Seraphim Falls

For a pursuit film, though, "Seraphim Falls" doesn't always maintain its tension, and that's my main quarrel with it. I'd also prefer a little more back story, because the struggle that these two characters are engaged in doesn't seem as epic as it might have had we learned more about them--their thoughts, their feelings, their previous lives. As it is, it's a little too minimalist for my tastes, but still engaging--especially the scenes where nature is as much of a killer as anyone. Fans of intelligent movie-fare will appreciate the symbolism as well, with the title hinting that one or both of these men is a fallen angel. One of the men is even named for the most famous biblical archangel, Gabriel, and there's more if you care to look for it. For many, that will be an unexpected bonus. For others, it's the graphic scenes that will make this film memorable.

Video:
"Seraphim Falls" is presented in 2.40:1 anamorphic widescreen (what other aspect ratio would suit a panoramic Western?), and mastered in High Definition. There's a slight graininess that's apparent in some of the low-light scenes, and some scenes the color seems slightly washed-out, but for the most part the picture has a good amount of detail, good contrast levels, and decent color.

Audio:
The soundtrack is English Dolby Digital 5.1, with subtitles in English (CC), French, and Spanish. It's free of distortion, and the spread across the speakers is decent, except in a few isolated instances where a sound just seems too confined to the speaker location and can't expand enough to make it sound natural.

Extras:
There are two bonus features: a behind-the-scenes featurette, and a commentary with Brosnan, Von Ancken, and production designer Michael Hanan. The behind-the-scenes featurette doesn't offer too many spoilers, so it's safe to watch before the movie, for those who prefer a teaser. We even see an archaeologist, who talks about his role in making sure that no burial grounds or important places were disturbed during filming. For a short feature, it actually covers a lot of ground, with only a little "this is who my character is" thrown in.

But the commentary is really the main extra. It's full of information, anecdotes, and production notes, with the three men providing three unique but interlacing perspectives on the film. I can guarantee that if you listen to this commentary, you'll appreciate the film even more. I especially liked hearing how a stuntman who went over a waterfall was attached to a helicopter by cable, and that the same stuntman almost died in just three feet of water when his cable tangled him up. No CGI breath was needed for this film; nature provided everything. I won't spoil the film by telling too much, but it was especially interesting for me to hear what the three had to say about some of the graphic survival scenes. I'm sure, too, that Brosnan will get plenty of hate mail for saying that he gave his five-year-old son that Bowie knife, his only souvenir from the film, and that the kid was running around the house with it. Or he'll hear it how he traumatized the kid by having him watch the film and see Dad take that big ol' honkin' knife and try to cut a bullet out of a golf-ball-sized hole in his arm. But for film lovers, the commentary is all good stuff.

Bottom Line:
Despite a minimalist plot and similarities to the horror/slasher genre, "Seraphim Falls" is an intelligent, thoughtful Western that tries to capture the stark reality of the post-Civil War West. Neeson and Brosnan turn in excellent performances, and cinematographer John Toll takes a page from John Ford's book and really elevates the land to where it has equal status to the characters, and is as much responsible for plot as anything.

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