The “middle of nowhere” has never looked better in this new edition, now remastered for the best high-definition picture yet! In this film Nominated for seven OSCARS®, * things go terribly awry when small-time Minnesota car salesman Jerry Lundegaard (William H. Macy) hires two thugs (Steve Buscemi and Peter Stormare) to kidnap his wife so he can collect the ransom from his wealthy father-in-law. Once people start dying, the very chipper and very pregnant Police Chief Marge (Frances McDormand) takes the case. Will she stop at nothing until she gets her man? You betcha.
The Coen Brothers 1996 film is just as fun as it was the first time I saw it. The characters are so quirky and the tone so perfectly tuned that you can't help but have a smile on your face for most of film's 98 minutes. Frances McDormand's Marge is one of the best heroines to ever grace the screen. She has a charming way to question her suspects but is tough at the same time and never gives up. There is a new tv series coming to FX based on the film and if it is even half as good as this classic then viewers will be in for a treat. So if you're wondering if you should pick up this Blu-ray I say "Yeah". 9.5/10
Fargo arrives on Blu-ray with a 1080p transfer in the aspect ratio of 1.85:1 - I will start by saying I don't have the previous Blu-ray to compare this transfer to but will say this is a marked improvement over the DVD. Colors range from crisp whites to warm earthy tones. There's also some deep red sprays of blood thrown in. Skin tones have a natural appearance. Black levels were solid with good shadow delineation. The overall image is sharp and fine details such as the odd sweater patterns and textures as well as close ups looked great. There is fine layer of grain. No signs of digital noise or edge enhancement was noticed. 9/10
Audio is provided by a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track. - A pleasing if not overly dynamic track. Surrounds are used sparingly so most of the presentation stays up front. Dialogue was crystal clear and the fun accents were easily understood. The LFE channel is a solid performer for the few more intense moments while adding some nice depth to the score by Carter Burwell. No audio anomalies were heard. 8.5/10
* Feature Audio Commentary with Director of Photography Roger A. Deakins
* Minnesota Nice
* Trivia Track
* American Cinematographer Article
* Photo Gallery
* Theatrical Trailer
* TV Spot