• Login

    • BLU-RAY REVIEW

    Wicker Tree, The

    Featured In Issue 167, May/June 2012

    Picture3.5
    SoundNR
    WSR Score2.5
    Basic Information on new release titles is posted as soon as titles are announced. Once reviewed, additional data is added to the database.
    (Studio/Distributor):
    Anchor Bay Entertainment
    (Catalog Number):
    BD24264
    (MPAA Rating):
    R
    (Rating Reason):
    Sexuality, nudity and violence
    (Retail Price):
    $29.99
    (Disc Type):
    Single Side, Single Layer (BD-25)
    (Widescreen Edition):
    Yes
    (Full Screen Edition):
    No
    (Running Time In Minutes):
    90
    (Color Type):
    Color
    (Chaptered/Scene Access):
    Yes
    (Closed Captioned):
    Yes
    (Regional Coding):
    A
    (Theatrical Year):
    2010
    (Theatrical Release):
    Yes
    (Direct-To-Video Release):
    No
    (Disc Release Date):
    04/24/12
    (THX® Digitally Mastered):
    No
    (Director):
    Robin Hardy
    (Screenplay/Written By):
    (Story):
    (Music):
    (Director Of Photography):
    (Production Designer):
    (Visual Effects):
    (Costume Designer):
    (Editor):
    (Supervising Sound Editors):
    (Re-Recording Mixers):
    (Executive Producers):
    (Co-Producers):
    (Producers):
    (Academy Awards):
    (Principal Photography):
    (Theatrical Aspect Ratio):
    (Measured Disc Aspect Ratio):
    (Disc Soundtrack):
    Dolby TrueHD 5.1
    (Theatrical Sound):
    (Theatrical Re-Issue Soundtrack):
    (DTS Bit Rate):
    (Dolby Digital Bit Rate):
    (Additional Languages):
    (French Language):
    (Spanish Language):
    (Chinese Language):
    (Subtitles):
    (Cantonese Language):
    (Mandarin Language):
    (Japanese Language):
    (Italian Language):
    (German Language):
    (Portuguese Language):

    Based on Robin Hardy's 2006 novel Cowboys For Christ, The Wicker Tree tells the story of Texas-based singer Beth Boothby (Nicol) and her friend Steve Thomson (Garrett), two born-again Christians who come to Scotland to spread the gospel. When their initial efforts are met with disdain and disinterest, they find comfort in an invitation to sing in Tressock, a border fiefdom owned by Sire Lachlan Morrison (McTavish). However, Beth's and Steve's message of personal chastity quickly comes into direct conflict with Tressock's sexual and religious practices, drawing upon ancient Celtic beliefs and rituals. Temptations begin to challenge Beth and Steve—with the stakes no less than their very lives and souls. (Gary Reber)

    Special features include a behind-the-scenes featurette (HD 12:15), nine deleted scenes (HD 11:41), the theatrical trailer, and up-front previews.

    The 2.35:1 1080p AVC picture was shot digitally and exhibits a rather flat appearance, with no distinguished attributes. At times the imagery appears natural but at other times subdued. The color palette is generally balanced with occasional strong hues. Resolution is generally good, with occasional softness. Object textures and clothing are nicely detailed, as well as facial features. Overall, the image quality is pleasing and natural. (Gary Reber)

    The Dolby® TrueHD 5.1-channel soundtrack is conventional, with a varied music score that extends effectively to the surrounds, though, is flat sounding. Dynamic impact is not distinguished, especially during the galloping horses chase scene at the end. Dialogue sounds natural but at times difficult to understand, though, consistently well integrated spatially. Atmospherics and sound effects are subtle and overall subdued in energy. Deep bass also is dubbed, except for the ending sequence. Overall, while generally serviceable, the soundtrack simply sounds flat and lacks dynamic impact. (Gary Reber)

    Reason #9 Why Readers Love Widescreen Review:

    WSR is a terrific resource for anyone interested in keeping up with the state of the art in home theatre. It's the only publication I know of that dedicates not only significant space to discussing upcoming trends, but considerable time and effort is spent pushing those trends towards realization. The home theatre cruise, Joe Kane's technical discussions, D-Theater, and in the latest issue, the movement towards establishing a surround sound recording standard are just a few examples of WSR's leadership. Greg Roger’s review of the Sharp XV-Z12000 made me want to run out and buy it, but last year I bought the Sony HS10 projector (sight unseen) purely on the strength of his thorough, detailed review. I have been very happy with my purchase. It is impossible for me to evaluate all of the pros and cons of a piece of equipment by looking at it in a home theatre shop. It just takes too long to become familiar with operational quirks and to judge how things might be different in my home than in the retail environment. I have bought other expensive equipment based largely on your reviews. WSR is to be commended for dedicating the space in its pages to such thorough reporting. Lastly, your Web Site is topnotch. I use it regularly to keep up with industry news and to look up past equipment reviews. It serves as my filing cabinet for a wealth of HT information. Keep up the great work.

    John VanNest
    26864 Mandelieu Drive, Murrieta, CA 92562 • Phone: 951 676 4914 • Fax: 951 693 2960
    Copyright © Information • All Rights Reserved • www.widescreenreview.com • Web Site Established In 1995 • Privacy Policy • Partners