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Slumdog Millionaire Blu-ray review

The Movie

The story of Slumdog Millionaire is, oddly enough, something you could easily see becoming a movie. A little heralded, straight-to-DVD movie; an executive taking a chance by putting it out in theaters; that same film dominating the Academy Awards, and becoming one of the best films of the year, making a star of its young leading actor. Sounds Hollywood, doesn't it?

It's odd for a movie to become so inexplicably popular, but Slumdog did it. While I did (and do) love the movie -- and consider it one of the best films of 2008 -- I have to step out on a limb here and state, on the record, that I do think the movie is overrated. Good? Yes. Great? Close. The best movie of 2008? Not quite.

Still, Slumdog is a fantastic movie the first time you experience it.

The story revolves around Jamal Malik, a young man from the slums of Mumbai, suddenly finding himself in the hot seat on India's version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? Inexplicably, Jamal seems to know the answers to every question. Accused of cheating, he's taken to a secure location, where the police "interview" him to get a confession. Of course, it turns out Jamal isn't cheating; rather, the answers to the questions come from his own life experiences. And what a life this young slumdog has led!

The film plays artfully between past and present. In one moment, you'll witness Jamal being "questioned," and in the next you'll witness a much younger Jamil having to find a way to survive in the world, as many poor orphans (and non-orphans) are forced to do in India's slums. Along for the ride are Jamal's older brother, Salim, and the girl he knew since childhood, Latika. Starting out as homeless, penniless, hopeless orphans, the seesawing chronological tale shows the ways life can treat a young slumdog, and Jamal and Salim play perfect foils to one another; Jamal is the boy who desires to escape and avoid a life of crime in favor of moderate living, while Salim is slowly enticed by illegal workings and the gangster lifestyle.

As the film progresses, director Danny Boyle (yes, the same guy from the zombie flicks) takes us to places in India we may have seen in books, but that we've never seen before. Aside from the well weaved story, Slumdog's true charm comes from the feeling it exudes. On one hand a familiar world we can understand; on the other something so different that it may shock or disgust more sheltered viewers.

Ultimately, Slumdog is one of those "feel good" movies that, at the end, makes you smile. Is the journey always happy? No. But, as I'm sure you'll be able to ascertain, the ending certainly leaves off on an overall happy note. There are a few problems with the narrative here and there, but overall, the story is solid, it leaves you feeling good, and there are only minor issues. The biggest issue, perhaps, is that once you've seen it, you can never see it the same way again. Some movies get better with repeat viewings -- some stay roughly the same. Slumdog Millionaire, however, is markedly lessened with each viewing. Maybe it's because, after seeing it, the strange and unfamiliar sights and culture aren't so strange and unfamiliar anymore?

The Disc

Audio and Video

One of Danny Boyle's signatures is using various types of cameras and films when shooting, resulting in scenes that look entirely unique to the rest of the movie. That strategy is employed in full force in Slumdog Millionaire, and never has it looked so good. The transfer to Blu-ray is spectacular, and near-reference quality. Colors are vivid, blacks are deep, and certain scenes look incredibly realistic. The only problem I noticed was, in some scenes, grain seemed to be a bit more present, and less an artistic use and more a technical limitation. There's also a problem with bloom in some scenes, but nothing too worrying.

Those two issues are minor, and on the whole the video of Slumdog Millionaire on Blu-ray is as close to reference quality as you can get. It just misses the boat, but it's definitely one of the best looking films to come out so far this year.

If the video is near-reference, the audio is above and beyond reference quality. I knew the movie (and soundtrack) sounded good when I saw it in theaters, but who knew it could sound better in my living room! Presented in DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 Surround, the audio is easily the best part of this release. Surrounds are employed to a great extent, really capturing the feel of urban slums. If it has one drawback, it's that it can be too loud -- too overbearing -- at times. With all of the little sounds going on in every scene, it's easy to want to turn it up to fully hear the atmosphere. But a minute later, the bass will kick in, or some foreground sound will increase, and suddenly you'll find yourself fumbling with the remote so you don't agitate your neighbor. (Although, if you live in a city maybe you can convince them the noise is coming from outside...)

Extras

The extras include the fare you'd expect with a release like this, but little of what you'd hope to see. To start off, there's the mandatory commentaries, the main one being by Danny Boyle and Slumdog star Dev Patel. Boyle goes on and on about the making of the movie and generally covers everything with a thick layer of enthusiasm, but Patel only offers a few real interesting tidbits, likely since he's not used to this sort of thing yet.

Next you have the deleted (and extended) scenes. A majority of the running time is spent extending scenes currently in the movie, but there are some worthy deleted ones that should be watched, including more fleshing out of Jamal and Salim's teenage years. Nothing that will alter how you view the picture, but worth watching for fans and non-fans alike.

Then, there's my favorite, "Slumdog Dreams," which is the "making of" of Slumdog Millionaire. It gives an interesting look at some of the challenges a Western crew faced filming in Mumbai, as well as some of the unexpected problems that arose. Not too long (at a little over 20 minutes), but entertaining and informative.

In a move that may surprise many people, Slumdog Millionaire actually has Blu-ray exclusive features! One of them ("from script to screen") is short, clcoking in at about 5 minutes, but the other is substantially longer. Unfortunately, it's a very specific piece for a very specific audience. Titled "Manjha," the short black and white film (about 40 minutes running time) follows an actual slumdog through the streets of Mumbai, as he struggles to survive along with his baby sister. A fantastic story and one that must be told... But compared to the movie, a little -- make that a lot -- dark. If Slumdog made you happy and romanticize slums, then this will bring you back to earth.

Verdict

Slumdog Millionaire may not have been my favorite movie of 2008, but it's still a fantastic film. Sadly, there aren't as many extras for a Best Picture winner as I'd hope, but maybe we'll get the No Country treatment and see a special edition down the line. Until then, if you haven't seen Slumdog yet, this is by far the best way to do so. The film looks gorgeous, sounds bloody fantastic, and is a very inviting tale with enough character development to satisfy even the most jaded of critics. If you already saw it in theaters and were hoping for a few hours of extra material, I'm sad to say you'll have to keep waiting. In the meantime, still give picking this one up a thought. It may not have been my Best Picture for 2008, but so far it's easily the Best Blu of 2009. (So far.)

Movie Score: 4 / 5
Disc Score: 4.5 / 5
Overall Score: 4.5 / 5

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