Actors: Quvenzhané Wallis, Dwight Henry, Levy Easterly, Lowell Landes
Director: Benh Zeitlin
Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: 20th Century Fox
DVD Release Date: December 4, 2012
Run Time: 94 minutes
Film: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3.5 out of 5 stars
“…once there was a Hushpuppy and she lived with her daddy in The Bathtub“.
Before getting into “Beasts of the Southern Wild”, I was not sure what to expect. This little indie keeps your attention from the moment it starts. It is extremely brutal and honest but that is the charm of this film. Quvenzhané Wallis really gives a wonderful performance playing Hushpuppy. She delivers such a fantastic performance that I wouldn’t be surprised to see award bells ringing in her future. Then Mix in some giant prehistoric beasts and you have yourself one enthralling film. Since this is Benh Zeitlin’s directorial debut, it is quite impressive. I am sure we will get some amazing things in the future. As we enter the end of the year, I would recommend checking out this little indie drama.
Official Premise: Teeming with magic, beauty and pure joy, this crowd-pleasing winner at the Sundance Film Festival has emerged as one of the year’s most acclaimed films. Newcomer Quvenzhan‚ Wallis delivers an “Oscarr-worthy performance” (Philadelphia Daily News) as Hushpuppy, the six-year-old force of nature in an isolated bayou community. When her tough but loving father Wink (Dwight Henry) succumbs to a mysterious malady, the fierce and determined girl bravely sets out on a journey to the outside world. But Hushpuppy’s quest is hindered by a “busted” universe that melts the ice caps and unleashes an army of prehistoric beasts.
The Blu-ray presentation from 20th Century Fox is no joke. It is being delivered as a combo pack with a Blu-ray and DVD discs, as well as a downloadable digital copy. The film is low-budget but that doesn’t stop it from looking and sounding amazing. The 1080p transfer is extremely sharp and looks great. The audio included is a very impressive DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track. This works well with the film’s scale and score. If you enjoyed this film be sure to check out the digital flipbook at http://www.comeseethewild.com/.
The special features are decent for this Blu-ray release. There are about 15 minutes of deleted scenes, each includes commentary from director Benh Zeitlin. There are the initial audition tapes for Quvenzhané Wallis and Dwight Henry. “The Making of Beasts of the Southern Wild” is a nice look into the production. It sort-of makes up for a lack of commentary track on the release. “Glory at Sea” is Ben Zeitlin’s first short film, from 2008 and in sort-of a lead into this film. There is a feature on the music with composer Dan Romer. “The Aurochs” looks into creation of the enormous beasts, I wish this was longer! Lastly there is a theatrical trailer included.