Scorsese’s Unorthodox Wolf of Wall Street Sees Green on Blu-ray
Martin Scorsese has outdone himself once again. Perhaps not in putting out his magnum opus, but still a film that won’t be forgotten about in the near future. Simply put, The Wolf of Wall Street is his vulgarly relentless three-hour firecracker.
Teaming up with Scorsese for a fifth time, Leonardo DiCaprio captains a long list of Wolf’s fine performers, digging deep into the life of Jordan Belfort. Belfort’s quickly painted as a rookie stockbroker out solely for making money no matter the costs. His early career takes a nosedive after his firm declares bankruptcy. That’s nowhere near the end of his colorful tale. Bouncing back, Belfort is a success at building his own firm from the ground up.
Clocking in at three hours, The Wolf of Wall Street explores Belfort’s unorthodox practices that turn Wall Street on its head. Throw in a handful of lavish parties, cocaine addiction and a nagging FBI investigation and that’s the icing of Belfort’s rise and fall.
DiCaprio revels in the role, who’s not exactly the greatest role model. But out of his five performances for Scorsese, Belfort is the most rewarding. As a viewer, you want to respect this rebel for giving the finger to the system. But, there also that side that feels disgusted by these self-absorbed antics.
Scorsese spends a bit to much time with Belfort. And while the entirety of The Wolf of Wall Street is an unpredictable roller coaster, there’s also a point where it all has to hit a brick wall. Two hours is perfectly fine. But this is Martin Scorsese we’re talking about here. It’s almost a contest to see how far the envelope can be pushed. 500 F-bombs. Check. Gratuitous sex. Check. It’s not like this film needs to be all Puritan, but there is a limit before the audience becomes numb.
Like DiCaprio, Jonah Hill delivers yet another dynamic performance for his resume as business sidekick, Donnie Azoff. Hill’s come a long way since the days of Superbad. And he’s an equal scene-stealer in Belfort’s motley crue of brokers. Newcomer Margot Robbie is a gorgeous riot as DiCaprio’s wife, Naomi. And who can forgot another revitalized performance from Matthew McConaughey (Mud, Dallas Buyers Club).
The Wolf of Wall Street isn’t a chore, despite its excessive run time. Extra subplots could have been chopped, but Scorsese keeps it engaging without fail.
Video
The Wolf of Wall Street is a respectable visual presentation from Paramount. Highlighted by a vibrant color palette, Wolf goes all-in on the details. Even with the film predominantly set in offices or luxurious interiors, there is a sense of warmth that carries over for the entire three hours.
Audio
The film DTS-HD Master Audio 5. 1 revels in a delightful lossless track. The chaos ensuing at Belfort’s film is captured magnificently. The audio booms greatest during the placement of then-contemporary 80s and 90s songs. Wolf relies little on action minus a boat excursion on European waters. It’s there the track works in overdrive to thrust audiences in the middle of dire circumstances.
Special Features
Paramount’s not too concerned with offering this Blu-ray an abundance of extras. Outside of The Wolf Pack extra running 17 minutes, the key component to this combo pack is the film itself. There are rumors of a four-hour cut, so the meat of the supplements could be saved for a later date.
Fortunately for collectors, there is an incentive to bite early. Target’s steelbook is a smooth glossy finish. All in yellow, the front of the steelbook shows a screenshot of one of Belfort’s lavish parties. The back is plain. Despite its simplicity, this steelbook stands out on the shelf.
Verdict
If you missed The Wolf of Wall Street during awards season, now is the time to check out this Oscar worthy film from the legendary Martin Scorsese. It’s a wild ride that certainly suitable for adult audiences and with an afternoon to spare.
- Movie: A- (9/10)
- Video: A- (9/10)
- Audio: A- (9/10)
- Special Features: C (5/10)
Grade: B (8/10) – Recommended
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Matt Marshall is a YouTube movie reviewer who hosts MNMreviews. He has a B.A. in Communications/Journalism from St. John Fisher College and resides in Rochester, NY.
