Hachi: A Dog's Tale Blu-ray offers solid video and audio in this enjoyable Blu-ray release
This heartwarming true story is an U.S. adaptation of a Japanese tale about a loyal dog named Hachiko.
This very special friend would accompany his master to the train station every day and return each afternoon to
greet him after work. Sadly his master departs one day, passes away and never returns to the station. Hachiko
faithfully returns to the same spot at the station the very next day, and every day for the next nine years to
wait for his beloved master. During his daily visits, Hachiko touches the lives of many who work near and
commute through the town square. He teaches the local people love, compassion and above all unyielding
loyalty. Today, a bronze statue of Hachiko sits in his waiting spot outside the Shibuya station in Japan as a
permanent reminder of his devotion and love.
Whether you found him, or he found you, who's to say. It was meant to be.
The world can be, and often is, a cruel place; death, pain, suffering, hardship, fear, and any
number of
maladies intrude into the daily routine and often come to define the larger moments in life that
shape the course of human events both on sweeping and personal scales. Tragedy, in one form
or another, is inevitable, but it's what one does to counter the bad -- by introducing as much
good, joy, ease, comfort, and happiness as possible into the equation -- that helps add balance to
the difficulties that unexpectedly arise and bring on a hurt that lingers, fades with time, but
never quite goes away. Regardless of the means, the way, the outlet, life requires something
that
brings joy, no matter how large or small, how lasting or fleeting, to cement in the mind a
memory that can ultimately counter those things that
would threaten
to tear apart a man's soul. Hachi: A Dog's Story delivers a sweet and timeless tale of
friendship that knows only the limits of absolute joy, devotion, and dedication, all of which
overcome the inevitable losses and hardships that mark the journey that is life. It's a story that
reflects life itself, that brings with it the good and the bad, never shying away from focusing on
those life-changing moments that are for both the better and the worse, the picture an
emotionally difficult but ultimately rewarding experience that simply tells the story of dedication,
honesty, integrity, and remembrance through both the triumphs and the tragedies that life has
to offer.
Altogether now: "awwwwww..."
Music Professor Parker Wilson (Richard Gere, First Knight) takes
the
train to and from work everyday. One evening outside the train station, he finds a small puppy
that had been sent to the
United States from Japan that has managed to work its way loose from its crate. Parker takes it
in,
but not before asking his friend and station manager Carl (Jason Alexander, Pretty Woman) if he
knows to whom the dog belongs. Parker brings the animal home, much to the chagrin of his wife
Cate
(Joan
Allen, Death Race), whose
disappointment towards Parker and aggravation over the animal's presence is only reinforced
when it destroys a work project that had taken
her months to complete. Parker,
try as he may, cannot find out where the dog belongs, and when Cate eventually comes to learn
of
the unbreakable bond he's formed with the dog that's come to be known as "Hachi," she relents
and allows him to keep the animal in their back yard. Hachi manages to time and again break
free
of the confinements of the fenced-in yard and follows Parker to the train station everyday, where
he
also
eagerly awaits his master's return later that evening. Theirs is a personal bond that only the
most
powerful force in the universe could threaten to bend, but never truly break.
Though a feel-good, G-rated picture, Hachi does present viewers with a highly emotional
story that inevitably comes as part of the package with these sorts of movies. There's
nothing offensive in the film, no violence, no language, and no sexuality other than a few
embraces shared between a married couple, but children -- and even many adults -- may still find
the picture's themes not a challenge to grasp but rather difficult to accept at an emotional level.
Hachi is a movie that takes tragedy and turns it into a message of perseverance and
loyalty, showing that it's the heart and soul that matters even beyond the physical realm. The
picture is ultimately one of great loss and sorrow, but as it in life, it's the pain, the absence, the
longing that's displayed in the film that truly serves to reinforce all that was -- and still is -- good
about those loved ones both here and long since departed. There's an honesty to the picture
that goes hand-in-hand with its emotional currents. This is wholesome and heartwarming stuff,
even through the more emotionally challenging moments that come in the film's third act that
will leave anyone with a connection to animals, the memory of a lost loved one, or simply those
with a big heart in tears, and that's all right. Hachi doesn't poke and prod and
manipulate when it comes to its emotional center; the simple story and the way it's delicately
constructed up through, and including, the final act seems as true and honest as the real-life
story on which the movie is
based, and it's sure to touch even the most staunch of naysayers and the harshest critics of
emotionally-charged cinema.
Technically, Hachi comes in a very basic three-act structure and, even for those not
particularly in-the-know as to what the movie or the real-life story behind it is all about, the
major plot development that ends the second act and begins the third really doesn't come as
much of a surprise. Hachi, however, isn't about shrouding its plot in mystery or slowly
revealing ideas and themes as the picture moves along. It's consistently about the bonds of
loyalty and friendship, about the importance of love and respect that don't just make man and
beast inseparable, but that demonstrate that life is about more than just the moment. Indeed,
it's about the collective whole, the good and the bad both, that shapes those qualities of loyalty,
friendship, love, and respect that define both man and beast alike at the very deepest parts of the
heart and soul that serve as the center for all that makes someone or something more than the
sum of their physical stature. Most important to the movie, both Richard Gere and the Akitas
dogs
that play Hachi manage to capture the spirit of the story wonderfully. Gere shows a genuine
affection for the part and the animal; his performance is consistently touching and real in feel,
the bond he shares with Hachi instantly recognizable as authentic and heartfelt. Additionally,
Hachi not only looks good but the filmmakers and animal trainers have done a remarkable job in
ensuring that the bond between man and animal is fully realized on the dog's end, too. The
introduction of a secondary character -- Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa's Ken Fujiyoshi -- helps both
Parker and the audience come to know the dog by Ken's serving as something of a mouthpiece
for its
personality traits, viewers thereby better capable of appreciating the various elements of the
story that are shaped
by the dog's psychological makeup.
Viewers will embrace this quality 1080p, 1.85:1-framed transfer from Sony. Hachi: A Dog's
Tale was shot on video, and it has that slightly flat and smooth look that's easily
distinguishable from film stock, but detail and coloring don't suffer as a result. In fact, detail is
often exceptionally rendered; viewers will note just about every line of wood grain and several
nicks on the wooden crate that carries a young Hachi from Japan to the United States.
Additionally convincing is the dog's fur as seen in close-up shots, while many exterior locations --
particularly around the Wilson home and the train station -- feature strong levels of fine detail in
everyday objects such as bricks, fence posts, dirt, and leaves. Colors, too, are handsomely
rendered, whether Hachi's golden fur, the various
green leaves and grasses seen around the Wilson's home, or the rust-colored bricks around the
train station. Unfortunately, there's no escaping what is often a somewhat flat appearance;
while faces aren't textureless, the picture's digital nature sometimes lend to them a dull, lifeless
tone.
Black levels are mostly solid and accurate but can, on occasion, appear somewhat washed out,
while flesh tones can yield a slightly rosy tint. The image is meticulously clean, sporting very little
noise, but it does feature an instance of distracting aliasing as Parker speaks with an animal
control officer early in the film. Nevertheless, the plusses of the transfer far outweigh the
minuses; this is a
mostly handsome transfer that is not without its flaws but it should satisfy most viewers, even
when it isn't as phenomenal in some place as it
is in others.
Hachi: A Dog's Tale barks out a decent DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless soundtrack. While not a
minimalist listen, the various effects heard throughout are more supportive in nature than
aggressive, but the track's reserved posture reinforces the quality, style, and themes of the movie
nicely. Sound effects aren't consistently immersive, with the front channels handling the bulk of
the material, but the back speakers do find themselves engaged on occasion. Gusty winds seem to
blow through the soundstage with a good deal of precision and realism in chapter four, accompanied
by a boom of thunder that adds a bit of spice and heft to an otherwise limited track. An outdoor
scene in chapter six makes for what is perhaps the track's most impressive element as the pleasant
and relaxing sounds of singing birds seem to emanate all around the soundstage,
making for a most convincing environmental effect. The track's light, piano-heavy, and somewhat
repetitive score enjoys a good deal of clarity, and dialogue reproduction is solid and crisp from
beginning to end. Overall, Hachi features a solid but hardly invigorating lossless
soundtrack; it gets the job done and perfectly suits a movie that's about emotion and not explosions
and excess bass.
Hachi: A Dog's Tale whimpers onto Blu-ray with only one extra of substance. A Bond of
Loyalty: The Making of 'Hachi: A Dog's Tale' (1080i, 17:50) proves a capable making-of piece
that touches on the themes of the story, Richard Gere's attraction to the project, the other cast and
crew members' impressions of Gere's personality and work on the film, the performances of the
supporting cast, the effort of Director Lasse Hallström, the personality of the Akita Inu dog, the
process of training those that worked on the film, the quality of the story, and its lasting
impressions. Also included is BD-Live
functionality; Sony's MovieIQ connectivity; and 1080p trailers for Open Season 3, Planet 51 , Cloudy With a Chance of
Meatballs, Open Season 2, The Water Horse: Legend of the
Deep, and Facing the Giants.
Hachi: A Dog's Tale is a touching Family Drama that's not always easy to watch for its
elements that are at once both heartbreaking and heartwarming, but it proves a strong picture for
its message on the importance of friendship, loyalty, and love, and the long-lasting bond that can
form
when a relationship is built on faith, integrity, honesty, and devotion. Hachi isn't the most
structurally impressive picture; it's basic in nature but allows for the various themes to shine
through all the brighter, while Richard Gere turns in one of the most moving and genuine
performances of his career. Young children might not fully understand the picture beyond what its
basic premise has to offer, but Hachi proves a treasure trove of emotionally satisfying
elements, even if it's nearly impossible to get through the movie without shedding plenty of tears.
Sony's Blu-ray release of Hachi is unfortunately lacking a more substantial supplemental
section, but the video and audio presentations hold up well, despite a few blemishes. Hachi
is a must-see film, and the Blu-ray disc makes for a fine rental and perhaps even a purchase at the
right price. Either way, it comes recommended.
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has announced a movie for Blu-ray before it even opens in theaters: 'Hachi: A Dog's Tale', in theaters from December 18, is set for Blu-ray release on March 9, 2010. This family drama about a college professor who takes in an abandoned ...
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