Of Gods and Men Blu-ray delivers stunningly beautiful video and superb audio in this excellent Blu-ray release
Under threat by fundamentalist terrorists, a group of Trappist monks stationed with an impoverished Algerian community must decide whether to leave or stay.
Fear and faith. Two wildly different elements, yet so inseparable are they in defining most every man's very essence. What is faith if it is not the
ultimate
tool in standing up to fear? What is man if not a creature influenced by fears but reassured by his faith? What is the world if not a constant
struggle
between the fear of the unknown and the faith in the existence of a greater counter to fear? Both fear and faith are invisible humanly attributes
manifested
through partnerships with external, tangible elements and unseen yet equally potent symbols alike, one challenging the other for a man's very
soul, each vying to take him in opposite directions, either to greater personal heights or lower levels of despair. If fear grips the heart, then faith
releases it.
Faith may be the single greatest tool man may wield in the battle for his very place in and understanding of the world -- and that in which he may
later exist
-- guiding him through a metaphorical minefield of fear, for even if fear may conquer in the physical, it's man's faith that allows him to understand
beyond the limitations placed on him by his corporeal existence and trust that there's a greater good at work, a master plan in which he plays a
critical
part he may or may not fully, or at all, understand. Of Gods and Men is the tale of nine men who must collectively choose to stand up
to fear through their faith or abandon all they believe in the name of physical security. Their decision will either define or destroy all they've forever
held dear in faith.
Make a choice.
In mid-1990s Algeria, nine Christian Trappist monks exist peacefully alongside their Muslim neighbors. The Christian's lives are defined by their
faith; they are
men of God who live modestly and provide for their own needs while doing all they can to further relations with and enrich the lives of their
neighbors. The group is led by Christian (Lambert Wilson), a man whose faith will be challenged when a wave of violence against Croatian workers is
carried out by terrorists who later demand medical supplies and the assistance of the monk's resident physician Luc (Michael Lonsdale) to tend to
their
wounded. Christian refuses, leading the men to question their continued stay in the increasingly violent Algerian countryside. As they continue to
carry out their works and reflect on their faith, the men must collectively choose to remain and continue on with the lives God has laid before them
or flee from the evils of the world, even as their faith promises to protect them well beyond their physical existence.
Of Gods and Men is an impeccably-crafted masterpiece of filmmaking that's a showcase for quality storytelling accomplished through
minimal effort. The picture's theme of faith versus fear is succinctly conveyed, and it's done so by means of simply existing alongside its characters,
the camera acting more as an interested yet wholly detached observer more so than some active, kinetic part of the story. Of Gods and
Men is an effortlessly refined example of the subtle and subdued, the picture in no way overly dramatized but instead allowing for the basic
elements to take shape with the passage of time and the slowly unfolding plot that's free of even a hint of superfluousness that might take away
from the critical elements that shape the film's purpose. Even the characters become more like souls than people; while there may be little
distinction between the two, Of Gods and Men foregoes traditional character development in favor of simply focusing on what it is that drives
the men to make the choices they make and speak the words they speak, for it's the whys by which they choose rather than the hows by which
they live that matters
most to the greater story. The film is a work of contemplative cinematic art; it's smartly reserved yet highly capable not as a form of raw
entertainment but instead as a means of demonstrating the power of faith in the face of fear. Whether audiences choose to side with the men's
choice
of faith over fear in no way effects the picture's beautifully simple structure that aims only to allow a story to be told rather than indulge in cinematic
contrivance to alter one's perception of it.
Still, one cannot deny the quality of the presentation, even if it decidedly and necessarily takes a backseat to the greater story and themes. That
the picture is so
visually reserved yet remains so ultimately engrossing is a testament to Director Xavier Beauvois's understanding of the meshing of structure and
storytelling within the medium of
cinema. He gracefully captures the lives of the monks as they go about their daily routines, living through their faith without resorting to
sweeping cinematic generalities or using "tricks of the trade" to in some way deceive the viewer into focusing on other than what matters in the
movie. The camera is often stationary, allowing audiences to fully absorb the men's rituals and more fully understand that which shapes their
decision to live by faith even as that faith is challenged by the most potentially destructive of external influences: death. Nevertheless, the film is
often breathlessly beautiful, a testament to the power of dramatic cinema done this well with this level of command over the medium combined with
a tale worthy of the finest in moviemaking. The acting is uniformly excellent, too, even as the characters exist on a level where the unseen actions
of their souls take precedence over their more visually obvious movements. This is a complete picture, one that's been painstakingly
assembled yet showing no signs at all of effort; the film is a showcase for both an important story and the power of absorbing cinema.
From the first shots forward, it's clear that Of Gods and Men's 1080p Blu-ray transfer will be one of the finest around. The image is pristine from
start to finish. It's incredibly crisp and beautifully filmic, accentuated by a perfectly-preserved layer of grain. Clarity is striking and detailing is faultless;
the image is sharp from top to bottom and front to back, with even distant objects maintaining perfect form. Closer elements -- facial and clothing
textures, leaves on trees, brick and stone façades -- are perfectly rendered. Colors are stable and natural, whether the greens and earthy hues
as seen in many exterior shots or the more subdued shades of blue and gray seen inside. Black levels are tremendous, exhibiting no signs of crush and
never appearing at all washed out. Flesh tones, too, remain neutral throughout. The transfer is free of any common problems such as banding, edge
enhancement, or blocking. In short, this is a perfect transfer from Sony.
Of Gods and Men features a highly competent French-language DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless soundtrack. The presentation is generally reserved but
effectively so; natural ambience is finely integrated, whether gently falling rain, distant ringing bells, or the din as heard in the background at an outdoor
market. What music there is -- notably a selection from Swan Lake -- is nicely spacious and perfectly crisp. Dialogue is middle-focused and
always the center of attention, and various religious chants and songs are nicely reproduced. The track enjoys a few heavier effects, too. A string of
gunshots adds to the chaos and horror in one scene. Rumbly heavy machinery injects a potent low into the proceedings early on, as do the heavy
thumps of helicopter rotors later in the movie. The track is very well balanced and while it might not be the first choice to demo that high-dollar sound
system, listeners will nevertheless be more than satisfied with the track's faithfulness to the source and ability to play on both ends of the spectrum with
equal ease.
The only weak spot in this release is in the absence of a greater supplemental presentation. As it is, Of Gods and Men features a couple of
quality pieces that will aid viewers in better understanding the real-life events that inspired the film.
The Sacrificed Tibéhirine: Further Investigation (480p, 18:37): A piece that examines both the real people portrayed in the film and the
picture's role in keeping the works and memories of the monks alive. Presented in French with optional English subtitles.
Merrimack College Augustine Dialogue IX with Author John W. Kiser (480p, 40:50): A quality interview piece with John W. Kiser, author of
The Monks of Tibhirine: Faith, Love, and Terror in Algeria. Neither Mr. Kiser nor the publisher were involved in the making of the film. Mr.
Kiser is interviewed by Philosophy Professor George Heffernan.
Of Gods and Men is a testament to both the strengths of human faith and the power of focused and dramatic cinema. This is far from a
traditional
motion picture in terms of both story and structure, but Director Xavier Beauvois has crafted an enthralling and altogether potent film that should be
recognized as the champion of story over style. Few films are as riveting as this, and Beauvois has created a masterpiece with nary any help from the
more traditional cinematic elements that serve to entertain rather than absorb. Everything is present in just the right quantities, and that includes the
exclusion of any and all superfluous elements that would only interfere with the story's themes. It's sometimes a difficult picture to watch, one that's
far more
emotionally challenging than most to be sure, but it's nevertheless one of the more rewarding experiences one is likely to have in front of a work of art.
Sony's Blu-ray is itself a thing to behold. Pristine 1080p imagery, near faultless lossless sound, and a few extras make this a release that demands to be
part of every serious Blu-ray collection. Highly recommended.
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment are set to release on Blu-ray Xavier Beauvois' Des hommes et des dieux a.k.a Of Gods and Men (2010). Last year, the film won the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury at the Cannes Film Festival and was selected to represent France in the ...
