Synopsis
Ken Stott plays Inspector John Rebus. Working in Edinburgh, Rebus is dogged in his pursuit of the truth, no matter how many years it might be buried. He’s not one to stand on ceremony, doesn’t suffer fools at all, never mind gladly, and is curiously successful in romancing younger women. The two mysteries here, The Falls and Fleshmarket Close take place in very different settings: the former delves into the secrets of the very wealthy, the latter takes place in a high-rise proj…ct.
Rebus is an appealing character, one who is a lot of fun to follow around. The female characters smack somewhat of male fantasy: quite apart from their attraction to the decidedly middle-aged and rumpled Rebus, they tend to be gorgeous and obsessed with rugby or scale-model wargaming. Riiiiight. Still, highly entertaining stuff.
Audio
The 2.0 track is efficient but not particularly special. The score sounds fine, the environmental effects aren’t bad, what there are of them, and there are some nice moments of movement from front to rear speakers. The dialogue doesn’t overmodulate, but there are moments of muzziness. Rebus’ voice, in particular, sometimes turns into a low-pitched, incomprehensible drone.
Video
Well, the format is anamorphic widescreen, there is no grain or edge enhancement, and the image is sharp enough. All of this is to the good. But I wonder – gritty though the series is meant to be, is it supposed to look this drab? The colours are washed out, the skin tones are grey (as is, for that matter, just about everything), and even the blacks aren’t perfectly solid. It’s all rather depressing to look at.
Special Features
Very limited: the trailer, a bio of Ian Rankin, and cast filmographies.
Closing Thoughts
Good fun, but the dearth of extras raises the question as to why it was necessary to package two 70-minute episodes on separate discs, each with their own case.
Special Features List
- Ian Rankin Biography
- Cast Filmographies
- Trailer
