Road to Perdition Blu-ray Review

Three quarters into Road to Perdition (2002) , professional thug/hit-man Micheal Sullivan (Tom Hanks) is enlightened by a benevolent stranger as to how his son dotes on him but he is blind to the affection. Here lies the turning point of director Sam Mendes’ (American Beauty) graphic novel inspired slice of depression era film noir that is soaked to the point of drowning in themes of Fathers and Sons. After a heartbreaking tragedy forces the duo to flee for their lives from surrogate father/organized crime boss John Rooney (Paul Newman) and his dangerously inept offspring Connor (Daniel Craig), Sullivan and son Micheal Jr. learn to bond and lovingly accept each other, character flaws and all.

Before taking in Paramount’s Blu-ray, it had been eight years since I last visited the film theatrically, which at the time left little impression upon me. While the heavy-handed parent/child motif wears much better (still somewhat obvious but more forgivable), my growing admiration of Tom Hank’s everyman roles highlights him as the glue that steadfastly holds together the narrative. Disappearing into his portrayal to the point I was absorbed watching a humble assassin/parent dichotomy play out, Hank really does carry Perdition’s core story. Not that we should slight the supporting actors for which Newman and Craig both deliver authentic efforts, though Jude Law as demented crime scene photographer/hired gun, Harlan Maguire, who as pursuer and thematic foil to Sullivan Sr., easily ranks alongside Hanks for acting merits.

Most importantly, my new found appreciation of the late Conrad Hall’s cinematography (who received the academy award for his work here) makes me wonder how I utterly missed this aspect on my initial viewing. The coloring and composition of single shots are so sumptuous they could be framed and while in motion capture a mythic feel of how 1930’s middle America exists in our cultural memory. For the rare instances where I found myself impatient with the explicit story, I was able to relax into Hall’s visual tapestry which, while telling its own tale, seamlessly integrates with the acting to construct Road to Perdition’s rewarding cinematic experience.

High-Def Presentation

Paramount’s 1080p transfer makes for one admirable, albeit gritty, Blu-ray. Sporting a subdued palette with precise, subtle lighting, director Mendes comments that cinematographer Conrad Hall was leaning towards a Black&White aesthetic although making a color feature. Film grain is noticeable throughout (lending an era appropriate feel) though well compressed and only in rare dark shots becoming a bit distracting. Brighter lit scenes showcase noticeable detail and depth, while my nitpicks are a few moments of softness that seem out of the norm, rare specks/dirt on the print and a bit of black crush/washed out blacks in the numerous darker scenes (which for the most part are competently rendered). Though I’ll reiterate I was digging for defects, so I suspect fans of the film will be very happy with Perdition’s striking high-def debut.

The 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack is one of the more organically immersive I’ve heard in quite some time. It is consistently enveloping with the foreboding score washing over you through both front and rears, integrating with top notch separation and directionality from environmental and action effects. Rain sloshes from every direction while thunder rumbles in the distance balanced against subwoofer invoking gunshots and the clanking of shells hitting the ground. And at no point does dialog get lost in the busy mix. A perfect example is the scene where Sullivan visits the night club owner where beneath the conversation you hear the thumping of music distant through the walls before the powerhouse crackle of gunfire erupts moving through your speakers to match the perspective of the camera. This lossless audio is impressive throughout and never gimmicky with several scenes of demo quality.

Beyond the Feature

Extras from the DVD edition are ported over (in standard-def) including a Director Commentary from Sam Mendes, the featurette Making of Road to Perdition (25:04), 11 Deleted Scenes (22:16) with optional director commentary, and the Theatrical Trailer (2:52).

Three HD supplements are new to the BD: Introduction by Director Sam Mendes (1:18, HD) is optional before the movie where he comments on being skeptical about Blu-ray as a format till seeing the detail (specifically every last rain drop) in the final confrontation between Sullivan and Rooney. A Cinematic Life: The Art and Influence of Conrad Hall (26:39, HD) is a fascinating overview of the 40-plus year career and impact of the renowned cinematographer with reminiscences from Hall’s son, Sam Mendes and several well known directors of photography. Two of the three academy awards Hall won were for work with Mendes on American Beauty and this film, which was sadly his last before passing. The Library: A Further Exploration of the World of Road To Perdition contains 40ish minutes of interesting content but is a bit too clever with its functionality. Four subject areas (Crime Scene Portraits, Read World Organized Crime, News Stories of the Day, Inspiration and Adaptation) are covered where you have to use your remote to navigate between each which then breaks into two to four sub-areas for investigation in a window a quarter the size of your screen. The feature explores real life and graphic novel inspirations, juxtaposing interviews from Mendes and the novel’s writer and illustrator with movie stills/footage and comic book drawings. There is much worthy content here but gets tiresome clicking every few minutes to advance to the next topic and would have worked better as a cohesive video.

It was a pleasure to rediscover Road to Perdition on Blu-ray. While I’m still not as taken by the depth of the story as many reviewers, the solid acting and, more so, gorgeous cinematography make for gratifying viewing. Paramount compliments extras from their DVD with a few new HD features (“the Library” navigation does leave something to be desired). Though top honors for this high-def package go to the 1080p transfer that brings to life Conrad Hall’s exquisite visuals and one of the more authentic 5.1 lossless experiences to be had on BD.

– Robert Searle

TheHDRoom may be paid a small commission for any services or products ordered through select links on this page.

TheHDRoom