Release Date: 3/11/08

The Film

Much like the Coen brothers’ past works, No Country for Old Men is one of those films that gets better with each viewing, much like a fine wine that is better with age. Winner of the Best Picture of the Year award, there’s plenty of reasons to like the film, but there are even more to love the film. Essentially an action-thriller that features elements of a vengeance/crime/chase film, the movie also includes a great story with plenty of great performances from the ensemble cast that include Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin, and Woody Harrelson. If you see one DVD this year, No Country for Old Men should potentially be that one DVD.

The life of Llewelyn Moss (Brolin) takes a change as he stumbles across a drug deal gunfight gone, decides to pass up on the truckload of heroin and take a suitcase full of money instead. Setting off a chain of events, he invokes the wrath of a deadly and subtle hitman, Anton Chigurh (Bardem), who will stop at nothing to get his money. Representing the tried and true morals of the western past, small-town sheriff Ed Tom Bell (Jones) tries to protect Moss from an unstoppable Chigurh, all the while protecting himself and the ways of old. Full of style and suspense, the film really knows how to ramp up the action with plenty of shotguns equipped with silencers and slow it down with emotional scenes with grace and power.

The DVD

The main menu looks slick with an introduction, highly stylized background effects, and music. Submenus include silent backgrounds with music.

The video is offered in 2.35:1 Widescreen Format. The picture is very sharp and the color levels are perfect. Throughout the movie, there are only a few minor moments of flaws, but absolutely nothing to make this picture short of very good.

The audio is offered in English Dolby Digital 5.1. This is an effective track with plenty of positional sound and bass. The awesome soundtrack used throughout the movie will also test your speakers. Subtitles are available in English, French, and Spanish.

The Extras

The Making of No Country for Old Men runs about 25-minutes and goes deep into the production of the film with cast and crew interviews.

Working with the Coens offers an 8-minute piece full of more interviews with the cast and crew as they speak on their experience working with the brothers.

Diary of a Country Sheriff is an interesting 8-minute feature that offers a short discussion on Sheriff Bell and his role in the film.

Final Thoughts

While No Country for Old Men may anger/confuse some viewers due to its unconventional conclusion, the film itself certainly stands well on its own with a great cast and wonderful storytelling. The bonus features are on the lacking side, but you’re here for the film, and that most definitely will not disappoint.

- Morris Tang