The Highwaymen
It seems Netflix are on a bit of a role as of late. Yet another decent movie offering to grace their streaming service. The Highwaymen is based on true events that depict the apprehension of Bonnie and Clyde back in the 1930's by two former Texas Rangers played by Woody Harrelson and Kevin Costner. Well I say apprehension but as you will witness the catching of the two infamous outlaws ended in a violent bloodbath. This film focuses on the two rangers. They're the unsung heroes that stopped the nations most notorious criminals who at the time where wrongly idolised by many.
This film works mainly down to the two leads who have a wonderful and believable chemistry. It's a film that doesn't devote time to the outlaws, instead it allows the audience to get to know Frank Hamer (Costner) and Maney Gault (Harrelson). The Highwaymen is a slowly driven piece. Dialogue is prominent with action set pieces scattered throughout the movies runtime. Production is of a high quality. This film is believable and beautifully crafted. From set design to props and costumes every scene is supremely authentic. The vintage automobiles sparkle as if they rolled off the factory floor only yesterday. Director John Lee Hancock has helmed a film with masterful precision. I was truly immersed and transported back to the 1930's.
Presented in 4K HDR this film looks splendid. With barely any film grain this movie has a crisp clean image packed with detail. A particular car chase shows good use of High Dynamic Range. The yellow spare wheel on Clydes car almost pops out of the screen. Detail on buildings and woodwork is very crisp. Green moss can be seen growing up fences and grass is vibrant. The texture of clothing is finely rendered and the wrinkles on the two lead actors face are more than prominent. Ultra High Definition does aging stars no favours. This is a great looking movie. Very rarely do black levels lose detail. Even in dark scenes the screen is still packed with visual information.
The sound mix on the other hand is something of a mixed bag. Dolby Atmos is sometimes impressive. Height channels are subtle but wildlife and weather can be heard frequently up top. It's disappointing then that the prominent dialogue sometimes gets muddled and lost. Costner and Harrelson's drawl is often unfathomable. Sad as their constant bickering and banter is one of the movie's highlights. Action set pieces are handled efficiently. Bass response does what's needed. Gunfire being deep and punchy. In terms of musical score, there's nothing here to write home about however Thomas Newman has provided an effective soundtrack to accompany the onscreen drama.
Highwaymen is a good time in front of the TV. A film that could have benefited from a big screen theatrical release. However if Netflix continue to churn out such quality I hope this doesn't harm the cinema going experience. It's still the best way to see a good movie such as this.
It seems Netflix are on a bit of a role as of late. Yet another decent movie offering to grace their streaming service. The Highwaymen is based on true events that depict the apprehension of Bonnie and Clyde back in the 1930's by two former Texas Rangers played by Woody Harrelson and Kevin Costner. Well I say apprehension but as you will witness the catching of the two infamous outlaws ended in a violent bloodbath. This film focuses on the two rangers. They're the unsung heroes that stopped the nations most notorious criminals who at the time where wrongly idolised by many.
This film works mainly down to the two leads who have a wonderful and believable chemistry. It's a film that doesn't devote time to the outlaws, instead it allows the audience to get to know Frank Hamer (Costner) and Maney Gault (Harrelson). The Highwaymen is a slowly driven piece. Dialogue is prominent with action set pieces scattered throughout the movies runtime. Production is of a high quality. This film is believable and beautifully crafted. From set design to props and costumes every scene is supremely authentic. The vintage automobiles sparkle as if they rolled off the factory floor only yesterday. Director John Lee Hancock has helmed a film with masterful precision. I was truly immersed and transported back to the 1930's.
Presented in 4K HDR this film looks splendid. With barely any film grain this movie has a crisp clean image packed with detail. A particular car chase shows good use of High Dynamic Range. The yellow spare wheel on Clydes car almost pops out of the screen. Detail on buildings and woodwork is very crisp. Green moss can be seen growing up fences and grass is vibrant. The texture of clothing is finely rendered and the wrinkles on the two lead actors face are more than prominent. Ultra High Definition does aging stars no favours. This is a great looking movie. Very rarely do black levels lose detail. Even in dark scenes the screen is still packed with visual information.
The sound mix on the other hand is something of a mixed bag. Dolby Atmos is sometimes impressive. Height channels are subtle but wildlife and weather can be heard frequently up top. It's disappointing then that the prominent dialogue sometimes gets muddled and lost. Costner and Harrelson's drawl is often unfathomable. Sad as their constant bickering and banter is one of the movie's highlights. Action set pieces are handled efficiently. Bass response does what's needed. Gunfire being deep and punchy. In terms of musical score, there's nothing here to write home about however Thomas Newman has provided an effective soundtrack to accompany the onscreen drama.
Highwaymen is a good time in front of the TV. A film that could have benefited from a big screen theatrical release. However if Netflix continue to churn out such quality I hope this doesn't harm the cinema going experience. It's still the best way to see a good movie such as this.