Hail, Caesar! 4K 2016 Ultra HD 2160p

This movie follows a day in the life of Eddie Mannix (Josh Brolin), a Hollywood fixer for Capitol Pictures in the 1950s, who cleans up and solves problems for big names and stars in the industry. But when studio star Baird Whitlock (George Clooney) disappears, Mannix has to deal with more than just the fix.

User Review

Ah, the good old Coen brothers! Their ability to comment on the vices of the world around us with such subtlety and biting wit has always impressed me. It would seem there’s plenty of material here for another sparkling satire: Hollywood and capitalism. But, unfortunately, it feels as though something is missing.

From a directorial standpoint, there are practically no issues. By 2016, Ethan and Joel had already polished their formula to perfection. The shots combine the parallels and symmetry characteristic of all the brothers’ films. The colorful interiors of various studio soundstages and the elaborate sets only enhance the visual appeal. The staging is also top-notch. The musical numbers alone are worth it. It’s just that the way they’re integrated into the film’s context still confuses me a bit. Although “Caesar” is a musical, in my opinion, most of the dance elements served only a visual function. Because of this, I feel the film’s rhythm stumbled awkwardly over the musical interludes. But this minor flaw is insignificant, so overall, from a technical standpoint, everything is great!
The same can be said about the cast. Clooney, Brolin, Swinton, Johansson, Hill, McDormand… This list could go on forever, because I haven’t even listed half of the renowned talents. Still, it’s great to be an acclaimed director who can bring so many stars on board! And literally everyone gave an excellent performance. The only thing I have questions about is how the whole ensemble was organized. Yes, the story and characters are presented almost in an anthology format, as if we’re walking from set to set, from pavilion to pavilion, and peeking surreptitiously into the bustling life of Hollywood. But this episodic nature leaves a mixed aftertaste. It feels as though there’s a lack of cohesion in the actors’ interactions. They appear and disappear. It feels more like cameos than structured collaboration, even within the framework of mini-stories.
The plot is interesting and satirical, as always with the Coens. A comedy of manners that mocks every cliché, with each situation derailed by amusing absurdities. Moreover, the overall idea of a “window into the world of Hollywood” is well executed. It’s just that the central theme eludes me. The reflections on capitalism, venality, and the false glamour of the movie star world sound intriguing. But it feels as though the right final chord was missing. What’s the conclusion? Should financial justice exist in the process of creating art—something that primarily has intangible value? Does such justice even exist in principle? The final monologue by the main character, played by Josh Brolin, was apparently meant to give us a clear answer to these questions. Perhaps it’s my own limited perspective, but aside from the pomposity and attempts to sweep capitalism’s flaws under the rug, I saw nothing in that scene. It’s a shame, because the overall impression is marred by this very reason.
Despite a fairly large number of minor flaws, “Hail, Caesar!” still holds up quite well.
Compared to run-of-the-mill box-office films, the picture clearly stands out. But for a Coen brothers film, that’s not enough. The presence of the brothers’ signature style will clearly delight loyal fans, and overall it’s watchable, but the film has a lingering sense of incompleteness. It feels as though we should expect much more from such titans of cinema, especially with a cast like this. It feels as though the real Roman Senate didn’t release Gaius Julius Caesar, the great emperor, but a Cloney in disguise, clad in plastic armor and sporting a moronic grin.

Info Video

Codec: HEVC / H.265 (78.9 Mb/s)
Resolution: 4K (2160p)
HDR: Dolby Vision, HDR10
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1

Info Audio

#English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
#Portuguese: DTS 5.1
#Czech: DTS 5.1
#Hungarian: DTS 5.1
#Spanish: DTS 5.1
#Polish: DTS 5.1
#Russian: DTS 5.1

Info Subtitles

English SDH, Arabic, Bulgarian, Hong Kong (Traditional), Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Estonian, Filipino, Finnish, French (Canadian), French (Metropolitan), German, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Icelandic, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Latvian, Lithuanian, Malay, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese (Brazilian), Portuguese (European), Romanian, Russian, Slovenian, Spanish (Castilian), Spanish (Latin American), Swedish, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian, Vietnamese.