. interview with Javier Bardem
5. Creative Screen Writing Magazine - (11/09/07) - 21:24 podcast interview with the Coen Brothers.
6. NPR's All Things Considered with Michelle Norris - (11/09/07) - 4:42 - Radio interview
7. ABC Popcorn with Peter Travers - (11/14/07) - 14:51 Interview with Josh Brolin, Javier Bardem and Kelly Macdonald
8. In-Store Appearance (11/20/07) - 40:30 Interviews with Josh Brolin and Javier Bardem
9. Charlie Rose (11/21/07) 22:33 interview with the Coen Brothers
10. WBC Reel Talk with Lyon & Bailes - (12/1/07) 10:00 - A fun interview with Josh Brolin
11. Channel 4 News - (12/16) - 3:45 Preview of the film and brief interviews
12. KCRW - The Treatment with Elvis Mitchell - (12/19) 28:29 Radio interview with the Coen Brothers
13. NPR's Day to Day (1/17) 6:35 Radio interview with Javier Bardem
14. Spike Jonze Q&A (1/27) 1:00:45 Live audience interview with Spike onze with the Coen Brothers, Director of Photography Roger Deakins, Sound Production and Design Production teams
15. NPR's All Things Considered (2/7) 7:44 Radio interview with Executive Producer Scott Rudin
16. NPR's Weekend Addition feat. Scott Simon (2/9) 5:32 Radio interview with the Coen Brothers
* Digital Copy Download
EASTER EGG: Not necessarily a major Easter Egg but on Press Time line, you can select the coin which has the words "Call It Friend O" and the coin will randomly pick an interview.
JUDGMENT CALL:
"NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN" is definitely not a film for the weak hearted. The film has its many layers but I think that Javier Bardem's excellent portrayal of the psychopath Anton Chigurh is going to ruffle some feathers because of his overall look, his demeanor and his eyes of the thrill of a kill, you can't help but think how twisted this character is and for certain characters, who encounter Chigurh, you are at the edge of your seat as he wants to determine the fate if they live or die. It's twisted and his means of killing and the barrage of violence is not going to make the squeamish any happier.
This is possible the Coen Brothers darkest film. Granted "Fargo" was a dark film but "NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN" is well-written, well-acted, well-filmed...it's the Coen Brothers masterpiece extravaganza. Dark humor, violence galore but a well-told plot and characters that you want to watch.
For me, the violence was excessive but it was needed. It was very important to show Chigurh as this psychopath and the level of detail that went into showing those bloody scenes was well done by the crew.
As the Coen Brothers and Javier Bardem did a wonderful job, you also have to give the thumbs up to the other talent.
Josh Brolin being denied an Academy Award nomination was a bit of a shock. Where many people have not been fortunate to get away from Chigurh, the character of Llewelyn Moss was a constant challenge but you actually felt yourself rooting for Moss for a little while.
Tommy Lee Jones as Sheriff Bell was portrayed very well. A World War II Vet and proud Sheriff who is now having to deal with drug deals and mafia style killings, he's not prepared to take on these type of people. This is not the same country he lived in before, it's become dangerous and hence the title "NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN".
I will have to say the shining star was Kelly MacDonald as Carla Jean. At first, you think that the woman is the token broad at the beginning of the film but her final scenes perhaps is a scene that has left many people wondering what happened to her character. It's because her character was able to do something that many of the other characters have not and thus,...
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270 of 349 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
a near-masterpiece, December 8, 2007
In the stylish new Coen Brothers' movie, "No Country for Old Men," the violence is both graphic and coy, both in-your-face and strangely demur in the way it is portrayed. Bit players are frequently blown away in full view of the audience, while key characters often meet their ends off screen, away from the spotlight of the prying camera. For this is the theme of the movie, that violence is arbitrary, capricious and unpredictable, and that things are only going to get worse in a culture that has grown increasingly coarse and indifferent to human suffering over the years.
The "old man" of the title is Ed Tom Bell (Tommy Lee Jones), a small town Texas sheriff who, right on the verge of retirement, has seen a depressing spike in violent crime thanks to the recent proliferation of drug-running from Mexico (the movie takes place in 1980). For this is a "new time" in America, one in which an all-out criminal "war" is being fought, as much on the open plains as in the crowded cities. It is the "old men" like Bell, the last in a long line of old style Texas lawmen, who can no longer recognize their country and who are left to recede into the background bewildered and frustrated by their inability to do anything about it.
As the story opens, a group of men lie dead in a windswept field, victims of a drug deal gone terribly awry. The perpetrator is a psychopath by the name of Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem) who is now wandering the countryside on a random killing spree, dispatching human victims as casually as the rest of us would a mosquito or fly. Llewellyn Moss (Josh Brolin) is a "retired" welder who stumbles upon not only the carnage-strewn scene but a suitcase filled with millions of dollars in unmarked bills. When Moss makes the fatal mistake of taking the loot, he becomes the prime target of Chigurh, who will stop at nothing to get what is rightfully his.
Based on the novel by Cormac McCarthy, "No Country For Old Men" is less notable for its story and characters than for its cinematic naturalism and impressionistic style. Despite having made some truly exceptional films in the past, Joel and Ethan Coen have never been as thoroughly in control of their medium or as supremely confident in their filmmaking as they are here. The first hour, in particular, is such a flawless masterpiece of composition and tone that it will probably be studied as a model in film school courses for years to come. Not since the films of Terrance Malick has landscape been used to more brilliant effect than in the opening section of this work. The setting - so brilliantly captured in Roger Deakins' incisive cinematography and Craig Berkey`s stunning sound design - becomes a palpable presence in its own right and a key player in the drama. The Coens have done their own editing on the film, which explains why the pacing feels like an exquisitely honed piece of music, built on finely calibrated beats and rests, meter and rhythm. The hypnotic, dreamlike quality of the filmmaking carries the story into the realm of archetype and myth which matches perfectly the surrealistic nature of the piece.
Bardem provides a bone-chilling portrait of a human killing-machine whose sole purpose in life is to destroy that which gets in his way (not that he doesn't enjoy killing just for the sheer pleasure of it as well). In Bardem's hands, Chigurh becomes the true incarnation of evil in its darkest form. Jones brings a world-weary gravity to the role of the sheriff, while Brolin, who gets the majority of the screen time in the film, does some of the best work of his career as the man desperate to keep one step ahead of his pursuer.
Perhaps predictably, the movie is not able to sustain the same level of greatness all the way through its running time and there are moments when the filmmakers seem to lose their way somewhat (particularly when Woody Harrelson shows up as a comic-relief bounty hunter). The unresolved ending may frustrate those who don't like any loose ends hanging around at the end of a story, but the inconclusiveness of the conclusion actually adds to the verisimilitude of the movie quite a bit.
Still, even if the movie falters a bit towards the end, there's no denying that "No Country For Old Men" is one of the outstanding films of recent times. In fact, that first hour or so is about as close to perfection as filmmaking is ever likely to get.
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