So good it should make you fume...
The Film
The Insider is the type of film that had no mazel; Yiddish for "luck". Had it been released in 1998, it would have lost to either Shakespeare in Love, Life is Beautiful, or Saving Private Ryan at Oscar time. Released in 1999, it got clobbered by Sam Mendes' American Beauty and failed to bring home even one of the seven Oscars it was nominated for. Yes, it's true, winning an Academy Award isn't everything, but it can't be just bad luck that a film this good about corporate greed and its relationship with the news media gets shut out.
Adapted from Marie Brenner's "The Man Who Knew Too Much" and a 60 Minutes segment on a whistleblower inside big tobacco, The Insider is a riveting and thought provoking drama that worked on many levels. Director Michael Mann still gets pegged with the Miami Vice label and that's unfortunate because he's directed a number of rather outstanding films including Last of the Mohicans, Ali, Heat, and The Insider.
CBS doesn't come across very well in this tale of big business sleeping with the newsroom and the character-driven story doesn't slow down for even one breath; there's an anti-smoking joke there somewhere. Russell Crowe and Al Pacino star in this well written film that apparently angered a lot of important people in corporate America; a sure sign that it was right on the mark.
The Picture
The Insider is certainly more Heat than Miami Vice and if the Blu-ray transfer looks darker to you than the DVD copy that you own - do not adjust your set. Mann and cinematographer Dante Spinotti's cinematic vision has been beautifully preserved on the Blu-ray with intense palette shifts, really deep black levels, and contrast that is certainly not neutral. Mann loves his pastels, but he doesn't take it to the extreme of Crockett and Tubbs.
The film image has a nice layer of grain and the image is quite sharp throughout. Shadow detail isn't reference quaity but the overall image is decidedly HD. The only nitpicks would be the contrast level (which one could argue is on purpose) and some halos that appear in a few scenes. Overall, The Insider looks amazingly good for a Disney/Buena Vista transfer.
The Sound
One of the things that you have to love about Michael Mann is that he does use sound really creatively to create atmosphere in his work; both on television and on the big screen. Love it or hate it - Miami Vice redefined what television programs could sound like with its pounding soundtrack, car chases, and gunfights. Mann loves it loud, but he's also really good when it's gets really quiet; falling rain, blowing wind, and other atmospherics. His work on the big screen has been even more impressive; has there ever been a better filmed gunfight than the shoot-out in Heat?
The Insider is a character-driven drama with two of the best actors alive, so one would think that the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix would be heavily tilted towards the dialogue. It is for the most part, but what's more impressive are the dynamics and immersive nature of the surround track. Just like Last of the Mohicans (I will find you!), this surround mix has a very potent LFE track and Mann's use of the surround channels works effectively to create atmosphere in those heavy moments when Crowe is left holding the bag. The little things like noise in the newsroom and the weather add to the drama and we're more than just a a little impressed with the quality of this mix.
The Extras
If there were any worth reporting on, this would have been a "Biggie" Blu-ray for sure. A boring seven minute production featurette and theatrical trailer hardly qualify as bonus material. Move along. Absolutely nothing to see here, folks.
Final Thoughts
The Insider is the type of film that is supposed to get under your skin and make you angry; Angry at the big tobacco companies that have helped kill millions of Americans with their product, and angry at the news media for caring more about profits than their responsibility to tell the truth. Both Crowe and Pacino deliver superb performances worthy of Oscar gold, but it is Christopher Plummer who steals the show in the end. The Blu-ray has Oscar caliber image and sound quality as well, making this a must own for those who love great character-driven dramas. Highly recommended.
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