Bronson (Blu-ray)

“My name’s Charles Bronson, and all my life I’ve wanted to be famous”. So begins Nicolas Winding Refn’s strange biopic of sorts, which traces the life of notorious criminal, Charlie Bronson (born Michael Peterson but later adopting his “fighting name”), a man intent on making a name for himself by making headlines with his jail-based antics and being Britain’s longest serving prisoner (he’s spent 34 years in jail, 30 of which have been spent in solitary confinement).

The film presents Bronson as a kind of demented, self-mythologising blend of court jester and vicious bulldog, which is reflected in the film’s style, opting for gritty realism one minute and stylised theatrics the next. Though the flamboyant direction nicely showcases Refn’s obvious talents behind the camera, it’s Tom Hardy’s central performance that holds the whole affair together, with Hardy delivering a mesmerising and star-making turn as the charismatic Bronson.

The film enjoys a half decent if not mind-blowing upgrade on the HD format, with the Blu-ray boasting the same extra features as the standard DVD. The picture quality varies due to the film’s different visual styles, and most of the time the picture is murky, grainy and not wholly suitable to the Blu-ray format. However, certain shots, like the various talking head segments with the main character, look sharp and devoid of dirt, while the numerous ‘stand up’ moments display some terrific contrast between the white face of Bronson and the deep black of the background.

The audio is much more reliable, doing wonders with the terrific soundtrack, be it the sounds of fists flying or of the beat of the Pet Shop Boys booming from the speakers.

Overall Verdict:  A strange and stylised biopic, and the Blu-ray has its moments too.

Special Features:
Audio Commentary With Film Critic Alan Jones And Director Nicolas Winding Refn
‘Making Of’ Featurette
Charles Bronson Audio Introduction
‘Tom Hardy: Building The Body’ Featurette
TV Spots
Trailers

Reviewer: Lee Griffiths