Amelia Blu-ray Review

Amelia is the romantic, dramatic and heroic biopic story of Amelia Earhart.  Available for the first time on Blu-ray February 2nd from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, the movie tells the legendary story of “The Queen of the Air” and her bold efforts to make history for solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean, all the way through her strange disappearance on July 2nd, 1937.

Amelia Earhart (2 Time Academy Award winner Hilary Swank for Million Dollar Baby and Boys Don’t Cry) was so committed to her flying ambitions that she initially spurned the romantic overtures from business partner George Putnam (Golden Globe winner Richard Gere for Chicago and Pretty Woman).  However, after deciding she could balance marriage and flying, Amelia agreed and the two became the power couple of flight in the first half of the 20th century.  George provided financial backing and moral support while Amelia logged countless miles in pursuit of history.

It was not just flying and marriage that dominated Amelia’s time.  Soon after she became the first lady of flying, Amelia took on a new role as a celebrity, often requested for events as prominent as those hosted by the president and other political representatives.  She took on the exhausting task of not only being its main act, but also the lead promoter of the women in flight movement.

The film shows that Amelia Earhart was far from a perfect individual.  She hada  passionate affair with Gene Vidal (Golden Globe® nominee Ewan McGregor for Moulin Rouge).  But her husband’s enduring love and commitment helped sway Amelia to realize he was the only man for her.  Their ability to maintain their marriage bond, helped them remain strong partners in business.

Directed by Mira Nair (Vanity Fair and Moonsoon Wedding) Amelia is an interesting biography about one of the most historical women of the 20th century.  The film is more valuable as a historical depiction of Amelia’s story than it is a classic drama built to last as an entertainment product.

Swank, Gere and McGregor are certainly a top flight trio in terms of acting talent.  Swank is brilliant in her lead role, as usual, but her on screen chemistry with Gere is not quite as believable as romances either have had with other lead partners.  The movie tries to balance the romance and flying that were pervasive in Earhart’s life.  This is a difficult balance to manage and appease audiences who want either a romance story or an biographical action flick.

Still, the Amelia Blu-ray is a nice adventure with high quality Blu-ray graphics technology.

Amelia Blu-ray Disc Special Features include:

Disc One
● Theatrical version
● Deleted scenes
● Making Amelia
● The Power of Amelia Earhart
● The Plane Behind the Legend
● Re-constructing the Planes of Amelia
● Movietone News

Disc Two
● Digital Copy

• Actors: Scott Anderson, Richard Donat, Christopher Eccleston, Richard Gere, Thomas Hauff
• Format: AC-3, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, Subtitled, Widescreen
• Language: English
• Subtitles: English, French, Spanish
• Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
• Number of discs: 2
• Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Studio: 20th Century Fox
• Blu-ray Release Date: February 2, 2010
• Run Time: 111 minutes

Amelia Blu-ray Review by Neil of Movie Room Reviews