The Secret Life of Walter Mitty Blu-ray Review

     Actors: Ben Stiller, Kristen Wiig, Adam Scott

Format: AC-3, Color, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, Dubbed, Subtitled, Widescreen

Language: English (DTS 5.1), French (DTS 5.1), Spanish (Dolby Digital 5.1)

Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

Dubbed: French, Spanish

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: PG

Studio: 20th Century Fox

Release Date: April 15, 2014

Run Time: 115 minutes

        The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is sincere and sweetly hopeful in dealing with relevant topics and real-world issues, which would otherwise naturally slip into cinematic cynicism. Though there are also many moments of naïve simplicity in dealing with much more complex social issues, it is surprising how much can be willfully dismissed in favor of this buoyant spirit. PG is an appropriate rating for Walter Mitty, though more in terms of attitude than content. In the current climate of the world and workforce, I am less likely to find the narrative to be realistic in its optimism, but this is certainly the type of attitude I would aspire to have in the face of unfair adversity. In short, though unrealistic in its representation of what failure and loss looks like, Walter Mitty gives us something to aim for in our daily outlook.

 

        Ben Stiller stars as the daydreaming title character, Walter Mitty, a photo negative asset manager for Life Magazine who lives out his greatest adventures in his head. Having been forced to grow up at a young age in order to take care of his family, Walter has little room in his life for creative aspirations of his own. Instead he has learned the art of daydreaming as a form of escapism, allowing him to remain reliable despite longing for a more heroic existence. After his job is threatened by the end of an era of publication, Walter goes on a real-life adventure to track down the image meant to be used for the cover of Life’s final issue.

 

        Having never actually met the photographer (played by Sean Penn) that sent him the photo negative, Walter has his work cut out for him in tracking the adventurous artist down. Without phone or mail being a possibility, Walter travels to Greenland, Iceland and Afghanistan in an effort to find the elusive photographer, all the while knowing that he will likely lose his job regardless of the outcome. This is where the logic in the film’s plot is a bit oversimplified, as any adult who is threatened with unemployment is unlikely to shell out the large amount of money this type of travel would require. In terms of the film, however, it makes for some spectacular cinematography as Walter battles everything from sharks to erupting volcanoes.

 

        The Blu-ray combo pack comes with a DVD and digital copy of the film, and the DVD also has a few special features attached. There is a behind-the-scenes featurette and a still gallery, both of which are included on the Blu-ray disc as well. The Blu-ray also has some exclusive features, from additional footage (deleted, extended and alternate scenes) to featurettes and a music video.

 

Entertainment Value: 8/10

Quality of Filmmaking: 6.5/10

Historical Significance: 6/10

Special Features: 6.5/10

 

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