Widely recognized as one of great American novels of the 20th century, there have been several attempts to turn F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby into a film (most famously the 1974 version starring Robert Redford and Mia Farrow). However, none have quite succeeded in capturing the sense of magic that surrounds the characters in Fitzgerald’s novel.

At the helm of this latest attempt is Baz Luhrmann, a man best known for his razzle-dazzle style. The director has regularly proclaimed his love for the novel, but the film often shortchanges the story in favor of a showcase for his frantic, frenetic personal style. There are moments when the glitz works, but he piles it on to the point where we’re gasping for air.

The Great Gatsby (2013)In the summer of 1922, Nick Carraway (Tobey Maguire), arrives in West Egg, New York determined to make his fortune on Wall Street. He rents a small cottage next to a mansion owned by the mysterious Jay Gatsby (Leonardo DiCaprio). Nick becomes intrigued with Gatsby’s nightly blow-out parties attended by hundreds. Eventually, he befriends Gatsby, and is quickly pulled into the millionaire’s glamorous, over-the-top lifestyle. Not a drinker in the past, Nick quickly gets a taste for alcohol, and spends a lot of time drinking.

Nick’s cousin Daisy (Carey Mulligan) lives across the bay from him, and is unhappily married to old-money millionaire and unfaithful thug Tom Buchanan (Joel Edgerton). Nick soon learns that Gatsby throws big parties for a surprisingly sweet reason: in the hope that one day Daisy would attend one of them. Gatsby and Daisy had fallen in love five years earlier, and once Gatsby learns that Nick and Daisy are related, he asks Nick to invite Daisy over for tea. This sets in motion a chain of events that will change the lives of all involved.

While the novel is a compelling read, Luhrmann’s film is somewhat uneven. The script, by Luhrmann and frequent writing partner Craig Pearce fails to make us really care about the characters. While the period details are nicely rendered, it doesn’t really feel like the 1920’s. Of course, the use of Jay Z and Beyoncé doesn’t illicit thoughts of the 1920’s. Its one thing for Luhrmann to take viewers out of the period in a fantasy/musical like Moulin Rouge but quite another when you’re adapting a classic novel.

Credit is due to Leonardo DiCaprio, he really looks the part of Jay Gatsby. His “unveiling” is spectacular, a stunning close-up of a smiling DiCaprio. However, once he is revealed. DiCaprio is a bit stiff in the part, and not all that convincing. Tobey Maguire is fine as Nick but he comes off as much more of an observer, than an active participant in the story. Carey Mulligan’s Daisy has big eyes and a small voice, but her performance is unremarkable. Joel Edgerton’s Tom Buchanan is the definition of annoying, so I guess that means he did his job fairly well.

Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby is far from terrible. However, as a big fan of the novel I was hoping Baz might be able to deliver what could be considered the definitive version of the film. Unfortunately, Baz allowed the story to get buried under his desire for lots of razzle-dazzle.

Presented in the 2.40:1 aspect ratio, Warner’s 1080p presentation is simply stunning. Colors pop off the screen throughout, fleshtones look natural and black levels are deep. The fine detail is as good as it gets, making Luhrmann’s incredible production design shine. There are some intentional imperfections to be found as Luhrmann takes inspiration from old newsreels of the era, but there are no true imperfections.

The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track offers impressive depth. Dialogue is crisp and clear through the center channel, but the surrounds kick in whenever necessary. Directionality is impressive, and when the low end chimes in, it does so with authority.

English SDH, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles are available.

The following special features are included:

  • The Greatness of Gatsby (HD, 9:14) Director Baz Luhrmann and members of the cast discuss bringing F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic novel to the big screen, during pre-production.
  • “Within and Without” with Tobey Maguire (HD, 8:41) Tobey Maguire shot several behind the scenes videos on set. Some of which have been put together for this featurette.
  • The Swinging Sounds of Gatsby (HD, 12:17) Baz Luhrmann and composer Craig Armstrong, as well as JayZ, Florence Welch (of Florence & the Machine), Lana Del Rey and others, discuss the film’s soundtrack.
  • Gatsby Revealed (HD, 30:22) A quintet of scene-specific behind-the-scenes featurettes: “Gatsby’s Party,” “Disconcerting Ride,” “Daisy and Gatsby Meet,” “The Plaza” and “Pool Scene.”
  • The Jazz Age (HD, 15:43) Using Fitzgerald-centric bits from Ric Burns epic New York documentary, along with some thoughts from Luhrmann, elements of the 1920’s are covered.
  • Razzle Dazzle: The Fashion of the ’20s (HD, 16:22) A look at the costumes in the film.
  • Fitzgerald’s Visual Poetry (HD, 6:55) The job of translating Fitzgerald to the screen.
  • Deleted Scenes (HD, 27:23) Luhrmann introduces three deleted scenes and an alternate ending.
  • 1926 Trailer – The Great Gatsby (HD, :59) Vintage silent film trailer.
  • DVD Copy.
  • UltraViolet Copy.