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4K Ultra HD Review: NEWS OF THE WORLD

Mar 21, 2021 Posted by in DVD/Blu-ray, Reviews | Comments

Its been five years since the American Civil War came to an end, and now Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd (Tom Hanks) makes a living by traveling across Texas, reading the news from around the world to anyone with a dime and time to listen. One day, while making his way to his next town, Kidd encounters an upturned wagon and a young girl who doesn’t speak any English. According to the documentation he finds in the wreckage, Johanna’s (Helena Zengel) parents were attacked and killed six years earlier by the Kiowa tribe, and up until three weeks ago, she had been living among the Kiowa believing herself to be one of them—Johanna no longer even recognizes her English name. The army had killed the Indians, and were on their way to return Johanna to her aunt and uncle in Castroville, Texas when their wagon came under attack.

Captain Kidd tries to drop Johanna off with the authorities in the next town, but no one will be available to take her home for three months, and her lack of ability to communicate and wild, rebellious nature proves too much for anyone else to handle. So Kidd decides to make the long, several hundred mile journey himself. But Johanna isn’t really a willing participant, and there is the basic struggle just to communicate with one another. They also face many other dangers along the way. This is a time of great strife and unrest in the nation. Texas has still not joined the Union and political and social conflicts are flaring up in every town. Along their journey, they will encounter thieves, shootouts, dust storms, broken wagons, and more. However, the travelers will also find comfort and support in the kindness of some of the folks Captain Kidd has befriended in his previous travels while delivering the news, or from unexpected new strangers they meet along the way. While the two start off at odds, Captain Kidd and Johanna will learn to communicate and form an unexpected bond as they make their way across the plains.

News of the World is a story about two people who are lost and searching for a sense of home and redemption. At a very young age, Johanna was taken from her home, and now has been orphaned twice. She doesn’t remember her original German language and Captain Kidd doesn’t speak Kiowa, so there is this initial struggle to understand one another. Johanna has also lost any Westernization she may have had in the past—she doesn’t like wearing dresses, or using utensils, and acts out like a wild animal when she is forced to do something she doesn’t like. At the same time, she can also be quite calm and sweet, singing Kiowa songs to herself. Johanna also likes to run off—she is being taken to an aunt and uncle she doesn’t even know, a new home that really has no sense of home to her. Over the course of their journey, and despite the language barrier, Johanna begins to bond with Captain Kidd, and starts to open up and feel a sense of family with him. She starts to remember her traumatic past, something that Captain Kidd knows all too well.

Meanwhile, the war has had its toll on Captain Kidd, both mentally and physically. He is still haunted by the horrible things he saw and did. Five years ago he left his wife to start traveling around sharing the news, but still hasn’t been back to San Antonio since. What is he avoiding, and why doesn’t he want to return home? He now spends his time on the road, traveling from city to city, trying to uplift spirits by sharing the news of the world with folks who otherwise would never know what is going on outside of their small towns. He sees his role as a beacon of light, trying to spread positive, good news in these dark times. Caring for a child is nothing that Captain Kidd ever considered or thought about, but now he feels a sense of responsibility for Johanna and making sure that she is returned safely to her new home.

News of the World contains all the elements of a classic Western. Captain Kidd is an honorable man on a missing to help a young girl get safely to her new home. As they travel across the plains from town to town, he continues to share the news of the world. In these towns, they no only meet up with kind folks from his past, but they also cross paths with some less scrupulous characters, which leads to wagon chases, shootouts and other dangerous situations. Along their journey, Captain Kidd and Johanna also face more natural dangers like dust storms, spooked horses, and runaway/broken wagons. It is a beautifully shot film, with expansive plains, and perfectly recreated small towns that instantly transport the viewer back 150 years. Despite them not speaking the same language, there is this instant chemistry that forms between Captain Kidd and Johanna, and that is thanks to the leads. Tom Hanks is always great in everything he does, and in this film he gives a perfectly layered performance. Hanks is able to subtly convey the emotional and physical toll the war has had on Captain Kidd, while also putting on a positive face, pretending like nothing gets to him. During a tense shootout, Kidd always remains calm and collected, and never lets Johanna see him panic. He takes charge like a soldier, even when he believes all hope is lost. Meanwhile, Helena Zengel often steals her scenes. She has amazing chemistry with Hanks, pulling off physical comedy as well as deeply emotional scenes, all while not even saying a word, or while speaking an unknown foreign language. While a western at heart, the film is very much a bonding road trip movie carried by the strong performances of these two actors.

Universal’s 4K release looks and sounds excellent. The pristine picture looks flawless, with a deep color palette that really captures the beauty of the Texas plains, both in the glaring sunlight as well as in the darkness or dawn. Effects also look seamless and natural, particularly as the travelers find themselves in the middle of a dust storm. The audio track provides clear dialogue and make the the film’s delightful score really shine. The Atmos track also gives a fully-immersive viewing experience, whether it’s the encompassing sounds of the crowds laughing and clapping at Kidd’s news readings, cattle lowing, or the rumble and blowing of winds during the dust storm, the atmosphere of the film really comes to life.

The 4K and Blu-ray discs come packed on either side of a standard 4K keepcase with a slipcover. An insert includes redemption instructions for an 4K Movies Anywhere-compatible digital copy of the film, plus a bonus Universal All-Access Rewards points code that can be used for a free digital movie or towards other rewards. Both discs contain the same assortment of bonus material, which includes a director commentary, 11 minutes of deleted scenes, and almost 30 minutes of behind-the-scenes featurettes with the cast and crew.



What’s Included:

Film: (1:58:15)

    4K Ultra HD:

    • 2160p / Widescreen 2.39:1
    • HDR10
    • Audio: English Dolby Atmos, Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1, French Dolby Digital 5.1
    • Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish, French

    Blu-ray:

    • 1080p / Widescreen 2.39:1
    • Audio: English Dolby Atmos, English DVS (Descriptive Video Service), Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1, French Dolby Digital 5.1
    • Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish, French

    Digital (code may not be valid after 3/31/2022):

Extras:
Play All, or select from:

  • Deleted Scenes (11:16)
    Collection of 7 deleted scenes that play back-to-back without any chapter breaks. These are mostly additional enjoyable moments between Captain Kidd and Johanna, ay of which would have felt welcome in the final cut. There are some incomplete visual effects.
  • Partners: Tom Hanks & Helena Zengel (7:01)
    The cast and filmmakers talk passionately about casting and working with Tom Hanks and Helena Zengel. Includes behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews with director/co-writer Paul Greengrass, producer Gary Goetzman, and stars Tom Hanks (“Captain Kidd”), Helena Zengel (“Johanna”), Elizabeth Marvel (“Mrs. Gannett”), Thomas Francis Murphy (“Mr. Farley”) & Fred Hechinger (“John Calley”).
  • Western Action (7:37)
    The filmmakers discuss some of the movie’s big western action sequences, from shootouts, to dust storms, to wagon crashes, and more. Includes behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews with director/co-writer Paul Greengrass, 2nd unit director Jeff Dashnaw, property master Keith Walters, and star Tom Hanks.
  • Paul Greengrass Makes News of the World (10:59)
    The cast and filmmakers talk about working with director Paul Greengrass, the filming locations and sets, the costumes, the scope of the film, the score, and more. Includes behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews with director/co-writer Paul Greengrass, producers Gary Goetzman, Gregory Goodman & Gail Mutrux, location manager Hilton Clay Peres, assistant location manager Diego Dominguez, costume designer Mark Bridges, production designer David Crank, set decorator Elizbeth Keenan, composer James Newton Howard, and stars Tom Hanks, Helena Zengel, Michael Angelo Covino (“Almay”), Elizabeth Marvel & Fred Hechinger.
  • The Kiowa (3:57)
    The filmmakers talk about working with the Kiowa Nation to make sure their depiction was accurate. Includes behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews with director/co-writer Paul Greengrass, producer Gary Goetzman, Kiowa Elder Dorothy Whitehorse Delaune, and stars Tom Hanks & Helena Zengel.
  • Feature Commentary with Co-Writer/Director Paul Greengrass (1:58:15)
    The writer/director discusses the motivations behind the various scenes, story points, and characters, and shares some behind-the-scenes stories about the production. The commentary can be a bit slow at times, with some gaps of silence.

 


Final Thoughts:

My Rating
Film:
Video:
Audio:
Extras:
Highly Recommended

News of the World is a thoroughly entertaining Western that takes viewers on not only an emotional journey with its two main characters, but is also an exciting and tense action-packed tale of survival across the Texas plains. The film features captivating performances by leads Tom Hanks and Helena Zengel, who have excellent chemistry despite their characters not speaking the same language. Universal’s 4K release features stellar picture and sound, and also includes a nice assortment of bonus material. This release comes highly recommended based on the quity of the film and performances.