Plot: What’s it about?
Daniel Dillion (Peter Mullan) has made a fortune from his lands, so much cash that he even owns his own town now, Kingdom Come. His claim was not an easy one to obtain, but he did what he had to do and now, he wallows in the riches the discovered gold has delivered to him. But as time has passed, his claim has hollowed out and he now needs a fresh batch of riches, which he might have within his grasp, if he can do some smooth speeches. You see, the railroad has become a massive business and since they need a town to run a connecting track through, the company is willing to reward the right land owner, in order to use his properties. Dillion thinks Kingdom Come would be a perfect place for this connection to be placed, so he is being visited by railroad planner Dalgish (Wes Bentley), who will make the final decision. It seems like Dillion could be on the path to more wealth, but his past is about to catch up with him, to say the least…
I had read some great reviews for this flick, but it was pulled from theaters after little time and quickly moved to video, so I was unsure of what to expect. I’m never pleased to see Wes Bentley’s name on a cast, but with Sarah Polley, Milla Jovovich, Peter Mullan, and Nastassja Kinski on deck, I was hoping his presence would be balanced out. He does prove to be the weakest link of the picture, but even his hack skills don’t keep The Claim down, as it turns out to be a well made, very enjoyable movie. I have no idea why MGM rushed this in and out of theaters, but it deserved a better treatment, to be sure. The Claim has a competent storyline, superb direction from Michael Winterbottom, terrific production values, and some wonderful performances, especially from Sarah Polley, who simply shines in her role here. You need a solid production design for a period piece like this and The Claim has that, with great costumes and location work, very impressive indeed. If you missed this one at theaters or just want to revisit it on DVD, I think that would be a wise idea, though MGM has put minimal effort into this disc, which means a rental will have to suffice.
I think the standout performance here belongs to Sarah Polley, who seems to have a knack for stealing scenes, to be sure. I’ve always loved Polley’s work and even when given smaller roles, she seems to shine and that’s the case here, without a doubt. Her role is by no means small, but she is not the lead, though her performance ranks as the best one found within the flick. Polley has a good sense for roles and she was wise to take this one, as she seems natural within it and that enhances all of her scenes, to say the least. She is a beautiful woman to be sure, but her talent is not based just on that aspect, as she has proven time and again. You can also see Polley in such films as The Sweet Hereafter, Exotica, Love Come Down, Last Night, Jerry and Tom, Guinevere, and Go. The cast also includes Nastassja Kinski (Susan’s Plan, Cat People), Peter Mullan (Braveheart, Trainspotting), Milla Jovovich (The Fifth Element, The Million Dollar Hotel), and a very miscast Wes Bentley (American Beauty, Beloved).
Video: How does it look?
The Claim is presented in a 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. This is a terrific looking presentation, but some flaws do surface, though not enough to lessen the experience. I was stunned to see frequent marks and debris evident, since this is a recent picture (2000) and as such, should look almost pristine. I also saw a handful of compression errors and while not that serious, I was still distracted by some of them, which forces me to lower the score. Even with these flaws, this transfer is better than average, with a sharp overall image and the basics are well presented, to be sure. The contrast is even handed throughout and while the colors aren’t too rich, the hues come off as intended, which is how it should be. This should have looked much better, but even as it stands, I think this is a solid enough visual transfer.
Audio: How does it sound?
The included Dolby Digital 5.1 option isn’t that powerful, but it works well enough and at times, gets to flex some audio muscle. A few scenes offer the chance for some powerful surround use and of course, this track delivers and that adds some nice depth to the experience. I also noted some more subtle use and that expands the atmosphere also, in a most important fashion. This is a dialogue driven film however and as such, most of the audio is based in the front channels, as it should be. The vocals are clean and crisp from start to finish, with no problems to report at all. This disc also includes a Spanish language option, as well as subtitles in French & Spanish.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes the film’s theatrical trailer.
