The Time Traveler's Wife (Blu-ray) Official AVSForum Review

( Max score: 100 )

85

Film Synopsis:

Lose yourself in timeless love with this gloriously romantic story of the journey of two hearts. Artist Clare Abshire (Rachel McAdams of The Notebook) shares a deep emotional bond with Henry De Tamble (Eric Bana of The Other Boleyn Girl), a handsome librarian who travels involuntarily through time. Knowing they can be separated without warning, Clare and Henry treasure the moments they have together, imbuing them with the yearning and passion of two people imprisoned by time…and set free by love. Based on the #1 bestseller, The Time Traveler’s Wife weaves together destiny and devotion, past and future to turn an extraordinary love into an extraordinary love story.

My Take:

The time traveler’s wife is based on the novel of the same name by Audrey Niffenegger. At its heart this is a story of love and romance however it is also rooted in science fiction. Henry (Bana) has a genetic disorder that causes him to unpredictably time travel. It manifested itself during a traumatic experience when he was six and since then he jumps forward and backward relative to his own timeline. When he leaves, where he goes, or how long his trips will last are all beyond his control. His destinations are tied to his subconscious—he most often travels to places and times related to his own history. Certain stimuli can trigger Henry's time traveling but he is helpless to gain control over it. When Henry is 28 years old he meets 20 year old Clare (McAdams), at his job at the Library. He has never seen her before, however she is fascinated at the sight of him and reveals that she has known him most of her life. She invites him out to dinner and explains more to him about how they met and when. Henry cannot take anything with him into the future or the past; he always arrives naked and then struggles to find clothing, shelter and food. Clare tells Henry that they first met when she was six years old after he appeared in a field near her home where she often played. He was an adult, older than he is now and that he came to see her various times throughout her childhood. She said that the last time she saw him she was 18 years old. He explained to her that they would meet again only he wouldn’t yet know her. The two become close even though Henry frequently leaves/time travels, and eventually get married. The couple struggles with Henry’s plight but succeeds in building their relationship. When Clare becomes pregnant they make a startling discovery that forces Henry to desperately search for a cure. Henry has many unanswered questions about his life until one day during a time travel to the future he comes face to face with the person that can provide them for him.

I didn’t read the book but both my wife and daughter have. They liked the film on its face but felt that too much was left out and that the film’s ending couldn’t hold a candle to the book. They both commented on the fact that Ron Livingston was miscast as Gomez. I thought that this was an enjoyable film built around an interesting premise and I liked the mixture of romance with the sci-fi twist. It’s hard to really connect with Henry and Clare from a conventional romance perspective because they are anything but. This is probably where the film’s strength lies although it doesn’t make for a thoroughly fulfilling love story. It isn’t necessarily a feel good movie but that depends on your interpretation. It shouldn’t be mistaken for science fiction if that is your only interest as it is first and foremost a film about the complexities of love, inevitability, and loss. The Time traveler’s wife isn’t a perfect movie but I found it charming. Rachel McAdams lights up the screen and I thought that Eric Bana’s dry but credible performance accented hers. I suspect that this film will appeal more to those who have not read the book and enjoy romantic fantasy. I enjoyed my time with it and will probably read the book as it has piqued my interest.

Parental Guide:

Thematic elements, brief disturbing images, nudity, sexuality.

Audio: 82

• 
  
• Dynamics:
• 
  
• Low frequency extension:
• 
  
• Surround Sound presentation:
• 
  
• Clarity/Detail:
• 
  
• Dialogue Reproduction:
  

Video: 88

• 
  
• Resolution/Clarity:
• 
  
• Black level/Shadow detail:
• 
  
• Color reproduction:
• 
  
• Fleshtones:
• 
  
• Compression:

The time traveler’s wife comes to Blu-ray Disc from New Line/Warner featuring 1080p VC-1 encoded video that has an average bitrate of 20 mbps and lossless DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio sound that has an average bitrate of 3.6 mbps.

This is a great looking high definition video presentation that boasts plenty of high level detail, strong contrast, deeply saturated colors, and lucid three dimensional acuity. Blacks are punchy with enhanced visual depth when onscreen with mixed content. Perspective in low lighting and darkened sequences is estimable. The combination gives dark scenes appreciable dimension. Images are dynamic, boldly colorful, clearly drawn, and perfectly suited for the source material. The lossless DTS-HD MA soundtrack has good dynamic range and detail rich clarity that enables the detection of subtle background sounds within the acoustic environment created by the surround mix. Dialogue is firmly planted in the center channel which clearly renders voices and effects with appropriate distinction and tonal balance within the front soundstage. Low frequency effects aren’t often or intense but the subwoofer works in tandem with the rest of the system to appropriately convey the low level bass associated with the film’s recorded elements.

Bonus Features:

• 
  
• (HD) An unconventional love story - 26 minute look behind the scenes
• 
  
• (HD) The time traveler‘s wife: Love beyond words - 21 minute featurette
• 
  
• Digital Copy Bonus Disc

Final Thoughts:

The time traveler’s wife is an entertaining genre film that is based upon the novel by Audrey Niffenegger. The unconventional nature of the love story will intrigue some and frustrate others while fans of the book will more than likely be left wanting. I found it enjoyable despite its minor shortcomings. I am happy to report that Warner has done a terrific job with its audio/video presentation on Blu-ray Disc. I was disappointed in its somewhat limited bonus supplement set but found the included features to be worth checking out (especially if you liked the film). With Valentines Day coming this will make for an appropriate gift or rental to watch with that someone special in your life. Enjoy.