|
|
|
Wee Man (The)
R2 - United Kingdom - Metrodome Distribution Review written by and copyright: Samuel Scott (20th June 2013). |
|
The Film
 ***This is a technical review only. For reviews on the movie from various critics, we recommend visiting HERE.*** 1970’s Blackhill, Glasgow: 11-year-old Paul Ferris has learned quickly that life on the street is tough. Everyone knows their place. Poverty breeds corruption, crime, violence and bullying. Growing up immersed in a culture of crime, Ferris finally snaps when tormented one too many times by a vicious gang of neighbourhood bullies. In the frustrated knowledge that the law enforcement and police do nothing to help, he decides to take on his tormentors alone and systematically wreak vengeance on them. From this point forward he attracts a street reputation and Ferris is sought out by the ‘Godfather’ of the Glaswegian gangster community, Arthur Thompson Snr. Again ignoring his father’s advice, he starts to work for the gangland boss, rising through the ranks until a chain of events explodes the world of crime and corruption into an all out gang war.
Video
Metrodome Distribution present "The Wee Man" in the original aspect ratio of 2.35:1, and even if it isn't a spectacular transfer, it's a very good one. The first few scenes which are set when Paul Ferris is just a young boy, aren't quite as good as the rest of the feature, with background detail sometimes lacking, and general sharpness, particularly when young Ferris is with his dog, somewhat lower than should be expected for such a new feature. Outside of these minor problems, the picture quality is fine. Facial detail is surprisingly strong, even when scenes have been purposely lighted in an uneven manner. Colours suit the settings, with oranges and browns prominent in the 70s decor, greys and blues in the prison, and good definition in the many shades of black and grey used to give the dark 'underworld' tone. Overall, the transfer looks natural and (for 95% of the time) sharp - just a shame it falters slightly in earlier scenes. The disc is PAL format and the feature runs 101:16.
Audio
There are two audio tracks included here: - English Dolby Digital 5.1 - English Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo I opted for the Dolby Digital 5.1 track for my viewing and was quietly impressed. Although the surrounds could've been used a little more for effects outside of gunfire and explosions, the score makes full use of them. There is a nice touch as the camera slowly closes in towards a funeral cortege, panning around a car with bodies in, as the ring of a mobile phone moves to different speakers as required, depending on the location of the camera. As should be expected for a recent movie, there are no signs of damage to the audio, with no dropouts, scratches, or signs of background hiss. Dialogue is clear at all times, though some may find the heavy Glaswegian accents difficult to understand on occasion. No subtitles have been included.
Extras
The first extra is an audio commentary with writer/director Ray Burdis. Now, I'm sure Mr. Burdis is a perfectly nice guy, and I'm a fan of his in general, but there are two simple rules one should follow when recording a commentary: talk, and be enthusiastic. These rules are even more important on a solo track. It starts off okay, with Burdis talking about the opening credits being a homage to the underrated Donnie Brasco, but then there is an eight minute gap before he talks again. I was even beginning to think that my check disc had an authoring error at one point. Anyway, Burdis is boring in this track. His voice is monotonous and he doesn't even speak for 95% of the movie. It's an interesting story and I'm sure Burdis would've had meetings with Paul Ferris throughout pre-production and production, but he doesn't appear to want to tell us anything! A wasted opportunity. Next up, another solo commentary, this time with actor Martin Compston who plays Paul Ferris. He begins the track by informing us that he has never recorded one before so he has no idea what he is supposed to talk about, but he did a good job. There are some quiet moments but nowhere near as many as in the first track. Compston obviously enjoyed his time on the film, has respect for those he worked with, and manages to touch on the majority of aspects of the story. It does seem as though he recorded this without any preperation, totally on the fly, and with this, comes a more sociable track with a little humour injected along the way, even if he does stumble along the way. The most interesting part of the commentary is Compston telling us about the crew not being allowed to film in Scotland (this was shot in Bowe, London). I listen to a lot of commentaries, and this one is decent, especially for a first effort, let alone a solo one. The "Behind the Scenes" featurette (20:17) is exactly what it says on the tin. It shows movie footage (both finished and behind the scenes), interspersed with interview segments from various cast and crew members. It's a little bit of a back-slapping affair, but it's a well produced piece that you would more likely see on the BBC than on MTV. The extras round up with a couple of start-up trailers: - "Rise of the Footsoldier: Extreme Edition" (1:49) - "St. Georges Day" (1:53)
Overall
|
|||||
|