The subject matter for Jojo Rabbit is a very delicate one. Creating a satire that pokes fun of Nazis can either genius or tone-deaf. But Taika can balance the outrageous comedy without going too far. His unique vision and style are what’s able to steer this ship past any icebergs. He knows when to make you laugh and when to show you the deeper message of the film. If you’ve seen any of his films then you know he has a knack for these kinds of things.
But all of this is set to tell the greatest message of all. Something that Taika believes should be told over and over again, and that’s the message that any ideals that Hitler represents are a terrible, terrible thing. A lot of that has to do with Jojo’s character growth. Not to mention, the humanity in him that grows as the film progresses. It’s also through his relationships that he’s able to develop in the film. You sympathize with him despite his hard-headed ideals because of his relationship with his mother.
None of that would be possible if it weren’t for the amazing performance by Scarlett Johansson. Being a mother herself, she plays a lovable character so well that her love for everyone will melt the hearts of even the coldest of hearts. The same can be said about the incomparable Sam Rockwell too. Even as a Nazi, you can’t help but love his character. All that is attributed to Rockwell’s performance. This is why you still cling to Jojo as he goes through the film because he’s weak and unpopular. Roman Griffin Davis can effectively navigate between his fanatical self and his innocent side easily. So when we come to that part in the film, you can’t help but feel sorry for him.
Overall, Jojo Rabbit is a brilliant, hilarious, and heartfelt satire by Taika Waititi. Because of his sharp script and directorial vision tackled a difficult subject with grace and ease. It’s one of the best films in 2019.
Movie Rating: 5/5 atoms
Video
Jojo Rabbit hits Blu-ray with a 1080p MPEG-AVC with a 1.85:1 aspect ratio. As a whole, the picture has a medium-high contrast which gives the picture some depth. At the same time, the brightness level gives the picture a lot of vibrant whites with zero bloom whatsoever. The video does suffer from some inconsistent blacks. In some cases, a scene would have deep blacks then it would cut to a lighter shade of black within the same scene. The colors themselves are as vibrant and colorful as the film itself. The red just jumps off the screen. The picture also has such crispness in the details as well. You can see it in the littlest things like the grass or the war-torn textures of the town. Overall, this is a good-looking picture.
Video Rating: 4.5/5 atoms
Audio
Jojo Rabbit hits Blu-ray with a 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track. Jojo Rabbit is a film that isn’t action-packed. So it doesn’t need a ton of dynamic sound. The audio mix puts most of the focus on the dialogue—which is clear in the center channel. The audio mix doesn’t come alive until the climactic battle of the film. Also, the mix doesn’t immerse you until a scene requires it—which doesn’t happen often. When it does happen, the atmospherics gives depth to a scene and envelops you. Michael Giacchino’s score is layered across the soundstage and gives depth to the music too. Overall, this is a great mix for a film such as this.
Audio Rating: 4.5/5 atoms
Special Features
Jojo Rabbit has the following special features on the Blu-ray disc:
- Deleted Scenes
- Imaginary Göring
- Little Piggies
- Adolf Dies Again
- Outtakes
- Inside Jojo Rabbit
- Audio Commentary by Taika Waititi
- Theatrical Trailer
- Teaser Trailer
Every single one of the deleted scenes is hilarious thanks to the comedic genius of Taika Waititi. However, the scenes are a bit much when you compare it to the scenes in the theatrical cut. The outtakes just show you that Taika Waititi likes to keep things light-hearted on set. Not to mention, the outtakes and bloopers are very funny. “Inside Jojo Rabbit” is a long and in-depth featurette that covers a lot of topics about the characters in the film. You won’t learn a lot about the making of the film, but you’ll learn a lot about the characters and the actors in the film.
The audio commentary is something that you’ve never heard of before. Instead of being a non-stop commentary of the making of the film, Taika takes long breaks between talking. Not to mention, he also calls other actors via phone and talks with them too. The best one though is his talk with fellow filmmaker Stephen Merchant. He happens to have an insightful conversation with Taika. Despite the lack of learning anything about the film, Taika keeps the commentary entertaining throughout—much as you expect a Taika Waitit commentary to be.
Special Features Rating: 4/5 atoms
Overall, Jojo Rabbit is an emotional and joyful film that celebrates both humanity and love. It’s one of the best films in 2019. The video transfer and audio mix are both fantastic, and the special features are supremely entertaining.
Overall Rating: 4.5/5 atoms
This Blu-ray was reviewed using a retail/advance copy/unit provided by Fox Home Entertainment.
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