No Country for Old Men

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Synopsis
A deadly game of chance and destiny plays out against the stark backdrop of early-1980s West Texas in Joel and Ethan Coen’s powerful adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s novel. When he happens upon more than two million dollars from a drug deal turned desert massacre, a retired welder and Vietnam veteran (Josh Brolin) sets into motion a wave of senseless, inexorable violence as he’s stalked across the plains by a soul-weary sheriff (Tommy Lee Jones) and a psychopathic hit man (Javier Bardem). Winner of four Academy Awards—including Best Picture, and Best Supporting Actor for the indelibly disturbing Bardem—this darkly deadpan borderlands noir keeps both the tension and the existential unease mounting through each cruelly ironic twist of fate.
Picture 9/10
Joel and Ethan Coen’s No Country for Old Men receives a stunning 4K UHD upgrade from The Criterion Collection, sourced from a new 4K master supervised by director of photography Roger Deakins. This master was created from the original digital intermediate, itself derived from a scan of the 35mm original negative. The film is presented on a triple-layer disc in its original 2.39:1 aspect ratio with a 2160p/24hz ultra high-definition encode, enhanced by Dolby Vision. A standard dual-layer Blu-ray is also included, offering a 1080p presentation of the film along with all of the release’s special features.
Though I never found Disney’s original Blu-ray release particularly problematic (it holds up well for its time), Criterion’s 4K edition is a staggering improvement. Detail levels are exceptionally sharp, and the film grain is beautifully rendered, lending a film-like texture despite the fact this isn't a new scan of the film elements.
Further enhancements come courtesy of Dolby Vision and HDR, which elevate the color depth, black levels, and contrast. Nighttime sequences stand out in particular. Scenes like the truck chase, where headlights pierce through the darkness in pursuit of Josh Brolin’s Llewelyn Moss, or the moment when Tommy Lee Jones’ sheriff contemplates what might lurk beyond a shadowy hotel room door, are rendered with remarkable detail and clarity. Shadows and highlights are rendered wonderfully, maintaining detail without becoming murky or blown out.
Colors also benefit from the upgrade, though the palette has been subtly adjusted. This new presentation leans slightly greener compared to the original Blu-ray, but the difference is minor and aligns well with the film’s inherently muted, yellow-tinged aesthetic. It’s unlikely to be noticed unless viewed side-by-side with the older release, and even then, it feels natural within the film’s visual design.
Overall, Criterion’s 4K UHD edition of No Country for Old Men is an exceptional upgrade that beautifully delivers Roger Deakins' stunning photography.












































Audio 9/10
The film’s 5.1 surround soundtrack is presented in DTS-HD Master Audio. Despite its bursts of graphic violence—whether the sharp crack of gunfire, even when silenced, or the startling pop of a cattle gun—the film’s sound design is often unnervingly quiet. Background effects, such as wind and weather, are subtly worked through the channels, creating an immersive yet minimalistic soundscape. Interestingly, the film lacks a traditional score for most of its runtime, with music only popping up during the closing credits. Instead, composer Carter Burwell contributed to its environmental sound effects, enhancing the tension in a less conventional way.
The dynamic range is impressive, seamlessly shifting from hushed stillness to sudden chaos without distortion. Dialogue is cleanly mixed, centered in the front channel and consistently clear and articulate. The result is an incredibly effective and atmospheric surround presentation, perfectly complementing the film’s design.
Extras 8/10
Though not the jam-packed edition I might have hoped for, Criterion has put in a respectable amount of effort with this release, porting over nearly everything from Disney’s long out-of-print collector’s edition while adding some noteworthy new material of their own. The standout addition is a 40-minute interview featuring Joel and Ethan Coen in conversation with author Megan Abbott. The directors recount first encountering Cormac McCarthy’s novel (pre-publication) and deciding it was one of the few of his works that could be adapted into a film, thanks to its strong narrative and genre elements. (It’s worth noting the novel began life as a screenplay.)
The discussion covers the adaptation process, including transforming portions of the novel’s interior monologues into dialogue, as well as casting, location scouting, and crafting the film’s distinct visual style. Particularly amusing is their anecdote about sticking to Texas locations after Tommy Lee Jones warned them it would be a “grave mistake” to shoot in New Mexico as they had initially planned. There’s also some fun insight into Javier Bardem’s infamous haircut, which was inspired by photos from a book about bordellos along the border, pictures from which are shared here. The Coens delve into genre conventions, break down the intricacies of the mid-point hotel sequence (spanning across multiple rooms), and even share a fun outtake featuring the Coen's creation, Mortimer Young of Forever Young Films. With Abbott providing her own insights into the film and welcoming the directors to address them, it’s easily the most comprehensive and entertaining look at the making of a film I’ve encountered.
Criterion also includes another new feature: a 34-minute audio-only discussion between Abbott, producer David Diliberto, and cinematographer Roger Deakins. Likely conducted online, this feature sees Diliberto touch on the film’s production and release (as well as its unconventional "score"), but Deakins dominates the conversation, diving into the visual planning, particularly the hotel sequence, and the meticulous effort to ensure spatial clarity for the audience. Interestingly, it's one of the few films he has worked on that he revisits.
Unfortunately, Criterion couldn’t secure new interviews with the cast, instead assembling a 24-minute featurette from press interviews recorded during the film’s original release. Featuring Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin, and Kelly Macdonald, the piece covers their experiences with the project, the film’s themes, and working with the Coens. Despite none of the cast sharing scenes together in some cases, their reflections are complementary, and Jones’ contributions stand out. He discusses his connection to McCarthy, the film’s Texas landscapes, and how he prepared for his character’s poignant closing monologue. Interestingly, the Coens reveal in their interview that they had initially planned to visualize that monologue as a dream sequence but scrapped the idea after Jones’ delivery proved so powerful.
The disc also ports over material from previous releases, including Brolin’s An Incredibly Unauthorized Documentary. Shot on home video during production, this candid 9-minute feature provides charming behind-the-scenes moments, including interviews with Bardem and Jones, and feels far more engaging than the fairly standard studio-produced Making Of documentary. The latter, while serviceable, doesn’t dig as deeply as the other supplements, though it does include some notable sections on the film’s border crossing set, costumes, and prosthetic effects.
Two additional studio-produced featurettes are included: the 8-minute Working with the Coens, where cast and crew discuss the brothers’ collaborative style, and the 7-minute Diary of a Country Sheriff, which focuses on Jones’ character, Tom Bell, and the film’s broader themes about his journey.
Rounding out the package is a trailer and a booklet. The booklet includes an essay by Francine Prose that examines the Coen's adaptation with the occasional comparison of the film to McCarthy’s novel, as well as a reprint of Larry McMurtry’s essay written before the film’s release. McMurtry explores the film’s relationship to Texas cinema and its subversion of the myth of the American West, though the Coens quickly note in their interview that they don't consider the film a Western.
And that closes things. Considering the awards and accolades at the time of its release I would have expected a bit more, but the new features prove to be worthwhile additions.
Closing
Criterion delivers a sharp upgrade of the Coen brothers' sole Best Picture winner to date, offering a stunning new 4K presentation and a handful of worthwhile new features.


