Queen of Katwe Blu-ray Review
In the slums, shacks are lopped together side by side and the people inside are forced to share all, even beds. Where there aren’t homes, there is congested traffic or markets. Hunger is a daily problem, as is making money.
The children of the slums—those of Katwe, located in the Ugandan capital of Kampala—have seen no other existence. But many know there is something else out there. Such options are often presented by Robert Katende (David Oyelowo, 2014’s SELMA), who operates a youth ministry operation. One is the game of chess, an immediate fascination for the young Phiona (Madina Nalwanga, in her debut).
The strategies and symbolic elements of chess are almost unavoidable when it’s such a large part of a film’s story, and certainly survival, finding safety and protecting the king/queen are obvious ones. Not surprisingly, they are present in QUEEN OF KATWE and even the most juvenile of viewers will note what the board, bishop and game as a whole represent. (They get a lot of help from Robert, too, as when Robert instructs his young learners, he notes that there is always a way to protect yourself, ending the scene with, “Follow your plans and you will all find safe squares.”)
The game offers a number of opportunities for Phiona, as she partakes in tournaments and begins experiencing a life no one could truly prepare her for. It’s a revelation and a challenge, thus giving way to a story that is meant to do one primary thing: inspire. QUEEN OF KATWE is another Disney-produced underdog stories that, as a bonus, is based on a true story. But it’s not merely just another.
QUEEN OF KATWE is interesting off the bat because its location and characters are ones viewers don’t often get to see or learn about. It also has the benefit of casting lesser-known actors, one of whom, Madina Nalwanga, is stepping on the big screen for the first time. (Oyelowo and Lupita Nyongo’o, who plays Phiona’s mother, aren’t exactly unknowns, but they’re not quite household names like Kevin Costner and Jon Hamm, stars of two recent sports-centric bios, MCFARLAND, USA and MILLION DOLLAR ARM.) And it is a strong one, one that knows what’s at risk for her character and what any bout of success would mean.
There is a certain tendency for movies of this kind to go through every expected motion, and so often they don’t stand on their own. QUEEN OF KATWE can’t really avoid the traps and tropes, but it does work as an individual movie. That could be because there is so much at stake in the story and the actors and their director, Mira Nair (2011’s THE RELUCTANT FUNDAMENTALIST, 2009’s Amelia Earhart biopic AMELIA), know this.
There isn’t anything terribly captivating about watching someone play chess (Chinese checkers on the other hand…), but when the viewer considers the skill involved and the stakes of the players, it can be enriching. So, too, can QUEEN OF KATWE.
BLU-RAY REVIEW
Video: 2.39:1 in 1080p with MPEG-4 AVC codec. This high-definition presentation offers a wonderfully crisp image, showing off fine details/textures and colors
Audio: English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio; English 2.0 Descriptive Audio; Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital; French 5.1 Dolby Digital. Subtitles in English, Spanish and French. The audio transfer is also quite nice, with clean dialogue and a nicely handled score.
Audio commentary with director Mira Nair: Nair offers a nice track in which she touches on various aspects of the production, including the inspirations, cast/crew, music, themes and much more.
QUEEN OF KATWE: Their Story (29:39) is divided into three parts: “A Spark of Inspiration,” “Those Who Guide” and “The Future Is Bright.” This trio of featurettes goes into the source story, the filming locations, the cast of both adults and children, and more.
A FORK, A SPOON & A KNIGHT (13:14) is a documentary short directed by Nair focusing on the real Robert Katende.
Music: Housed here are In the Studio with Alicia Keys (6:26), Alicia Keys “Back to Life” Lyric Video (5:01) and Young Cardamom & HAB “#1 Spice” Music Video (3:55).
Deleted Scenes (20:25): There are eight here, which can be viewed separately or as a whole (with Mira Nair introductions). They are: “Graduation,” “Job Application,” “Dancing and Rent,” “Entering the Hospital,” “Escape from the Hospital,” “They Can’t Go to Budo,” “Flood (Extended Scene)” and “Phiona’s Chess Club.”
UltraViolet