Emma is a nice little Victorian-era drama and the latest Jane Austen adaptation. I don’t know how it compares with others but found this mostly entertaining and engaging due largely to Anya Taylor-Joy.
Emma.
(2020)
Genre(s): Romance, Comedy, Drama
Universal Pictures | PG – 124 min. – $34.98 | May 19, 2020
Date Published: 07/14/2020 | Author: The Movieman
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Universal Pictures Home Entertainment provided me with a free copy of the Blu-ray I reviewed in this Blog Post.
The opinions I share are my own.
THE MOVIE — 3.0/5 |
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Plot Synopsis: Handsome, clever and rich, Emma Woodhouse (ANYA TAYLOR-JOY) is a restless “queen bee” without rivals in her sleepy little English town. In this satire of social class, Emma must navigate her way through the challenges of growing up, misguided matches and romantic missteps to realize the love that has been there all along. Quick Hit Review: Elegant with rich production and costume designs, Emma is the latest amongst many adaptations of the Jane Austen novel. Admittedly, I neither read the book nor watch any of the other films so I can only speak to my feelings on this version on its own merits. The film might not have the best pacing and Emma as a character is somewhat unlikeable, as portrayed by the lovely Anya Taylor-Joy does embody why Emma is so admired for her beauty. It would seem Taylor-Joy is in her element with these period pieces and acquits herself well. Emma marks the directorial debut for Autumn de Wilde who comes from the music video world having helmed several songs for “Beck” as well as “Florence + The Machine” and here, she does an adequate job, showcasing the 19th century look and frames every shot nicely, though can’t think it’s a difficult job when one of your actors is Taylor-Joy… Not sure what the future holds, but she could occupy the same space as Joe Wright (Pride & Prejudice), and we know there’s no shortage of Jane Austen adaptations.
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SPECIAL FEATURES – 3.25/5 |
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This release comes with a title-embossed matted slip cover and inside is a redemption code for the Digital HD copy. Audio Commentary with Director Autumn de Wilde, Screenwriter Eleanor Catton, and Director of Photography Christopher Blauvelt. Deleted Scenes (13:24) – There are ten scenes here, likely removed for pacing given the film was already nearly two hours long. Gag Reel (10:53) is filled with line flubs or actors breaking character. A Playful Tease (4:57) – Short featurette with on-set and promotional interviews with the cast and crew discussing the classic story and characters. An Autumn Gaze (4:46) is a featurette on the director, Autumn de Wilde and her approach filmmaking. Crafting a Colorful World (4:48) is on the elaborate costumes and sets. |
VIDEO – 4.5/5 |
| The richness of the 19th century looks wonderful in 1080p high-definition. Detail of every frame is sharp and nicely defined, while colors are (from what I can tell) in keeping with the era, with some muted tones with some splashes here and there while skin tones are natural in appearance. All in all, and no surprise for a new film, the picture is near pristine with no signs of aliasing or artifacting. |
AUDIO – 4.25/5 |
| The disc comes equipped with a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track outputting crisp and clear dialogue mostly from the center channel. There is some modest depth for the front and rear speakers, though mostly for some minor ambient noises or the musical score. |
OVERALL – 3.25/5 |
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Emma is a nice little Victorian-era drama and the latest Jane Austen adaptation. I don’t know how it compares with others but found this mostly entertaining and engaging due largely to Anya Taylor-Joy, to go along with the production and costume designs. The Blu-ray includes a good selection of special features while the video/audio transfers were both solid. |