When quiet, aimless and amiable Vann Siegert—a haunting Owen Wilson (Wedding Crashers)—drifts into town, no one suspects the evil that lies beneath the surface. Despite his easy charm, he is merely a reflection of what those who encounter him want him to be. The more Vann tries to make a go of his new life, the stronger the mysterious forces are that pull him in a darker direction. When locals start to disappear, it becomes clear that an eerie subtraction is at work among the lost and lonely of this sleepy, seaside hamlet. People look toward Vann, but no one can quite put their finger on who he really is. Through it all, he carries on a surreal dialogue with imaginary detectives who question his crimes and motives. Written and directed by Hampton Fancher (Blade Runner, Blade Runner 2049) from the acclaimed novel by Lew McCreary, this unsettling and offbeat psychological thriller gazes unflinchingly into the mind of a serial killer. With Janeane Garofalo (Clay Pigeons), Brian Cox (Manhunter), Mercedes Ruehl (Married to the Mob), Dennis Haysbert (Far from Heaven) and music icons Dwight Yoakam (Sling Blade) and Sheryl Crow.
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Video Quality
Kino Classics presents The Minus Man with a stellar upgrade in the form of a new 1080p master transfer in 1.85:1 sourced from a 2K scan of the 35mm Interpositive that looks amazing. The transfer retains the natural film grain free of any major compression artifacts or other notable anomalies. The grain always resolves consistently without swarming or clumping. The film looks as good as new with no egregious instances of damage or dirt detected here.
The film features some rich colors within the locales, the production design, and the costumes that saturate the screen with a pleasant vibrancy. Skin tones look natural and the presentation offers up fairly deep black levels that stay strong even in shadow. The uptick in fine detail is worthwhile and reveals subtle nuances within the backgrounds. The transfer is a treat for fans who have been waiting for a proper HD release. Kino Classics has put forth some good work with this one.
Audio Quality
The Blu-Ray comes with a very strong DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track that brings this film to life without issue. This track shows no obvious age-related wear and tear such as drop-outs, hissing, or popping. All of the sound effects and music appear to be accurate to the intent of the creative team at the time. This disc maintains an admirable sense of fidelity that complements this moody narrative. Dialogue and background noises are balanced to ensure every element is accounted for. The music of this one comes through with a fine prominence. Even with the strength of this element, nothing ever overshadows the dialogue or other important information. There is not much room to improve upon this one. There are also optional English (SDH) subtitles included.
Special Features
- Audio Commentary: Co-Writer/Director Hampton Fancher and Producer Fida Attieh provide a solid commentary track moderated by Entertainment Journalist/Author Max Evry in which they discuss the creation and production of the film, what they saw in Owen Wilson to inhabit this role, working with great burgeoning and established talent, the location shooting, memories from the set, and more.
- Trailer: The two-minute trailer is provided for The Minus Man. There are also trailers provided for Clay Pigeons, Suspect Zero, The Veil, Positive I.D., and Misery.
Final Thoughts
The Minus Man is not your typical serial killer narrative, and it is all the better for it. The film works within the framework of an expected arthouse effort from this era and subverts expectations. Owen Wilson is captivating in a role that is chilling and charming in equal measure. This will not appease those looking for a grotesque genre effort, but it should score with those who like offbeat character dramas. Kino Classics has provided a new Blu-Ray featuring a robust A/V presentation and a good selection of special features. If you are a fan of the film, this release will treat you right. Recommended
The Minus Man will be available to purchase on Blu-Ray.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Kino Classics has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
