Ford v Ferrari appears in an aspect ratio of 2.39:1 on this Blu-ray Disc. Expect a terrific visual presentation here.
Overall definition worked well. Only the slightest hint of softness ever emerged, so the vast majority of the flick offered tight, accurate delineation. I saw no shimmering or jagged edges, and the image lacked edge haloes or print flaws.
Ford opted for a fairly orange/amber and teal palette. I would’ve liked something that deviated from the norm, but within its parameters, the hues seemed positive.
Blacks were deep and dark, while shadows showed nice clarity and smoothness. Across the board, the movie looked very appealing.
I also felt consistently pleased with the excellent DTS-HD MA 7.1 soundtrack of Ford. With tons of automotive action, the soundscape used all the channels on a frequent basis. This led us to an exciting sonic experience from start to finish.
The various speakers provided lots of information that filled out the movie and blended together in a seamless manner. This formed a dynamic soundscape with a lot to offer.
In addition, audio quality seemed strong. Music was bold and full, and dialogue remained crisp and natural.
Effects appeared lively and vivid, with clear highs and deep lows. I felt pleased with this impressive soundtrack.
In addition to two trailers, we find Bringing the Rivalry to Life, an eight-part documentary that spans a total of 59 minutes, 52 seconds. It includes notes from director James Mangold, co-writers Jez Butterworth, Jason Keller, and John-Henry Butterworth, Ken Miles’ son Peter, costume designer Daniel Orlandi, stunt driver Allan Padelford, technical advisor Tom Jones, head makeup artist Jane Galli, Ken Miles’ chief mechanic Charles Agapiou, picture car coordinator Rick Collins, stunt coordinator Robert Nagle, art director for vehicles Rob Johnson, production designer Francois Audouy, director of photography Phedon Papamichael, camera operator Onofrio Pansini, supervising sound editor Don Sylvester, editors Mike McCusker and Andrew Buckland, and actors Christian Bale, Matt Damon, Josh Lucas, Caitriona Balfe, Jon Bernthal, Tracy Letts, Ray McKinnon, Noah Jupe, Remo Girone, and Alex Gurney.
Across the eight segments, we learn about story/characters and the history behind the tale, Mangold’s impact on the production, cast and performances, costumes and period details, cars, driving, and shooting the race scenes, sets and locations, photography, and audio.
With almost an hour at its disposal, I hoped “Life” would offer a pretty rich look at the production. Alas, it proves much less substantial than anticipated.
Not that we don’t get some decent details, especially when we get to the cars and racing. However, too much of “Life” feels fluffy and without real depth. It’s a decent program but not one that sheds as much light as I’d expect.
At two and a half hours, Ford v Ferrari should probably drag. However, with excellent driving scenes and great chemistry between its leads, this becomes a fun ride. The Blu-ray brings terrific picture and audio along with a disappointing documentary. Despite the lackluster bonus materials, the movie itself satisfies.