Set in a mythic New York City and spanning more than a century, “Winter’s Tale” is a story of miracles, crossed destinies and the age-old battle between good and evil.
Peter Lake (Farrell) is a master thief who never expected to have his own heart stolen by the beautiful Beverly Penn (Brown Findlay). But their love is star-crossed: she burns with a deadly form of consumption, and Peter has been marked for a much more violent death by his one-time mentor, the demonic Pearly Soames (Crowe). Peter desperately tries to save his one true love, across time, against the forces of darkness, even as Pearly does everything in his power to take him down – winner take all and loser be damned. What Peter needs is a miracle, but only time will tell if he can find one.
Winter's Tale is an interesting and effecting if slightly flawed film. The theatrical trailers did not prepare e for the surprising bits of fantasy that includes a flying horse that the always superb Colin Farell character Peter Lake rides upon. The story is about Good vs. Evil and the love of one man who is trying to save a young woman from death. Time jumps and mixing of several themes keeps the film going at an enjoyable pace. Evil is represented in the intimidating form of Russel Crowe who is backed up by Satan himself Will Smith. Jennifer Findlay is beautiful and brilliant as the love that captures Peter's heart and undying devotion to protect and save her. I found myself moved by quite a bit by the film but sometimes it tries a little to hard to pull the heartstrings. This is a film that makes you think as well and that is something to be commended in this day and age. 8.5/10
Winter's Tale arrives on Blu-ray with a 1080p transfer in the aspect ratio of 2.40:1 - Colors vary from browns and yellows to bold primaries that are lush with no bleeding. Black levels were solid and reveal good shadow delineation. The image is crystal clear and fine details abound from clothing textures to revealing close-ups. No signs of compression artifacts or digital tinkering. 9/10
Audio is provided by a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track. - The film is dialogue heavy and voices were consistent in their clarity. Surrounds help to open up the track a bit and create a sense of atmosphere. The score is tight and precise. LFE performance was good but not featured all that much save for a more dynamic scene. 8.5/10
* Winter’s Tale: A Timeless Love (HD, 6min8sec) - A short behind-the-scenes look at the genesis of the production through filming. Cast and crew are interviewed.
* Characters of Good & Evil (HD, 9min14sec) - This featurette explores the main themes in the film.
* Additional Scenes (HD, 12min8sec) - A total of 12 deleted or extended scenes are included.
