“No Country for Old Men” is one of those films that will forever be remembered in the hearts of filmgoers without any clear reason as to why it’s so memorable. The film dances the line between being a western, a thriller, a dark comedy, and an action/adventure movie. This is one movie that tries to do it all and succeeds.
“No Country for Old Men” is the story of Sheriff Ed Tom Bell and the changes in the world about him. The film begins with a botched drug buy. Sheriff Bell then finds a slew of bodies that lead to a killer using weapons that Bell is unfamiliar with. On his journey to finding the mysterious killer, Sheriff Bell comes to the realization that the world about him has moved on and he hasn’t.
Like most Coen brothers films, No Country is about the average person in America dealing with unusual circumstances. Javier Bardem plays the mysterious killer Anton Chigurh. His expressions, the way he speaks, and his actions make him one of the most feared and memorable on-screen villains since Hannibal Lecter. We don’t know much about Chigurh’s background, but through certain dialogue sequences we are introduced to Chigurh’s personality and life philosophies. The intense scene of Chigurh at the Texaco gas station says it all. Chigurh holds a whole conversation that leads up a climactic tale about a quarter’s journey around the world. That quarter holds the key to one person’s life. This is one of the reasons why the Coen brothers are two of the best directors of the present day. They turned a simple conversation into one filled with uneasy fear. As a sidenote, I wonder if Chigurh was a Batman fan, living out his dreams of being Two-Face.
This film is a must watch in Blu-Ray HD with surround sound. The brilliant diegetic sound resounds so strongly in your heart that you’ll skip the bathroom break just to hear each well-paced footstep.
“No Country for Old Men” is timeless in its brilliantly laid out poignant tale. The Coen brothers take their time with every scene, ensuring that the viewers are fully immersed in this vividly dreadful, yet darkly humorous tale. I was upset to see that there was a PSA at the start of the film when I clicked play. The fact that the Blu-Ray Collector’s Edition would come with a PSA in the actual feature felt like a poor choice on the part of Miramax.
The Blu-Ray release is packed with what can only be considered too many special features. You have everything from your typical “making of” video to what feels like every interview conducted with cast and production. This is definitely a great value for any Coen Brother fan and a great jumping on point for any would-be Bardem loyalist.
Special Features:
- The Making of ‘No Country for old Men’
- Working with the Coens
- The Diary of a Country Sheriff
- Josh Brolin’s Unauthorized Behind-The-Scenes
- Q & A with Joel and Ethan Coen, Roger Deakins and the Sound and Production Design Crews
- Charlie Rose featuring Joel and Ethan Coen, Josh Brolin and Javier Bardem
- EW.com “Just a minute … with Javier Bardem”
- Variety Screening Series Q & A
- Instore Appearance with Javier Bardem and Josh Brolin
- ABC “Popcorn” video
- Channel 4 News – Joel and Ethan Coen Appearance
- Lunch with David Poland – IKLIPZ – Javier Bardem and Josh Brolin Interview
- WNBC Reel Talk with Lyons & Bailes – Josh Brolin
- LA WGAW Q & A Panel
- Disc 2 – Digital Copy
- And six Additional Audio Interviews
Title: : No Country for Old Men (2-Disc Collector’s Edition Blu-Ray)Starring: Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin, Woody Harrelson, Kelly MacDonald
Directors: Joel Coen and Ethan Coen
Studio: MIRAMAX
Release Date: April 7, 2009
Rating: 9.0 / 10
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